vacuum filling
in a letter to the editor, indian express, a reader has justified the decision of the supreme court to appoint a SIT for enquiry into black money by saying that government has not done anything in this regard. in this situation, the supreme court had to step in. the basis of this argument is that there should be no vacuum, otherwise it will be filled up by someone. do we remember how many times, this argument has been advanced to justify the takeover by a dictator or by the armed forces. the reason is the same. the government was doing nothing so we had to come in. are we approaching that situation. the three or four persons appointed by the court can hardly tackle the scourge of black money when it is known that it is a wide spread malady. the SIT will have to depend upon the same officers which were advising the government. it is hardly feasible that a large parallel machinery will be set up to assist the SIT. one of the potent argument against lokpal, as envisaged by anna hazare and co. is that a parallel authority will be there. if the supreme court initiative fails than there will again be vacuum. who will fill it. let us ensure that the remedy is not worse than the disease.