Rachel Pillai

"Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, into that heaven of freedom my father, let my country awake." Lines that continue to remain nothing more than a wish, not just for Rabindranath Tagore, but for the rest of us too.

Which is where the Web comes in as a platform, helping you do your bit towards making India better. So, for those who want to make difference, there are sites that show you how.

Bhrasht is an option to begin with, specifically for those who want to stand up and fight corruption. The site has sections called 'Vox Populi', 'Media Watch', and even information on the Central Bureau of Investigation and Central Vigilance Commission. So the next time you're being harassed by a government official, simply fill out the corruption form here and let the CBI or CVC know about it.

Remember the question, "What would you do if you became the Prime Minister of India?" Well, India Policy lets you have your say. Here's where you can join fellow Indians in the electronic town hall and have focussed debates. You also get information and resources on policy making and policies, along with useful data on laws that help you fight corruption. A special must see for our politicians, who need all the tips they can get.

Suppose you have a grievance related to a department of the Central Government that has not been resolved. Stop cribbing and do something about it, like filing your complaint at the DGP Bharat Sarkar site. Log in for an overview and a peek at cases taken up for investigation, the powers of the DPG, performance and, most importantly, how to send in your grievances.

If the grievance is related to India as a whole, and you think a particular issue needs to be taken up, why not send your opinion to the Minister in charge? Mantrimahoday uses a interactive section called 'Initiate Issue' to get you started. However, to my utter dismay, the page repeatedly failed to load, reminding me of the typical workings of a government office. And so much for it being a forum to voice concerns. On the up side, the site carries information on various ministries, famous speeches, and more.

Peace. Aren't we all looking for it? Path2Peace should help. For pacifists worldwide, it addresses topical issues like the ongoing Jammu & Kashmir crisis. You get the facts, and the site then motivates you to act for peace by suggesting ways of appealing, and providing you the necessary tools to send your message across.

For those on the other side of the fence - that is, those who want to master the art our politicians, government officials and even our cricketers excel at - there's Art Of Bribery, a humorous take on this special brand of corruption. The best thing according to them is to laugh on the face of a problem, so click on and get your ribs tickled.

Last, but not least, for the NRI community, India Together is an another option. It is a self-titled Communications Organisation started by three NRIs, that deals with the different faces of India: Tribal to Urban, News, Views, Reviews and, most importantly, a section called Lobby4india. Proof, that on the Internet, distance really doesn't really matter if you have to get a point across.

We all know that Rome wasn't built in a day. So corruption, red tapism, terrorism, bureaucracy, and other evils won't disappear suddenly. It requires a mass movement, and simply logging on to these sites and discussing issues can't help. After all, does that make us any different from our 'benevolent' politicians screaming slogans like 'Sare Jahaan Se Acha!'?

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