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POLITICAL DIARY
Cracking Whip Inadequate
SACK CORRUPT MINISTERS
By Poonam I Kaushish
New Delhi,
November 13, 2007
What is it that scares our ruling polity
more than anything else? Having to declare their assets and
liabilities. Specially when they love talking ad nauseam about
honesty and cleansing the political cesspool. They even go
blue in the face about belling the big fat cat of corruption
with insatiable appetite. Go to any extent to proclaim their
honesty and sincere endeavours. Yet when it comes to acting on
their words, they feign ignorance and play dumb, even blind
and deaf. Declaration of assets and liabilities, what’s that?
So what if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has now issued his
third diktat in three years, reminding his ministers of the
‘Code of Conduct’. This requires them to submit to him at the
earliest details of their and their family assets and
liabilities and business interests. Shockingly, despite a
deadline of March 31 every year, his recalcitrant brood has
not only missed three such deadlines (for 2004-05, 2005-06 and
2006-07) but also ignored his earlier two missives.
Look at the tragic dichotomy. We have today an honest Prime
Minister who allegedly not only heads India’s most dishonest
Government but even justifies it by arguing that there is no
law or convention that bars tainted Ministers from holding
office. Nevertheless, Manmohan Singh deserves to be
complimented for showing much-needed guts to crack the whip
through a reminder from the Cabinet Secretary on October 30.
But if he still cannot get the Union Council of Ministers to
declare their assets, what good is the whip and high-sounding
lectures on honesty and transparency.
The moot point: what has the UPA Government done so far and is
doing to combat the spreading cancer of corruption? A big
zilch, if its track record is anything to go by. In fact, like
many earlier Governments, it has indulged in a surfeit of
sickening, empty rhetoric and convenient amnesia. Whenever
push has come to shove, it has fallen flat on its face.
Lok Pal?
One scandalous example out of many which exposes the
Government’s so-called serious intent or, shall we say,
indifference to corruption is its failure to appoint a
long-needed Lok Pal, an appointment which has been hanging
fire for over 30 long years. Yes, dear reader, the Lok Pal
Bill has been awaiting Parliamentary approval since 1977. The
measure was designed to go a long way in curbing corruption
and making our netagan accountable. Alas, successive
Governments of all hues and ideologies have been equally
guilty of playing truant and fooling the people.
The last one heard of it was three years ago. The Union
Cabinet, presided over by Manmohan Singh, then took it up for
consideration. But nothing came of it as the Cabinet was
divided. A few favoured it. Most others sought tongue-in-cheek
clarifications. Some simply trashed it as useless. The main
stumbling block? Should the Prime Minister be included in its
purview. Predictably, the draft Bill was referred to a Group
of Ministers. And it remains there till date. Dumped and
conveniently forgotten!
Early this year, amidst a slew of scandals, the Government
once again talked about introducing a liberal dose of “Ethics
in Governance”. The institution of the Lok Pal was suddenly
rediscovered, when the Administrative Reforms Commission,
headed by Veerappa Moily, senior Congress leader and former
Karnataka Chief Minister, pushed for the eagerly awaited
Rashtriya Lokayukta at the Centre and in the States but
excluding the Prime Minister once again from its ambit.
Notwithstanding Manmohan Singh’s view that the PM too should
come under the scanner.
What troubles one is the new dimension to this age-old
malaise. That it does not strike any chord among our leaders
who have reduced graft to a farcical political pantomime.
Nowadays, they conveniently wash their hands off corruption by
calling it a “systemic failure.” Or cursorily dismiss it as
one of the ‘unlisted’ perks of their jobs. No, they are not
kidding. In plain English, they are damn serious.
Rising Immorality
Most distressing is that there is no longer any sense of
outrage or shame even when caught red handed. Corruption today
is naked, unashamed, and brazen. Tragically, the downslide has
been rapid. With every passing year and election, the
barometer of corruption and immorality has steadily risen,
wherein it no longer shocks or causes mass protests. Curse all
to your hearts desire, but India’s majority has willy nilly
come to lump it. Shrugged off as a price one has to pay for
democracy.
Sadly, even an ongoing Gandhian Satyagraha, spearheaded by the
Lok Sevak Sangh of the Servants of the People Society (founded
by Lala Lajpat Rai and inaugurated by the Mahatma in 1921 at
Lahore) at Raj Ghat since 19 August last against the failure
of successive Governments to combat mounting corruption has
left the polity unmoved. Not even the threat of indefinite
fasts by satyagrahis aged between 70 and 90 years.
The satyagrahis have reason to protest and protest forcefully.
Incredibly enough even letters to the Prime Minister over the
past two years and more demanding eradication of political
corruption and criminality failed to elicit any reply, leave
alone acknowledgement. What is more, their demands were not
out of the blue. Many before them had suggested the same, time
and again.
Briefly, they have been demanding immediate appointment of a
Lok Pal with adequate powers. Secondly, disqualification of
candidates with corrupt and criminal antecedents from
contesting elections to Parliament and State Legislatures (as
suggested by more than one Chief Election Commissioner).
Lastly, forfeiture of illegally acquired property of public
servants including Ministers, MPs and MLAs (suggested by the
Law Commission of India).
Where does one go from here? How does one eradicate this
scourge? There are many remedies if one is dead serious. For
starters the Government could set up a Public Grievances
Redressal System. Like the institution of Ombudsman, which is
becoming a standard part of Government machinery the world
over. Take Sweden. The Ombudsman functions as a watchdog over
all public officials, including Ministers and has all the
power to take action on a complaint. Denmark and New Zealand
also offer appropriate models.
Amend Acts
It could also look at several thought-provoking suggestions
made by none less than the former Chief Vigilance
Commissioner, N Vittal. These include implementing the Benami
Transaction Prohibition Act 1988 amending the Prevention of
Money Laundering Bill to cover income tax, customs, excise and
sales tax; enacting the Corrupt Public Servants (Forfeiture of
Property) Act; amending the Income Tax Act on the principle of
zero exemption.
The UPA and its leaders, especially Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh and Chairman Sonia Gandhi, are clearly on test. With the
next general election only 18 months away, and public anger
growing by the day over spiraling prices and rising
corruption, they need to watch out and get their act together.
Their sincerity and credibility are on test as seldom before.
Are they serious about combating corruption or have they willy
nilly surrendered shamelessly to horrendous corruption?
All in all, it is not enough for Manmohan Singh to issue fresh
missives and crack the whip. He must follow it with ruthless
action. Those colleagues who have amassed assets beyond their
known means or do not file their returns must go, coalition or
no coalition. Manmohan Singh needs to prove that he has the
political will and courage to take tough decisions – and that
he is not the “weakest Prime Minister” as repeatedly denounced
by L K Advani.
Additionally, the Lok Pal Bill must be enacted soonest,
preferably during Parliament’s winter session, beginning on
Thursday, and the other two demands made by the Gandhian
Satyagrahis conceded without further procrastination. The
people at large are sick, damn sick of corruption and want the
cleaning process to start from the top. They remember well the
age-old saying: Yatha Raja, Tatha Praja. Else, the people will
be justified in concluding that all talk of eradicating
corruption by even a good man like Manmohan Singh is nothing
more than shameless hypocrisy and a Himalayan humbug! ---INFA
(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)
E-Mail :
newseditor@sarkaritel.com
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