Author: Editorial
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: June 2, 2011
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/342816/Crisis-of-leadership.html
A limp-wristed regime can't fight corruption
The Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues
suddenly find themselves trapped between a rock and a hard place on the issue
of fighting corruption by setting up the institution of the Lok Pal. The so-called
representatives of 'civil society' led by Anna Hazare who were co-opted in
the grandiosely named Joint Drafting Committee, a first of its kind which
not only flies in the face of parliamentary tradition but sets a dangerous
precedent of the executive abdicating its authority and responsibility, are
adamant that their version of what they call the 'Jan Lok Pal Bill', which
is stuffed with absurdities, including empowering the Lok Pal to monitor the
activities of Members of Parliament inside the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha,
must prevail over common sense and reason. The Government cannot be faulted
for seeking to keep the offices of the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice
of India outside the purview of the Lok Pal's jurisdiction: The chief executive
and the seniormost member of the judiciary are presumed to be, and must continue
to be presumed to be, individuals with unimpeachable integrity. If we were
to begin doubting their credentials and casting aspersions on them, then,
by the same logic a Super Lok Pal should be appointed to ensure that the Lok
Pal does not stray from the strait and the narrow. It is equally absurd to
suggest that the Lok Pal should have the power to scrutinise policy decisions
of the Government: That would not only cripple the executive but also render
the legislature irrelevant. The Government is answerable to the people of
India, not self-appointed guardians of morality, ethics and probity. Yet,
there is no cause to feel sorry for the Government which now finds itself
confronted by an intransigent and cussed lot who believe that they alone are
virtuous. A Government weakened by corruption at high levels, exemplified
by the Great 2G Spectrum Robbery right under the nose of the Prime Minister,
had no other option but to bend over backward to accommodate Anna Hazare and
his men in the drafting committee; had it been strong and upright, it could
have told them to go take a walk. Similarly, having painted itself into a
corner, the UPA regime now finds itself grovelling before Baba Ramdev who
plans to stage a huge protest in Delhi against the Government's failure to
act on the issue of black money despite several promises to do so.
It would be silly to suggest that the concern
expressed by either Anna Hazare or Baba Ramdev is misplaced and unwarranted.
They have successfully articulated popular anger against mounting corruption
and an effete Government's inability to confront the menace fearlessly. But
while community leaders like Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev are well within their
rights to mobilise public opinion and bring pressure on the Government, they
cannot be seen to be dictating policy and action - that must remain the realm
of the executive and the legislature. Much as we may deride the 'system' and
tar all politicians with the same brush, we must remember that our democracy
has survived and flourished precisely because of the 'system' that, while
corroded, still facilitates the democratic functioning of the Government and
its allied institutions. True, the rot has to be checked. But that can be
achieved only if India's crisis of leadership comes to an end.
