As it is the Lokpal debate has sunk very low. Mr. Anna Hazare has helped sink it lower.  In his letter to Mrs. Sonia Gandhi released to the media Mr. Anna Hazare wrote: “It seems that the corrupt forces in the country have united to derail the process of drafting an effective anti-corruption law through the joint committee.”

Mr. Hazare was provoked by certain statements made by Congress party officials and allegedly by UPA ministers critical of the manner in which the process of drafting the Lokpal Bill was proceeding. In addition there were the allegations made against Mr. Shanti Bhushan and Mr. Prashant Bhushan through the release of an allegedly doctored audio tape that have led to a court case and a counter court case.

Mr. Hazare’s anguish is understandable. 

However the observation contained in his letter quoted above is not. It betrays an attitude prepared to sink as low as might be exhibited by some of his detractors. Surely the lowest form of debate is to question the motives of adversaries instead of refuting their arguments. To tar all critics of the Lokpal soap opera as being corrupt segments uniting to derail an anti-corruption law does little credit to one who is widely being admired as a modern Gandhi. The Mahatma was marvelously correct with words and intonation in all his utterances and writings. 

This scribe has serious reservations about the efficacy of a Lokpal as is being contemplated to effectively counter corruption. There are others who have voiced similar reservations.

Does this make us all part of a corrupt nationwide conspiracy to derail the Lokpal Bill?

One can fearlessly state that this scribe has never been corrupt – possibly because he never had the opportunity to be corrupt! Why, he never even had the opportunity to divert Rs two lakhs from a trust fund headed by him to misuse it for celebrating his own birthday!