Political Diary
New Delhi, 7 August 2010
Game Of Corruption
WHY IS THE GOVERNMENT SILENT?
By Poonam I Kaushish
Patriotism
is the last refuge of scoundrels, this infamous adage was underscored yet again
last week. As notorious tales continue to tumble out fast and furious about the
Commonwealth Games Organising Committee’s (OC) ‘shady and fraudulent’ extravaganza
of looting public money. Trust our netagan
to evoke national pride (sic) and display their phony patriotism when cornered.
Forgetting that patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your
Government when it deserves!
The
plunder is both grisly and horrifying. From forged documents, astronomical
stadiums’ renovations to inflated prices of sporting paraphernalia and mundane
stuff. Passing off local treadmills as imported, wholesale prices of rolls of
toilet paper, soap dispensers, water jugs,
you name its there. But the man in the eye of the storm defiant OC
Chairman Suresh Kalmadi refuses to quit. “I will if asked to by the Prime Minister
or Sonia Gandhi,” he swears.
Let
the Opposition yell blue murder about the Rs 35,000 crore games of corruption,
demand Kalmadi’s head and stall both Houses of Parliament. Allow the defenceless
Union Urban Minister to state, “These are sweeping unsubstantiated
complaints... if any specific issues are brought stringent action will be
initiated,” and his Sports colleague helplessly add, “India will get
there....God is with us. The show must go on”.
Undoubtedly,
the show must go on. But at what cost? Should
the country allow the Government to indulge in such financial wastefulness?
Think. The Central Government has decided to underwrite costs and budget
shortfall of the Games, despite the fact that the Ministry of Finance cautioned
against it in 2003. The expenditure on sports infrastructure is already 2,160%
of the initial projected budget and the allocation from the Sports Ministry
rose by 6,235% from 2005-06 to 2009-10. Beautification projects costing Rs 600 crore,
over Rs 900 crore for renovating Jawaharlal stadium etc. No matter the spanking
new Nagpur
state-of-art stadium cost Rs 84 crore.
More.
Scandalously, the Lok Sabha passed supplementary demands for grants by a
whopping Rs 54,588 crore taking the Government's spending to Rs 11,60,000 crore
Thursday last. Arguably, what was the tearing hurry to get this vast sum? Has
the Government run out of money for the CWG? Given that it’s barely three
months since the Union Budget was passed and demands are raised during
Parliament’s winter session.
With
the politician running amuck in the names of the Games, why didn’t Parliament
grill the Government? Especially as world experience shows that mega sports
events result in losses for the host country, especially when security costs
are factored in. India’s
expenses for the CWG are likely to create a negative financial legacy for the
nation, the effects of which are already visible in the form of higher cost of
living and taxes, the latest, fire tax for Delhi residents.
Sadly,
the Lok Sabha seems to be only doing half its job. True, it adjudicates on tax
proposals on the premise that there can be no taxation without representation.
But it has let the Executive dip into the nation’s kitty, according to its
whims and fancies, without being answerable to Parliament. Tragically, it has
not exercised its authority, as defined in Article 292 of the Constitution, to
halt to the reckless borrowings of the Government.
The
Article reads: The executive power of the Union
extends to borrowing upon the security of the Consolidated Fund of India within
such limits, if any, as may from time to time be fixed by Parliament by law and
to the giving of guarantees within such limits, if any, as may be so fixed.”
Times
out of number, the need to fix such limits on the borrowing powers of the Government
was recommended by successive Public Accounts Committees of Parliament. But the
Finance Ministry shot it down each time. Its argument? The provision in Article
292 was “permissive” and “not mandatory”.
But
this is not what our Constitution framers had in mind. During the debate in the
Constituent Assembly Ambedkar said: “This Article specifically says that the
borrowing power of the Executive shall be subject to such limitations as
Parliament may by law prescribe. If Parliament does not make a law, it is
certainly the fault of Parliament and I should have thought it very difficult
to imagine any future Parliament which will not pay sufficient or serious
attention to this matter and enact a law. Under Article 268, I even concede
that there might be an Annual Debt Act made by Parliament prescribing or
limiting the power of the Executive as to how much they can borrow within that
year.
“We
hope that Parliament will take this matter seriously and keep on enacting laws
so as to limit the borrowing authority of the Union --- I, go further and say
that I not only hope but I expect that Parliament will discharge its duties
under this Article”. Cautioned Ananthasayanam Ayyangar, who later became free India’s second
Speaker: “So far as borrowing is concerned --- there may be short or long-term,
imposing heavy obligations upon not only the present generation but future
generation also --- sufficient attention is not being given to the manner in
which borrowing can take place.”
Another
stalwart, H.V. Kamath urged: “I plead the name of the future of India … that
this article, and this chapter as a whole, should receive more consideration
than most Article… I hope that not merely the financial limits out also the
purpose of every loan will come before Parliament for its approval, and action
is taken by the President in accordance with the policy laid down by Parliament
with particular regard to our international relations or our internal
policies.”
The
need to enforce this Constitutional provision is all the more imperative
against the backdrop of rampant populism indulged in by our political masters.
Especially when the Central Government’s regulatory agencies are either not
functioning or functioning in an undesirable manner. Or are being used and
converted by politicians into their private fiefdoms.
The
laxity in the control of expenses incurred by various Ministries makes matters
worse by adding to the overall liability of the Government. Successive reports
of the CAG have spotlighted the continuing, indeed deepening, malaise year
after year. But it has made no difference since Action Taken Reports merely
gather dust sand get little Parliamentary attention.
Not
just that. Various exercises in manipulation have been undertaken over the
years to cut down the fiscal deficit and indulge in window dressing. But it was
essentially a case of a drunkard selling his assets to pay for the bottle. In
fact, internal debt has grown by leaps and bounds over the past five years.
In
sum, the shocking waste of public money in the name of the Games is a wake-up
call for our leaders. It is time for Parliament to sit up and take note of
Article 292 and draw a ‘Lakshman rekha’
on financial borrowings without further delay. The Executive must not be allowed
to push the country into debt disaster and brazenly mortgage its future. On the
facetious ground that Government money is nobody’s money! Chikanah ghara Kalmadi or no Kalmadi. Why is the Government silent?
--- INFA
(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)
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