When they marched along the American west coast with a mission in their minds to save India from the whirlpool of corruption, more and more Indians living in the United States of America turned up in group to encourage them. The ‘Dandi March second’ from San Diego to San Francisco has become a big event when the walk spread across the globe through social networking sites like Face book and Twitter.
A six member Indian team with tricolor flag moved the streets; young and old alike came to them enthusiastically. They provided the team food, water and shelter along with their whole hearted support .When the march moved ahead, a common platform, and a unique blend of Indianness has been invigorating, against corruption.
The team significantly called their initiative as Dandi March second with Gandhiji’s way of protest in mind. Mahatma Gandhi marched 240 miles (320 kilometers) from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, to unshackle India from the clutches of British rule. Their small initiative has become a big event when the walk spread across the globe through social networking sites like Twitter and Face book.
One of the core members of the team, Sasidhar Kalagara, lead software engineer, Los Angeles spoke to M. Rajesh for Calicutnet, its objective and incredible experiences. Excerpt from an exclusive email interview:
What prompted you to organize such an innovative ‘walk’?
Corruption has been growing alarmingly and public money has been either looted or misused widely in India. As concerned citizens of the mother country, we really wanted to do something, at least to make a common platform to think against corruption. We don’t want to ditch about it, when something happens. The very thought of making all Indians alert on the corruption issue became a motivation to us.
How did you discuss the mission and realize it among your team?
We consist of a group with five to six people who planned this idea and started looking for all the possibilities to make this happen. We began working with cities in the US for taking permissions. Simultaneously, we co-ordinated all like-minded groups who would come forward in support of this cause. We started using social media to share the information in face book and twitter. It embarked on getting momentum and we have requests from different corners of the globe that they would like to organize similar events in their city in support of our walk. So we prepared common documentation and shared information with global groups.
How was the response from the people?
We got an amazing response, as we have more than 400 people who participated in various legs for the last ten days since we begun on 12th March though we have only six people who engaged full time in 240 mile route from Sandiego to San Francisco. We have more than twenty cities across US, organizing walks on March 26th, in harmony with our mission. We also coordinated walks across the globe in various countries and more than fifty centers in India.
Is it effective to make such move outside India?
We thought it would be a platform across the world to bring all concerned citizens of the country on one common platform to get this evil fixed. Whether it is in India or outside India, we should fight for the change of our corruption-driven system and make sure tainted are punished and the money plundered should be brought back and used for the development of the nation. We should have system in such way that everyone should be afraid of indulge in corruption.
What is the most important aspect of Indian corruption, in NRI point of view and how it can be tackled?
We should have independent anti- corruption agency which deals with corruption at all levels. It should have power to investigate and punish anyone who loot public money. The present anti -corruption bodies are obliged to the regime and investigating bodies whereas the decision making power is still centered on government. When a member of the ruling party itself is corrupted, how they will be able to take action against him?
So itself, the agency should be free of government interference. In many cases they are arrested and released after sometime. But the money plundered will still remain with them and they will happily enjoy it after they come out of the jail. This march emulates Mahatma Gandhi’s march for Indian freedom; our fight is aimed to bring freedom from corruption in India and to enact a crucial “Jan Lokpal” bill.
Do you think India’s image has become a “scam driven country”?
All the recent scams have created a bad image for the country, globally. But we are not pointing fingers on who is wrong. We are pointing out that our system is weak and we need make changes to the structure that it becomes strong. So that we won’t see such instances in future.
Most cherished moments?
One of our core members got a call from an editor from Chhattisgarh newspaper one day, asking for more information. After discussing with us he straight away booked his tickets and flew to US. He has walked all the way for covering the whole event. We have one more person at the age of seventy, Mr.Kewal from Tucson, Arizona. Heard about this on television, he was inspired by our mission and in no time, he joined us for the walking.
A supporting march was organized in Chennai on 26th March along with many other cities in India and abroad on the account of conclusion of the USA march.
“As many as 200 social activists and Gandhians took part in the march organized at Marina Beach.S.P Ambross; retired IAS officer inaugurated. Prominent Gandhian Kumari Ananthan addressed the gathering near Gandhi statue. “-told A. Subramani, one of the Indian coordinators of Dandi March second to Calicut net.
Varma Dantuluri, Sripal Reddy, Prasanna Meda, Ravindra Nandam, Sreekanth Kocharlakota and Pooja Tripathi are among the other core group members of Dandi March second.
