Will the hangman hang himself?

In the eyes of the ordinary citizen, the august pillars of our democracy like the Parliament, and State Assembly, bear a strong resemblance to the public fish market. Here, our honourable representatives, gather not to seriously discuss matters of state, but to seriously harm each other, if not physically, then by word of (an abusive) mouth. Recently, two successive sting operations reinforced what everyone has known all along: that the people we send to Parliament are no less than a lowly peon in a government department who will do what you say for a fast buck. Maybe, the comparison is unfair to a peon; after all, he is at the bottom of the pyramid, while Parliament's Rogues Gallery lord over the pyramid.

If you are looking for a sting in the tale, you might as well look for a black cat in a dark alley that doesn't exist. There's no sting really in the sting operation, unless the drama ends in a denouement. A climax where the worthies who are caught go to the gallows or wherever we send our corrupt - in the here and now, and not in an indeterminable future.

In the absence of prompt, decisive action, such sting operations make headlines for a few days, and then remain as a footnote in the dustbin of history. A predatory media, caught in a whirlpool of a race for newsy news and juice as it is happening, has no time to look back for follow-on stories, and therefore soon loses interest.

It's easy - even fashionable - to show disdain at such sting operations, but the courageous efforts of the sting operators - who indeed put their life on the line in the cause of ferreting out the truth - deserve more. The guilty should be given exemplary punishment forthwith and whatever systemic changes are needed should be brought about forthwith.

This can happen - only when the citizens take up the cause as their own. The public cannot expect Parliament to co-operate in this regard, for obvious reasons. It is like expecting a hangman to hang himself.