In a fairly recent survey conducted by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce & Industry, corruption, bribery and corporate frauds have been ranked as the topmost risk or threat to India’s economic system. Ironically, development which aims, in particular, at improving the economy of the country and which every Government swears by, is, in this country, a sure means of attaining illegitimate and unaccounted gains. No project in India can come up without being embroiled in corruption, by way of cuts, bribes, kickbacks or whatever you may call it. In fact, when unnecessary projects are proposed, violating environmental laws and are against the wishes and interests of the local or affected people, like the marinas and the Mopa airport, one can be almost certain that there are suspect considerations involved.
Extorting from the poor: Corruption exists almost everywhere in the world and India could never be an exception. India has improved its position in the last 2/3 years in the Corruption Perception Index, ranking now 85th among 175 countries. However, the fact that corruption prevails in almost every Government Department, Municipality and Panchayat, in India and that hardly any work can be advanced without paying bribes, is simply depressing. It is all the more so because this country has a large percentage of poor people who cannot afford to pay bribes. Yet, some years back, Transparency International had conducted a survey which estimated that people below the poverty line had paid bribes of over Rs 800 crores in a single year, to get their work done in Government offices. One would have expected people to have a heart and spare at least the poor but it is exactly from these that money is extorted taking advantage of their ignorance and illiteracy, which every Government has tried to perpetuate for its own benefit.
BJP’s failure in fulfilling election promises: BJP came to power both in Goa, the Centre and many States on the strength of their anti-corruption slogan and their commitment that there would be a departure from the past. It was, in fact, this assurance to the people that they would not be corrupt like the Congress or the UPA II that made voters give them not only an absolute majority but, in some cases, a massive mandate so that they could avoid the blackmail of their coalition partners. Though we are painfully aware that corruption is a cancer which is next to impossible to eradicate altogether, we lived in hope that the new Government would take steps to reduce it or would not, at least, encourage it and that the corrupt would be dealt with according to the law and not shielded. If such a strong message conveying the Govt.’s strong determination to curb corruption had gone to every bureaucrat, to every people’s representative, then the people would have felt the real change and be convinced that the Govt. meant business. But unfortunately that is not the case. There are no coalition constraints as excuses for the BJP, as there were earlier for the Congress, at the Centre. The majority of the BJP in Legislatures, permits them to take stringent steps to root out corruption. However, instead of using it for such worthy purposes, the BJP have used it to bulldoze their way, on issues that affect the nation, ignoring pleas of a united Opposition. The BJP have cheated the nation on the question of return of black money stashed abroad within 100 days and they have failed in appointing Lokpal, Lokayukta and Information Commissioners at the Centre and States, including Goa where they are in power for well over 3 years now. Surely such posts are inconvenient for an administration that has much to hide.
People’s trust deficit in anti-corruption agencies : Cases of bribery and corruption are generally not getting exposed mainly because most of us are more interested in getting our work done than in wasting our time and energies in referring such cases to the concerned authorities for redressal or punishment, unless one has the tenacity, the knowledge and the legal acumen of an Aires Rodrigues. Considering the unduly delayed decisions and the poor rate of convictions, there is also considerable trust deficit and consequent reluctance in filing complaints. Some investigative agencies are suspected of being corrupt or under Government influence and hence complainants feel they have little chance of success.
BJP’s credibility at stake:The credibility of the BJP both in Goa and at the Centre has taken a severe beating with the closeness and reported support of Sushma Swaraj and Vasundhara Raje to the notorious IPL Commissioner, Lalit Modi in his attempt at staying away from the Indian Enforcement authorities and the closure of the case in Goa against Police SP, Atmaram Deshpande. Just as the AAP’s prestige would have been considerably enhanced had they acted in time against Jitendra Singh Tomar on his fake educational qualifications, the BJP could have avoided the severe dent to their reputation had they asked the two ladies to quit, till an impartial inquiry is held. But the BJP is adamant. Lalit Modi is a fugitive and protecting him would have been considered anti-national by BJP had it been anyone else. Raje had the temerity of saying that her support was subject to the condition that the Indian authorities would not be informed about it. This is indeed very serious. In Maharashtra, Pankaja Munde is allegedly involved in a 206 crore scam involving absence of tenders. Similarly in Goa, SP promoted to IPS cadre Atmaram Deshpande too is accused of being involved in a similar scam, but the Govt. is trying to hush up and close the case.
. Such ridiculous defense only proves that the Party has no grounds to stand on. Far from losing by asking the two ladies quit, the BJP would have regained much of its ever diminishing prestige had it given up its stubbornness. If better sense does not prevail, the already much dented image of the Party is bound to be corroded in the near future.
(The author is a retired banker)
