<p>"..I work because I believe in working to improve a system that is rotten and not to be glorified," he said in response to a strongly worded letter from Iyer.<br /><br />Gandhi also said, "As far as becoming a hero is concerned, unfortunately, that is of absolutely no interest to me."<br /><br />Referring to the agitation by Anna Hazare on Lokpal Bill, 95-year-old Iyer in his April 9 letter said, "You (Gandhi) will become the hero if you take up the great challenge of transformation of India into an egalitarian society, a Gandhian India, a Nehruvian India, not nuclear India.<br /><br />"Why should the Hazare phenomenon occur at all? Only because of so many evils and no actions from Delhi," he said on the anti-corruption campaign following Hazare's fast unto death.<br /><br />Gandhi told Iyer that like most right-thinking Indians, he feels exactly the same way "as you do".<br /><br />"I spend a lot of waking hours thinking and working to improve what I see as a rotten system. The difference is that I cannot get away simply with writing letters and complaining as you can. I am faced with the reality of changing things which requires much more than periodic release of emotion."<br /><br />Iyer in his letter also strongly criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying he is "known for inaction". Gandhi's reply is silent on this reference.<br /><br />"Corruption is rampant. If you are sensitive about people you must attack the big corrupt persons in power. Why are you silent?", Iyer asked Gandhi.<br /><br />The former judge said, "You (Gandhi) are a young man and can rise to be a great nationalist, not by ambitiously aspiring to be Prime Minister because you are of the Nehru family. That would be anti-democratic and oligarchic".<br /><br />Iyer said he respects Gandhi as he was the grandson of Nehru and had a word of advice. "Read his autobiography. Then you will realise what is socialism, patriotism and imprisonment in the struggle against British colonialism".<br /><br />Gandhi reacted saying he had read Nehru's autobiography and would do so again as suggested.<br /><br />"You have not gone to jail or been detained for a day for fighting socialist, secular causes in a country of communalism. Feroze Gandhi was great in his own right. So was your grandmother, the great Indira," Iyer said in his letter, a copy of which was made available to PTI here.<br /><br />Iyer, in his reply today to Gandhi, said, "Forgive me if I have been bitter in my letter to you. I am too old and critical of parties CPI(M) and Congress for governmental delinquencies.""When a former Chief Justice of India is freely accused of 'delinquent misconduct', there is no action and no response from the Prime Minister," Iyer said.<br />"You can call the rule as rotten government. A just assessment," the former judge said and called for a 'grand jury' of the highest authority with power to take on corruption of every public authority.<br /><br />"Parliament is wasting time and people's money. The Executive multiplies its income by universal corruption and bribery. The judicature, a sacred instrument with great powers to punish corruption, is itself corrupt. Not a single corrupt judge has been caught or punished," Iyer said.</p>
<p>"..I work because I believe in working to improve a system that is rotten and not to be glorified," he said in response to a strongly worded letter from Iyer.<br /><br />Gandhi also said, "As far as becoming a hero is concerned, unfortunately, that is of absolutely no interest to me."<br /><br />Referring to the agitation by Anna Hazare on Lokpal Bill, 95-year-old Iyer in his April 9 letter said, "You (Gandhi) will become the hero if you take up the great challenge of transformation of India into an egalitarian society, a Gandhian India, a Nehruvian India, not nuclear India.<br /><br />"Why should the Hazare phenomenon occur at all? Only because of so many evils and no actions from Delhi," he said on the anti-corruption campaign following Hazare's fast unto death.<br /><br />Gandhi told Iyer that like most right-thinking Indians, he feels exactly the same way "as you do".<br /><br />"I spend a lot of waking hours thinking and working to improve what I see as a rotten system. The difference is that I cannot get away simply with writing letters and complaining as you can. I am faced with the reality of changing things which requires much more than periodic release of emotion."<br /><br />Iyer in his letter also strongly criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying he is "known for inaction". Gandhi's reply is silent on this reference.<br /><br />"Corruption is rampant. If you are sensitive about people you must attack the big corrupt persons in power. Why are you silent?", Iyer asked Gandhi.<br /><br />The former judge said, "You (Gandhi) are a young man and can rise to be a great nationalist, not by ambitiously aspiring to be Prime Minister because you are of the Nehru family. That would be anti-democratic and oligarchic".<br /><br />Iyer said he respects Gandhi as he was the grandson of Nehru and had a word of advice. "Read his autobiography. Then you will realise what is socialism, patriotism and imprisonment in the struggle against British colonialism".<br /><br />Gandhi reacted saying he had read Nehru's autobiography and would do so again as suggested.<br /><br />"You have not gone to jail or been detained for a day for fighting socialist, secular causes in a country of communalism. Feroze Gandhi was great in his own right. So was your grandmother, the great Indira," Iyer said in his letter, a copy of which was made available to PTI here.<br /><br />Iyer, in his reply today to Gandhi, said, "Forgive me if I have been bitter in my letter to you. I am too old and critical of parties CPI(M) and Congress for governmental delinquencies.""When a former Chief Justice of India is freely accused of 'delinquent misconduct', there is no action and no response from the Prime Minister," Iyer said.<br />"You can call the rule as rotten government. A just assessment," the former judge said and called for a 'grand jury' of the highest authority with power to take on corruption of every public authority.<br /><br />"Parliament is wasting time and people's money. The Executive multiplies its income by universal corruption and bribery. The judicature, a sacred instrument with great powers to punish corruption, is itself corrupt. Not a single corrupt judge has been caught or punished," Iyer said.</p>