HVK Archives: Helpless against corruption
Helpless against corruption - The Pioneer
N K Singh
()
4 August 1997
Title: Helpless against corruption
Author: N K Singh
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: August 4, 1997
To deal with corruption the Government must strengthen the investigating
agencies and allow them the freedom of action.
During the 50 years since independence, we have had great prime ministers
like Nehru and Shastri, and a tyrant like Indira Gandhi. In the golden
jubilee year of Independence, we have now a prime minister who seems
"helpless" in fighting corruption. Prime Minister IK Gujral is widely
known for his high integrity and commitment to certain values in public
life but it is his sense of "helplessness" which is disturbing.
In his recent interview to Home TV, Gujral said he knew of no magic wand to
route out corruption. Inter-alia, he said, "Let us understand that the
Police organisations are not what you call pure as milk." And to make the
right effective, there was a need for an upright police force too, he
added. So again, the poor policemen, everybody's favourite whipping boy
for all that is ailing our country.
Even the best police organisations that we can think of in the world can do
little to contain the type of rampant corruption at high levels and the
criminalisation of policies we are facing today. It would be taking too
simplistic view of this menace, when Prime Minister advises the citizens to
"resist the demand thing" as he puts it by way of popular assistance to
"curb corruption".
Corruption has traveled a long way over the years from booking counters,
police stations and Government offices. With Emergency came large kickbacks
in foreign deals like sugar import, Bofors, Airbus-320 purchases. And now
we have alleged "looting of treasuries", purchase of Members of Parliament
and Legislatures from funds acquired from private parties against
Government contracts and alleged siphoning of total contractual amount of
urea deal or so, to secret accounts held in Switzerland.
Apart from electoral reforms and other legal measures to prevent corrupt
politicians from entering legislatures and seats of powers, one way, to
deal effectively with this "monster' of corruption is to strengthen the
investigating agencies like CBI and allowing it the freedom of action. But
the recent abrupt transfer of the CBI Director, when he was due to retire
only a few months later, has sent entirely different signals.
The timing and manner of his removal has raised many questions. With
Joginder Singh going public regarding his decision to chargesheet Laloo
Prasad Yadav in the fodder seam and reports in newspapers regarding the
move of the CBI to launch prosecution in the Bofors case, there was clamour
from the Congress and the Janata Dal for his head. The post has been filled
up by promoting an officer while on extension, contrary to Government rules.
Every time the Prime Minister declares .that none found guilty of
corruption would be spared, he adds that he did not believe in
"witch-hunting". When whole of Bihar was on fire after the CBI decided to
chargesheet Laloo Prasad Yadav in the fodder case, the Prime Minister
avoided meeting the Governor of the State, lost, as he says, he was
misunderstood. The Loader of the Opposition, while speaking in the Lok
Sahba on the adjournment motion on Bihar, makes passing reference to the
role of the Governor, and the Prime Minister advises him that he should not
have mentioned the Governor's conduct. The Governor accords sanction for
prosecution of the Chief Minister of Bihar in the fodder case; the arrest
of the Chief Minister becomes imminent with the Division Bench of Patna
High Court monitoring the case asking why discrimination was being made by
the CBI in the matter of arrest in the same case. But the stubborn Chief
Minister refuses to resign, the repeated public appeals of the Prime
Minister in this regard notwithstanding.
The CBI complains to court against intimidation from ministers and
legislators of the ruling party in Bihar who openly held demonstrations
against the CBI, flashed weapons in front of Raj Bhawan, and yet, the Prime
Minister likes to leave everything to the good sense of the Chief Minister
and the judgment of the Government.
Yes, the office of the Governor must not be used by the Centre for
political and partisan ends, but has the Centre no role vis-a-vis the
Governor who is after all its representative in the State and a nominated
one at that? Would the Governor not be within his jurisdiction to call
upon the Chief Minister in such a situation asking for his resignation or,
if he refuses, to dismiss him? Is this decision of the Governor to be taken
on the basis of who commands a majority in the legislature?
These questions need to be deliberated and answered. No less a person than
C Subramaniam, who has held high offices including that of Governor of
Maharashtra said, in a recent report, that the Bihar Governor could have
very well done it. Many in the country will agree to this.
After the Special Judge trying his case issues a warrant of arrest against
Laloo Prasad Yadav, he resigns but installs his wife as the Chief Minister
to rule by proxy. And still the United Front allows his party members to
continue in the council of Ministers.
Are we going to fight "cancer or corruption" in the country in this manner?
It would not be out of place to remember that way back in 1925 Mahatma
Gandhi warned the nation against the "demons of corruption" and advised the
people to maintain "sleepless vigilance" as best and most effective course
for fighting corruption.
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