Making Government Act - the 'Fast' Way!

One thing is very clear from recent events happening in the country that fast (foregoing food) by a leading figure is the best tool to make the Government act and act fast too. First it was Anna Hazare, whose 'successful' fast resulted in fast action by government , starting with ending of his fast, calling him for discussions, listening to his views, agreeing to set up a joint committee of Government- civil society members to deliberate on the issue of corruption, deciding to Implement the Lok Pal Bill, initiating the drafting process, announcement regarding introduction of the bill in the monsoon session of Parliament itself, ratification of the UN convention on Graft and so on. . All acts are done fast. What was the Government doing all these days? Did someone has to undertake a fast unto death for all this to happen.? Well, perhaps the Government always need a wake-up call, since without this, the Government will continue to only 'promise' action, whenever people raise some serious issues and will take it's own sweet time.

Now, let us look at the fast unto death call given by Baba Ramdev. Here too things have worked fast right from the start. A group of ministers rushing to the airport to receive him, pleading with him not to resort to the threatened fast, agreeing to some of the steps suggested by him to detect and recover huge sums of black money stashed abroad, giving direction to the Income Tax Department, etc. Not only that, evasion of crores of rupees as tax in various forms have been already tracked too. All fast actions, no doubt. Though the full demands of the Yoga Guru are still to be met.

The above only shows the power of fast to make Government act fast. I'n all such cases where leaders with vast following resort to fasts unto death, Government has no tools I'n it's hands, but to counter by way of it's own fast action. In one way, this is a win-win situation for all, for the person undertaking the fast,(since he wins in his efforts), the Government (since it can claim fast action on it's part) and for the people at large (since the public ire and non-tolerance has been rewarded).

Perhaps, in future also one could anticipate such threats and acts of fast unto death by other leaders in other major cases like sexual harassment, dowry deaths and so on, to mention only a few. The old way of organizing bandhs and protests will gradually disappear, (if it happens it is good) both from the view point of their ineffectiveness and the huge losses to the nation, apart from disrupting the life of the common people. And all this will perhaps lead to the creation of a GOM (group of ministers) specifically to deal with fasts henceforth! One can say, that this is a paradigm shift I'n the way to handle serious national issues!! This is perhaps a true demonstration of the power of people to not only elect their representatives to govern, but also thereafter to make it act, and act the fast way, without allowing them to go into the slumber mode, once they are saddled in their seats.