Political Diary
New Delhi, 29 January 2011
Republic At 61
PRICE OF HONESTY:
DEATH
By Poonam I Kaushish
Who could imagine that the national flag, a symbol of unity
would be reduced to a game of one-upmanship among our netagan? A piece of tri-coloured cloth which evokes pride has been
trashed and defiled by our so-called patriots who swear by the Constitution. That
too as India
celebrated its 61st Republic Day Wednesday last. Which once again
underscored how Mera Bharat Mahan has
morphed into annus horribiles, Republic of Scams!
Epitomizing, a severe governance deficit and a complete
breakdown in public governance across the board with a hamstrung Government
unable to deliver. Reducing India
to a situation where death is the price of honesty!
Where should one begin. The storm over the unfurling of the tiranga in Srinagar,
the issue of black money stashed in Swiss banks, the appointment of tainted
Thomas as Chief Vigilance Commissioner, the burning of an honest Collector in Maharashtra
et al.
The BJP-Omar Abdullah fracas over hoisting the national flag
at Srinagar’s
Lal Chowk on Republic Day turned a happy occasion into an ugly confrontation. True,
the State Government was successful in foiling the Saffron Sangh’s plans but at what cost? The arrest of the BJP
leaders has only worsened the stand-off between the Congress and the BJP.
Abdullah may have notched a victory. But in the process he
may have complicated the Kashmir imbroglio
further. Arguably, how does peace get affected if the tiranga is hoisted? If the Separatists can raise the ante against India in the
Union Capital Delhi and get away with it, why can’t a Party proclaim its
allegiance to the Indian Constitution by unfurling the National Flag?
True, the Congress has a point when it asserts that the
hard-earned peace following a violent summer agitation should not be frittered
away in the BJP’s raucous Ekta Yatra under
the cover of 'nationalism'. The Saffron nationalists read it as a symbolic
proclamation that the writ of the Indian Government runs from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. Both trying to score brownie points at the cost
of the flag.
What should one say about the trillions of rupees plundered
by our mighty rulers and stashed away in Swiss banks. Look at the absurdity. Despite
being harangued by the Supreme Court about the list of evaders it had received
from Germany,
the Government hid behind the facetious plea that under the double taxation
treaty it was bound under secrecy. Conveniently forgetting that the treaty
pertains to dual taxation and not money secreted abroad.
When pushed by the judges, the Government asserted it could
disclose only a few names! Perhaps, it is scared that it would fall if the name
were disclosed. Sic. Most scandalous is Union Finance Minister’s disclosure of
the disappearance of $8 billion from the Swiss account of Pune stud owner Hasan
Ali. That too, three years after the Enforcement Directorate was seized of the
matter. No, Hasan was not booked for stashing ‘blood billions’ but having three
passports! Expectedly, all are clueless
on how the money vanished.
The case of tainted Central Vigilance Commissioner Thomas is
becoming curiouser and curiouser. After digging in its heels and anointing
Thomas as the CVC, the Central Government played innocent before the Supreme
Court hearing a PIL. First it said there
was no case against Thomas, then no charge-sheet was filed against him, even when
pushed by the Bench all the Attorney General could stutter was, Thomas’s
prosecution proceeding in the 1992 palmolien oil import case were missing from
his file put-up before a three-member committee to select the new CVC. A half
truth.
Complicating matters, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok
Sabha Sushma Swaraj has contradicted the Government’s stand. During
confabulations, she not only brought this aspect to the notice of both the
Prime Minister and Home Minister put also noted her dissent. Ignored by the
Government on the grounds that the majority view would prevail!
Arguably, the Prime Minister needs to come clean. What is so
special about Thomas that only he and he alone should be the next CVC? Why did
the Prime Minister and Home Minister ignore Swaraj’s advice not to appoint him and
instead choose any of the other two? Are we to understand that no due diligence
was carried out? If so why? Were the
case papers deliberately withheld? Can a tainted person sit in judgment over
others?
Alas, the gruesome burning of Nasik’s honest Assistant Collector exposes
the depth of our national moral turpitude. Why? Simply, because he tried to prevent the
kerosene mafia from adulterating the fuel. True, the 11 perpetrators have been
held and the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan has promised to come down heavily
on the petrol and diesel mafia in the State. But this is easier said than done
given the fact that one of the culprits who set the office aflame was roaming
free notwithstanding that he had seven cases of fuel theft registered against
him since 2001.
In his death the courageous collector exposed over Rs.20,000
crore fuel black market, which thrives on the largesse of a benevolent polity,
bureaucratic nexus and mafia. Four RTI activists in UP, Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra who too want to expose the dirt in the system are presently
recuperating after being ‘attacked’ by State goons. On the obverse, we have bureaucrats
who sleep on mattresses stuffed with crores of cash!
The writing is on the wall. The time has come to take stock.
Enough is enough. We have to reform. And not allow ourselves to be held hostage
by the tantrums of a belligerent ruling polity. If we don't, then we leave
behind a ram-shackled democracy which Gen X has nothing to be proud off,
despite 8-9 per cent growth.
Undoubtedly, public outcry over the visible sordidness of politics
and administration is a welcome sign of the maturing of India’s
democracy. But it also involves effort, determination and imagination to take
on the immoral perpetrators. One needs tenaciousness to go after the people
involved. We need clarity that corruption is not just about a squeaky knee joint
but an active impediment to growth and prosperity. So, instead of bemoaning our
moral squalor and throwing up our hands, we need to focus on how to fight this
hydra-headed monster.
At present, Indian democracy is funded by corruption. Bridges
collapse, roads develop potholes, and pipes burst as corruption eats into
quality. Sleaze enables private greed to grab land as a culpable administrative
process looks the other way. Greased palms produce fake passports, eyes closed as
RDX is smuggled in, so what if it endangers national security.
Money is looted from the exchequer, discretionary powers are
used to sell licences, permits, mining leases, and spectrum. And the power of
the State is used to extort money --- for perfectly legal activities such as
land and car registration, passport, setting up a small unit or just about for
anything.
Funds of political parties must be audited and made public, open
to public scrutiny and challenge. The corrupt must be punished. This calls for
a complete revamp of the criminal-justice system. All cases must be disposed
off in less than two years. All this can happen, provided we muster the
political will.
The question ultimately is, will our young netas put on their running shoes to
prove that nothing is impossible by stalling the corruption juggernaut ? Or
will they end up running a little harder and faster along the path to corrupt
fortunes? Will death continue to be the price for honesty? ---- INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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