“You can kill, harm, exile, imprison, destroy/ defame a person but not an idea. You can co-opt/ corrupt a person but not an idea that becomes a collective movement & ideology. This collective ideology cannot be killed, harmed, exiled imprisoned destroyed, defamed, co-opted or corrupted. This shall always prevail and stay as an ideology of the people collectively”
– Founders of iCONGO & www.hallabolo.com
The root for this initiative!
“Sir, it is very easy for you and Arvindji to tell us not to bribe or pay money under the table, when we apply for our passports, driving license or any other official matter. However unlike you both, we do not have the capacity engage with the officers in charge, fight for our right as then our work won’t be done. The easiest way is to pay and just get it done.” [Sic]- a student to the founder of iCONGO, Jeroninio Almeida (Jerry) in a seminar organized by an educational institute attended by students, executives and civil society workers where Arvind Kejriwal and Jerry spoke on effectively using RTI and other legal/ constitutional provisos to fight corruption. (iCONGO had started the whole thought leadership of Citizens saying NO TO CORRUPTION and Electoral Reforms in 2009, through the RIGHT every WRONG movement in association with UNODC, PPI , NNFI, Ministry of Home Affairs and other partners. Our founders speak in various forums nationally & globally, appealing to citizens, youth & students to combat corruption in day to day life. More details on www.righteverywrong.com )
While the abovementioned rejoinder by the young student distressed Jerry, he empathised with this young man and others like him who despite having acts/provisos like RTI/PILs (and now Lokpal) will still have no choice but to pay a bribe to get any work done. Every government office has officers who make life difficult for the common citizen by twisting matters and saying papers are wrong even when they are right. They leave a citizen with no choice but to pay in order to get the work done. Now let’s think about it; if educated citizens from the upper middle class feel that way, then what about the people at the bottom of the food chain? What about the poor man who is denied healthcare at a public hospital or a poor kid who is denied admission in school despite Right to Education. Hmm!something needs to be done towards creating simple “weaponry” for the public at large to fight corruption and ills in society. This was the beginning of the idea that was yet to take full shape in the months to come.
“Corruption is rampant because we the citizens indulge in corrupt acts and until we start taking a stand and stop being indifferent & silent about this, corruption can never be destroyed. Each of us has to act against this and not expect any one hero or mahatma to make a difference alone” – Founders of iCONGO & www.hallabolo.com
The advancement of the idea!
Circa March’ 2011 at the nadir of the “Team Anna” fever. Imagine this! A young man at the “Anna Hazare” rally at Jantar Mantar, enthusiastically waving the Indian Flag and shouting slogans against corruption. And when he is accosted by a cop at the next traffic signal (when he is stopped for flouting a traffic rule), he greases the constable’s palm with a 100 Rupees. Jerry’s car was behind him. He stopped him and asked him what was he in the rally for when he continues indulging in bribery? He just shrugged his shoulders and drove on.
This incident strengthened our resolve that something needs to be done to empower every Indian to combat corruption and social evils on a daily basis. While RTIs and Lokpals will keep happening on a higher playing ground for seats in office and on committees, it is important that we focus at the grassroots, as we are far away from a victory against corruption. In fact any one hero, Mahatma or Anna Hazare or Arvind Kejriwal or Tarun Tejpal won’t do. We need to have every citizen empowered to CRUSADE against corruption. Every citizen needs to become the hero thus making this a mass ideology. It is proven now that when we rely on any one hero we can be let down as is happening with all the “Team Anna” members whose shenanigans and acts of corruption are being exposed now. Hence it is important that each of us become the change and not just rely on any one hero or Mahatma.
If we need to weed out corruption systemically, we need to do so from the grassroots and not just from the top. We need to have an attitudinal change amongst all citizens, where everyone can becomes a Anna Hazare, Tejpal , Kejriwal or Julian Assange, as only then can we win against corruption. After all the “people in power” may be able stop, corrupt, co-opt or malign any one person or a few people, but they cannot stop a revolution where every citizen becomes the change. And that is the USP of this idea, because the balance of power does not rest with a few people in a group but is distributed to one and all to achieve true & democratic balance by creating a community of power. Thus the idea of creating a community of power had taken shape where we could create simple “weapons” for common citizens to combat corruption on a daily basis. This is PEOPLE POWER. WE THE POWER!
