The CBI has been honoured with many an avian epithet like a ‘caged parrot’ et al in recent times, but lately with news coming out of the Verma-Asthana stand-off with its related offshoots, it is more like a can of worms is what the CBI parrot has been feeding upon all this while. We all knew that everything was not right with the CBI, the premier investigating agency of the country for all these years but it seems that the rot has been accelerated and is much deeper since 2014 when the present dispensation led by Narendra Modi came to power.
With the Verma-Asthana spat being played out in the media for the last many months one cannot believe that either Rajnath Singh, the Home Minister or Narendra Modi was not aware of the problem that was seriously eroding the reputation of the CBI. Neither lifted a finger to put a stop to the nuisance. Not only that, Narendra Modi is known to have famously said on corruption – Na Khaunga, Na Khane Doonga. But from news coming out of the CBI the motto seems to be the opposite – Jitna Khana Hai Kha Lo, Kab Kya Hoga, Kya Pata. Everywhere you look the institutions of the country seem to be stuffed with Gujarat cadre officers be it the IAS or IPS or those who had served their master, Modi faithfully when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat. There is nothing wrong with that since Gujarat for the last 4 decades has to give credit to its bureaucrats and technocrats like V Kurien of Amul fame who propelled the economic development in the State.
The politicians were mainly spectators taking credit for the work of these dedicated professionals who came from mainly the south of India mostly Tamil Nadu and Kerala. But the quality of this kind of bunch of committed officials seems to have deteriorated over the years and today we have the kind of ‘yes-men’ who fall over their own feet trying to please their masters. That is why when important institutions in the country like the CBI are staffed with such officials the emphasis is on one-upmanship and internecine strife as we are seeing now.
One by one the institutional framework of the country is being undermined under the present regime and it is being eaten away from the insides like a white ant attack leaving them hollow, weak and crumbling. It is time therefore that the people of this country take notice of this and raise their voice against the destruction of the edifices of our democracy.
