Political Diary
New Delhi, 23 May 2017
Corruption
Unlimited
MODI ON RAMPAGE
By Poonam I Kaushish
Political India is
beginning to resemble a leaking sieve. As notorious tales continue to tumble
out fast and furious about Messrs Lalu and parivar,
Chidambaram and son Karti, Congress’s Sonia’s son-in-law Vadra and spiced with
allegations against Aam Aadmi’s Kejriwal. Trust our netagan to evoke “political vendetta” (sic), “malicious onslaught”
and “baseless charges” yelling blue murder when cornered. After all, denial is
always their last refuge!
Their
plunder is both grisly and horrifying. Take former Union Finance Minister and
his son Karti who are in the CBI and Enforcement Directorate’s crosshairs over
involvement in the Aircel-Maxis deal wherein Karti allegedly received a $2 lakh
payment as payoff. Alongside ‘kickbacks’
from other firms whose files were pending with the Foreign Investment Promotion
Board under his father’s charge like INX Media wherein he received Rs3.5
crores.
In raids
conducted at 14 locations including their residences across Mumbai, Chennai and
Delhi the CBI
also unearthed various dubious land deals. Predictable, was Chidambaram’s
response, “Government is trying to silence my voice.” Chorused the Congress,
“Revenge is the BJP’s DNA.
RJD’s Lalu
is no stranger to controversy. So far the Supreme Court has not only reopened
one of the five chara scam cases, but
the Income Tax raided 22 places in Delhi and adjoining areas and purportedly
unearthed benami properties worth over Rs 1000 crores including two seven and
two acres farms belonging to daughter Misa alongside residences in post colonies of other
daughters. Allegedly, he also has links to owners of Royal Tulip Hotels in
Dwarka.
Additionally, two sons Bihar’s Dy Chief Minister Tejasawi
and brother Cabinet Minster Tej Pratap became richer through “dubious sale” of
a plot of land and a house in prime Patna
which was “gifted” to them by a businessman. Their upcoming mall too has been
in the eye of the storm and its construction stayed by the Union Environment
Ministry.
But a
nonchalant Lalu dismisses this as a witch hunt by “fascist BJP” and vows to
emerge stronger. He is banking on his clout within the ruling JD(U)-RJD
alliance in Bihar, daring ally Nitish Kumar to
break ties. Adding, that any attempts to malign him would see his followers
taking centre stage.
The
fledgling AAP’s boss Chief Minister Kejriwal has been hit by sacked Delhi
Minister Kapil Mishra’s who went nuclear of money-laundering of crores received
as donations, taking bribes and facilitating deals for his relatives. Obviously
the Party has rubbished his charges, dubbing him a BJP stooge to spread lies.
Further
besmirching the muddy sleazy waters is Congress’s prima donna Sonia’s
son-in-law Vadra who has been indicted for shady land deals in connivance with
ex-Haryana Chief Minister Hooda. Keeping him company is BSP supremo Mayawati’s brother with Rs
104 cash deposits. Undoubtedly, 2017 is fast turning into an Annus Horribilis
with skeletons fast tumbling out of the corrupt.
Questionably, without working a day in their lives how has a
cowherd, lawyer’s son, small-time artificial jewelery exporter, former teacher
and social activist amassed great wealth, land-banks and unaccountable
luxurious goodies? Worse, they have reduced graft to a farcical political
pantomime.
It is no rocket science to see where the monies come from.
The surfeit of scams gives the game away. Whereby, loot, bribe and deals have
become the bedrock of our system. Wherein a ghotala
of a few thousands crores is not worth feeding the chara of morality. Shrugged of as one of the “unlisted” perks of
their job.
Not any more, it seems as Prime Minister Modi flexes his 56
inch chest preening to root out black money and end corruption. Warning his
tribe that they cannot evade responsibility for the corruption canker gorging
into the vitals of India
by putting a premium on money power rather than honesty and hard work. Till
date no scam has hit his three year NDA Government.
But this is easier said than done as politicians, the
fountainhead of sleaze and crony capitalism will continue to thrive till NaMo
strikes at its three roots: Politicians, funding of Parties and electoral
reforms. Arguably, how does one explain the phenomenon of an over flowing
donation cup whenever a Party is in power, at the Centre or in States? Are these on the basis of simple quid pro quo by corporates, fixers and
wheeler-dealers?
Notably, Parties spend huge amounts for elections. But the
economics of running campaigns are hush-hush affairs because polls are used to
amass wealth for netas, future
elections and their Party. Like politics, elections have become a business ---
like businessmen the politicians in the election business balk at the idea of
controls and regulations.
Parties attract money from industrialists. Whereby, the
favoured are rewarded with huge contracts with an unwritten sub-text: in-built
kickbacks. Candidates fund elections by
taking bribes, getting jobs done, act like venture capitalists wherein once
elected they only settle for a 10-fold return.
That is why no Party, however vocal about poll reform in
opposition, has made a sincere attempt at stanching the flow of black money
into the electoral arena. Hence, we need to usher in electoral reforms, hanging
fire since 1991. Each Government makes promises ad nauseum only to forget these
once it fades from public memory.
Sadly, there is brazen hypocrisy and humbug in what
transpires under the framed rules. Today, a candidate spends over Rs.50 crores
per election instead of Rs 70 lakhs allowed by the Law. Hypothetically, the
minimum amount needed by each Party for the 545 Lok Sabha seats would be a
mind-boggling Rs 27,250 crores. Multiplied by 10 candidates per constituency,
it adds up to a mind-boggling Rs.2,72,500 crores.
Are we expected to believe that this amount will now be
collected by cheques? What would happen to India’s parallel economy?
Crucially, we need to ensure that those charge-sheeted
cannot stand for elections, unlike presently wherein a person is debarred from
fighting elections only post conviction. Given slow trials, insufficient
evidence, political pressure on investigating teams (CBI, IT, ED, police) and
time taken by courts to pronounce a verdict, very few are disqualified. What to
speak of unbridled money and criminal power.
More. A clean administration and character of Parties have
to be built on moral conscience and public pressure. Political morality and
accountability are paramount for good governance and stability. There is no
place for damn lies and deceit in a genuine democracy. The people have a right
to know the truth and punish those guilty.
India should take a leaf out of Indonesia’s
Corruption Eradication Commission, born out of public reaction against
President Suharto’s 30 years corrupt rule. In five years, the Commission
prosecuted and jailed over 100 high-ranking officials including a Minister,
MPs, Central Bank Chief, Governors, police officers et al. It won every case before the corruption court
and had all verdicts upheld by the Supreme Court. Thereby, giving the country a
more ethical reputation worldwide.
All in all Modi has made a beginning to eradicate brazen
corruption and political ghooskhori. The
time has come for our leaders to wake up from their deep slumber of self
conceit and deception of money hai to
power hai. No longer will India
and its people remain silent. The bugle to end India’s creepy-crawly Osama bin
Laden: corruption and begin accountability, honest governance and probity has
been sounded. Watch out! ---- INFA
(Copyright, India News and Feature
Alliance)
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