Innocent / Crying / Dieing Faces

To :  Members of Lokpal Bill Drafting  Committee

Once again you will meet this morning ( June 15 ), to debate where to place the commas and the full stops in your draft.

You will meet in an air-conditioned office, sit on a plush chair and, may even partake of tea / biscuits.

Even as you do, let this knowledge humble you :

During those 3 hours of your meeting, in our country, 1000 tons of food grains will rot in the open under the sun and the rain.

During these very same 3 hours, 1000 children will die of mal-nutrition ( - a political euphemism for “ starving “ ! ).

That is 3 million per year !

If you have the moral courage, a deep sense of responsibility and dignity befitting leaders of 121 crore countrymen, then please,

>   Stop mud-slinging, name-calling, insulting

>   Lock yourself in that room

>   Don’t come out till you have signed an agreed upon draft

>   Don’t show your face ( or whatever is left of it ) to the public

>   Compromise , move forward

>   Use the “ Art of Possible “ to resolve differences

And all the while be reminded of those innocent / crying / dieing faces.

With regards

Hemen  Parekh