Ram Rattan Sharma
Scams have not only become a pervasive aspect of Indian politics but also has become an increasingly important factor in Indian electorate system. The extensive role of the Indian state in providing service and promoting economic development has always created the opportunity for using public resources for private benefit.
As Govt regulation of business was extended in the 1960s and corporate donations were banned in 1969, trading economic favours for under the table contributions to pol parties became an increasingly wide spread Pol practice. During 1980s and 1990s corruption became associated with the occupants of the highest echelons of India’s political system. The vohra report was submitted in oct. 1993. It studied the problem of the criminalization of politics and of nexus among criminal’s, politicians and bureaucrats in India. The report contained several observations made by official agencies on the criminal net work which was virtually running a parallel Government. It also discussed criminal gangs who enjoyed the patronage of politicians, of all parties, and the protection of Government functionaries. The rising level of corruption in our Pol and administrative structure had led to various Pol scams in our country, which in total have cost our ex chequer an enormously high level of public money. The scandals which our country has witnessed since her independence and the money involved in all these scams and scandals is beyond the imagination of a common man. But the irony is that the money involved is of a common man and he cannot even imagine the total amount which is galloped by the chosen politicians and the bureaucrats. All this raises a question in the minds of our citizens, is India for sale by our leaders? The graft charges against the top level ministers and corporate are supposedly one of the biggest to taint India, Potentially harming the image of Asia’s third largest economy as destination for foreign investors. Most of the people think that corruption cannot be eliminated in India atleast not in their life time. This pessimistic and cynical perception of the people is largely an outcome of confusing corruption with all kinds of illegal actions and activities. There are many suggestions given by the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Transparency International. According to the World Bank the Institutional strengthening is a key part of country’s anticorruption strategies, one of the most important institutions is a professional and well motivated civil service. The selection and promotion in civil services should be merit based rather than patronage. Pay of civil servants is also very important issue. The civil service should be protected from the unwarranted pol interference. Thus civil service reform is one of the most important part in fighting against corruption . The other important institution that needs to be reformed is the Judicial System. Enforcement of anticorruption legislation requires an efficient accountable Judiciary. Reforms in Judicial System should concentrate on the independence of this branch. The courts will be effective, if there are strict mechanisms to enforce Judgments. Anticorruption bodies appear to be promising if there is a strong and independent Judiciary, civil society can also play an important role as watch dog institution. Promoting public interest litigation is a useful activity, civil society and the media are crucial in creating and maintaining an atmosphere in public life that discourage fraud and corruption. If India had not made any progress in effectively curbing corruption, it is because our politicians and their cohorts in the bureaucracy and the corporate world have no will to eliminate or control corruption witnessing a serious spurt in the number of scans being reported in such a short span of time. We can definitely say that the time for action has come now. The nation can convincingly argue that right to corruption-free life should be enshrined as a fundamental right in the constitution of India. India seems to have sufficient legislation and agencies to come bat corruption. What is required now is seriousness of purpose, and a commitment from the highest political and official levels to seriously put these laws and institutions into action.
The Congress led UPA Government is criticized on many fronts: one of the most talked about of these is never-ending list of scams, corruption and bribery eases under its rule, self interest and scams became part of the Congress, which are the main areas of concern. This contributed to their historic defeat in the 16th Lok Sabha election. The Congress led UPA Government completed two tenures but the party has always been in news for one or another scam with each passing year, the magnitude of scams got bigger same is the case with the present. Government led by BJP. It has always claimed that it was not corrupt, that it was a party with difference, in the campaign for 2014 general elections. Narendra Modi campaigned vociferously against the congress for its multiple scams. Many people believed him when he said that ” (I will neither make money , nor let others do so). They were fed up of the Congress’s record of corruption and failure of its economic policies. Three and half years down the line. Modi Sarkar has betrayed this trust on all counts, at the Central Govt level and at the state level where the BJP is in power, charges of corruption are flying thick and fast. It is almost as if the clock has been turned back : the same economic distress, the same joblessness, the same price rise and the same corruption.
The Modi Government has also not yet appointed a Lokpal, who would look at allegations of corruption against public servants at the national level. This is bizarre considering Modi and BJP who were so vocally supportive of the anticorruption movement of Anna Hazare in 2013 and vowed to fulfil its demand for such an authority. And which has not been fulfilled so far, as it is need of the hour.
(The author is former Dy Librarian University of Jammu.)
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