India has bred a virus. For the past half a century we have carefully nurtured a virus that now threatens to ridicule the credibility of the government and challenge the morality upon which our constitution is based. This virus is CORRUPTION.

But common wisdom tells us that any disease is usually destroyed by two methods.

The first way, antibodies and medicines, the law , which has so obviously been rendered redundant, serves effectively as a mule to blame all our misfortunes on and also provides us an occasional source of amusement, ridicule and self-pity. To wonder that an institution, once so prestigious, like the CBI, is confused witless in front of the national media solving a murder; let alone bringing high-profile power broking politicos to account, is a situation that certainly shatters the perspectives of justice and democracy in the eyes of the common man.

Another “antibody”, (apparently against corruption) is the CAG and its juvenile 90 day deadline to set the CWG mess straight. You may ask, “Was I stupid enough to believe what this government says?” When I read an article on the CAG and its un-kept promises, I resounded some harsh sentiments. Yes, I was stupid enough. Stupid enough to care. So should every one of us be. When I see the headlines, “ CAG’s 90 day “dead”line “ , I can’t ignore the feelings of anger, sorrow and rebuttal, the exact same feelings I felt when a Belgian taxi driver said to me,“ Don’t be late tomorrow. This is Europe, not India.”

India has always been a country of creators- or to put it more aptly- a country which nurtures people who create, either here or abroad, but nevertheless create value and substance. And the only reason this country’s economy holds any promise at all is the revered and fragile balance that exists between the creators and the looters. Terrifyingly, this balance seems to be on tenterhooks, steadily approaching the tipping point, as each day passes us by and scams after scams reveal their serpentine selves from every dark corner imaginable.

I have terrible fears these days; fears of seeing my nation sink into a bottomless abyss of disrepute. But more than anything else, I fear this ‘system’ will get into the confidence of the common man, rip it and ravish it and change him forever with nothing left at his core but helplessness. And I feel it could do those things. I feel that it has been created to do those things.

That is why we have to resort to dealing with an epidemic the way it should be dealt with. With a vaccine. A Vaccine, which will beat corruption at its own game. And that vaccine, my friends, should be an Idea.

An idea, lost half a century ago, of a free country is being brought to life through Jan Lokpal bill with a crusader at the forefront. A 72 year old man fighting for tomorrow’s youth. Now is the time to take responsibility, because the path down which this country has been declining for the past decade has no roads. Help him build it. For us.