Lokpal Bill can curb 65% of corruption: Anna Hazare

Anna Hazare has cautioned that the Lokpal bill would not wipe out corruption entirely. In Ahmedabad as a part of his nation-wide tour against corruption, he gave exclusive interview to DNA. Excerpts:

How effective will this Jan Lokpal Bill be?
Anna: I believe that Janlokpal Bill will put break on at least 65% corruption in the country at both upper and lower level. For example, today the poor have to pay bribe to get ration card. Jan Lokpal Bill can stop this as after applying for the card one reference number will go to Janlokpal as well, so the poor will not need to pay bribe for it.

At the same time this bill will cover the judiciary system. So, the Jan Lokpal can conduct inquiry against judges.

Can corruption and development go together?
Anna: Corruption and development can not go hand in hand. If there is development without getting rid of corruption, fruits of development would not reach the needy.

What are your observations on Gujarat's social stand against corruption?
Anna: This is the state of Mahatma Gandhi. People of Gujarat should stand up against corruption. We have adopted 85 villages for development. We tried for it in Gujarat as well. But there was no one to come forward. I can understand that a person with a family having wife, children and parents at home, can not come on the roads to fight against corruption. How can they go to jail for the cause?

What qualities are needed to fight corruption?
Anna: The fight against corruption is very tough. People will call you ‘corrupt’, they will malign your image. So, one has to have five qualities namely clean character, pure thoughts and behavior, spotless life, sacrifice and capacity to ingest the insult. One will have to sacrifice a lot to fight the corruption. Everyone can not be Anna Hazare.

What is your panacea for a corrupt society?
Anna: Spirituality. A person has to think who am I? What am I? Why am I in this world? What are my duties here? This knowledge (gyan) has be there in every human otherwise it is difficult. Today people have forgotten their end - their death. Everyone must think about their end. Everyone should remember that they have come with empty hand and they will go (die) with empty hand.

What are you doing to create more Anna Hazares? 
Anna: We are preparing them. We have written letters to 4000 youth organisations to join us for rural development. We offer them 6 months training. Only 403 young boys and girls turned up.