It happened in 1975 and 1989, and it has happened once again. Corruption has emerged as the common denominator binding the agents of change.

Each of the leaders of the ongoing anti-corruption movement has worked extensively on some other cause: Anna Hazare on rural development and Arvind Kejriwal on direct democracy, for example. But it was people’s anguish against the widespread muck of corruption that provided the tipping point. Their coming together and popular support they received have made a lasting impact, regardless of the fate of the Lokpal bill. In the process, they (and we) have created a platform which is these days known as civil society. This platform strives for change without depending on the two default options: the government and the political parties. Now that the platform is in place, what next?

During his visit to Ahmedabad last month, Hazare said he would like to work on the question of “jal, jamin, jangal”, or water, land and forests, in the next phase. One can only hope such a campaign receives even half of the popular support we have seen for the anti-graft crusade in the urban, middle-class, net-savvy India. Will people forward chain mails on the outrageous instances of forced land acquisition? Will there be Facebook flurry on the problems poor patients faces in villages?

Still, here are four issues in need of a large-scale nationwide movement. Can the current anti-graft, anti-establishment campaign extend and expand itself to cover them?

Health: State spending on healthcare is abysmally low. Public healthcare infrastructure, where it exists, is crumbling. The private sector can go little beyond the profit motive. Malnutrition among children is exceptionally high at more than 46 percent.

Education: The latest OECD report states the obvious when it says that India is doing fine quantitatively, putting more and more children to school, but quality is a matter of concern. Outside of the few brand-conscious schools of leading cities, quality is never a priority. Teachers’ low salaries leave them with little motivation.

Food: The least a welfare state can do for its poor (whatever be their number –34 percent or 74 percent) is to ensure they don’t have to sleep on an empty stomach. But universal food security remains a distant goal.

Water, land and forests: A move towards industrialisation and away from agriculture is a historical and ongoing trend, but in recent years the advent of ’corpocracy’ has been ruthlessly snatching away farmlands and forest lands. Water for industry gets top priority over water for drinking and for irrigation. Short-term profits for few are impacting long-term futures for all.