Author: Staff Reporter
Publication: The Hindu
Date: June 9, 2011
URL: http://www.hindu.com/2011/06/09/stories/2011060966091300.htm
There is an anti-corruption mood in the country,
which has to be channelised properly. This sentiment is on top of everybody's
mind as despite so many scams breaking out, very little has been done in investigating
them, according to N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief, The Hindu.
"We are still in the process of building
a nation we can be proud of. Why did it take so long to investigate the 2G
irregularities? Especially, the Prime Minister has to answer as despite his
personal integrity, he has presided over the most corrupt government independent
India has seen."
Mr. Ram was delivering a lecture on 'Nation
building', organised here on Wednesday by the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce
and Industry.
Recalling his investigation of the Bofors
scam, Mr. Ram said the amount involved was Rs. 64 crore, whereas today the
numbers were mind-boggling.
As Parliament and the Executive had failed
on corruption, other institutions such as the Election Commission and the
Supreme Court had become active. This was not the role the Constitution foresaw
for these institutions but it had happened as the other institutions had failed.
Economic policies
Speaking about economic policies, Mr. Ram
said that despite a rising India with a lot of positive developments, some
promises had not been delivered on. Notwithstanding the high economic growth,
the overall performance had been less than satisfactory.
India had levels of poverty on a scale not
found in any other country. Mass deprivation existed as hundreds of millions
were unable to fulfil their basic needs. India was the envy of many a developing
nation and a few developed countries in several areas such as export of software.
Yet, food insecurity persisted and had to be tackled head-on by setting out
a time frame for reducing it.
Role of the media
Speaking on the role of the media, Mr. Ram
said they had to provide credible information, be critical not only in a negative
role but also in an investigative and analytical role, and also play an educational
role.
The press and the news television, despite
their tendency to hype and sensationalise, were on a good track. Many scams
had been exposed by them. The government had acquired a habit of covering
up scams, something even the founder of the anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks,
Jullian Assange, had pointed out and this must be broken.
Mr. Ram said that in a project such as "nation
building" no one individual or organisation could claim to set the agenda.
The best thing could be for all sections to work on "agenda building."
Chamber senior president S. Rethinavelu and
president N. Jegatheesan spoke.
