Corruption and the Lokpal Bill

In recent times there has been outrage at the brazen corruption, impunity and economic imbalance in our society. It has been marked by an expression of public anger against those in power. The Lokpal movement has seen, for the first time, India’s people on the streets, in the courts, and inside the Parliament, working on an issue that aims to make India a better place. The middle classes, so far fairly silent on the episodes of corruption, have become more outspoken. If corruption has to be tackled effectively, a lot depends on the pressure that the people are able to bring to bear on the political class. This book takes a look at corruption from the times of Kautilya and traces its history in our times. It assesses the journey of a measure intended to fight corruption and what happens to it in the power play of politics. Which way will this go? The Lokpal movement is just the beginning. Are we, as responsible citizens, fully aware of what the struggle against corruption involves? The outcome of this struggle concerns us all. Are we doing enough to cage the monster of corruption? Or will we let it continue to overwhelm us with its sheer size and brutal presence? ABOUT THE AUTHOR : Gayatri Pagdi is a full-time writer, translator, editor and professional ghostwriter of books related to Indian culture and religion, self-empowerment and alternative healing. She is a published author in the UK and her writing has been included in the South Asian Literary Review brought out by the University of Pittsburgh, USA, as a promising contemporary South Asian writer and poet. She has also received acknowledgment for her work from the prestigious Sahitya Akademi in 2007. Pagdi, who has worked on more than 30 books in the past five years in various capacities, is based in Mumbai. M. V. Kamath (1921-2014), eminent writer, columnist and journalist, authored over 45 books. He started his career in journalism in 1946. He was the correspondent at the United Nations for the Press Trust of India, and in Bonn, Paris and Washington for the Times of India. He was also editor of Free Press Journal, and later of the Illustrated Weekly of India. A prolific writer, Mr. Kamath is the author of numerous biographies and books, which include The Pursuit of Excellence, B. G. Kher: The Gentleman Premier, Sai Baba of Shirdi: A Unique Saint, Nani A. Palkhivala: A life, and Narendra Modi: The Architect of a Modern State. In 2004, Mr. Kamath was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India. He was chairman of Prasar Bharathi, and a director of the Manipal Institute of Communications.