NAGPUR: Crusader Anna Hazare may have rallied the nation behind a law that can curb malpractices but he may not have stirred the souls of individuals enough to take corruption head on.
The 74-year-old's 13-day fast, that throwing his life into the jaws of death for the cause, does not seem to have steeled the nerves of his followers who could have walked into the office of the existing agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation or State Anti-Corruption Bureau to lodge a complaint or pass on a crucial information regarding wrong-doings in government organizations.
The unit in-charges of CBI Nagpur branch and State ACB lamented that the anti-corruption sentiment generated by the Anna did not even result in a tiny stream of complainants or informers in their office with complaints against corrupt officials. People participated in anti-corruption frenzy across the nation but stopped short of taking real action when faced with corruption.
Superintendent of police, CBI, Nagpur, Thomas John said that people rallied behind the Jan Lokpal Bill but only legislation would not curb corruption. "There was no difference in number of complainants coming in before and after the agitation. The complainants remained elusive as usual," he said.
CBI has been tackling corruption in the central government offices, public sector undertakings and such organizations. The central government agency had to step on awareness campaigns to attract complainants. Despite its sustained campaigns and sound action in the past, CBI senior officials expressed disappointment that only a handful of persons came forward with complaints and that too only in a few departments.
Sandeep Diwan, superintendent of police, State ACB, Nagpur, said that even when individuals came forward with a complaint they were not ready to participate in the process without which the agency was helpless. "We try to maintain high secrecy and make the complainants comfortable through whatever provisions is available. Still the citizens remains aloof ignoring the need of reporting about malpractices in the government offices," said Diwan. He too said Anna's fight did not push up the numbers of complainants at his office.
According to a senior official, who worked for a long time in the state ACB, said that meeting the criteria of the Lokpal Bill to complete enquiry within a year was a tricky proposition and may not be practical. "Assimilating data from different government offices and organizations as evidence takes long time due to the red-tapism. The purpose of the bill could get defeated," said the official. "The citizens are wary of coming to ACB but are fighting for a bill whose passing would not help curb the wrongdoings," he added.
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