By Poonam I Kaushish
Political India is beginning to resemble a leaking sieve. As notorious tales continue to tumble out fast and furious about Messrs Lalu and parivar, Chidambaram and son Karti, Congress’s Sonia’s son-in-law Vadra and spiced with allegations against Aam Aadmi’s Kejriwal. Trust our netagan to evoke “political vendetta” (sic), “malicious onslaught” and “baseless charges” yelling blue murder when cornered. After all, denial is always their last refuge!
Their plunder is both grisly and horrifying. Take former Union Finance Minister and his son Karti who are in the CBI and Enforcement Directorate’s crosshairs over involvement in the Aircel-Maxis deal wherein Karti allegedly received a $2 lakh payment as payoff. Alongside ‘kickbacks’ from other firms whose files were pending with the Foreign Investment Promotion Board under his father’s charge like INX Media wherein he received Rs3.5 crores.
In raids conducted at 14 locations including their residences across Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi the CBI also unearthed various dubious land deals. Predictable, was Chidambaram’s response, “Government is trying to silence my voice.” Chorused the Congress, “Revenge is the BJP’s DNA.
RJD’s Lalu is no stranger to controversy. So far the Supreme Court has not only reopened one of the five chara scam cases, but the Income Tax raided 22 places in Delhi and adjoining areas and purportedly unearthed benami properties worth over Rs 1000 crores including two seven and two acres farms belonging to daughter Misa alongside residences in post colonies of other daughters. Allegedly, he also has links to owners of Royal Tulip Hotels in Dwarka.
Additionally, two sons Bihar’s Dy Chief Minister Tejasawi and brother Cabinet Minster Tej Pratap became richer through “dubious sale” of a plot of land and a house in prime Patna which was “gifted” to them by a businessman. Their upcoming mall too has been in the eye of the storm and its construction stayed by the Union Environment Ministry.
But a nonchalant Lalu dismisses this as a witch hunt by “fascist BJP” and vows to emerge stronger. He is banking on his clout within the ruling JD(U)-RJD alliance in Bihar, daring ally Nitish Kumar to break ties and adding, that any attempts to malign him would see his followers taking centre stage.
The fledgling AAP’s boss Chief Minister Kejriwal has been hit by sacked Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra’s who went nuclear on money-laundering of crores received as donations, by taking bribes and facilitating deals for his relatives. Obviously the Party has rubbished his charges, dubbing him a BJP stooge to spread lies.
Further besmirching the muddy sleazy waters is Congress’s prima donna Sonia’s son-in-law Vadra who has been indicted for shady land deals in connivance with ex-Haryana Chief Minister Hooda. Keeping him company is BSP supremo Mayawati’s brother with a bank deport of Rs 104 crore. Undoubtedly, 2017 is fast turning into an Annus Horribilis with skeletons fast tumbling out of the corrupt.
Questionably, without working a day in their lives how has a cowherd, lawyer’s son, small-time artificial jewelery exporter, former teacher and social activist amassed great wealth, land-banks and unaccountable luxurious goodies? Worse, they have reduced graft to a farcical political pantomime.
It is no rocket science to see where the monies come from. The surfeit of scams gives the game away whereby, loot, bribe and deals have become the bedrock of our system. Wherein a ghotala of a few thousands crores is not worth feeding the chara of morality and shrugged off as one of the “unlisted” perks of their job.
Not any more, it seems as Prime Minister Modi flexes his 56 inch chest preening to root out black money and end corruption. Warning his tribe that they cannot evade responsibility for the corruption canker gorging into the vitals of India by putting a premium on money power rather than honesty and hard work. Till date no scam has hit his three year NDA Government.
But this is easier said than done as politicians, the fountainhead of sleaze and crony capitalism will continue to thrive till NaMo strikes at its three roots: Politicians, funding of political parties and electoral reforms. Arguably, how does one explain the phenomenon of an over flowing donation cup whenever a Party is in power, at the Centre or in States? Are these on the basis of simple quid pro quo by corporates, fixers and wheeler-dealers?
Notably, Parties spend huge amounts for elections. But the economics of running campaigns are hush-hush affairs because polls are used to amass wealth for netas, future elections and their Party. Like politics, elections have become a business — like businessmen the politicians in the election business balk at the idea of controls and regulations.
Parties attract money from industrialists and the favoured are rewarded with huge contracts with an unwritten sub-text: in-built kickbacks. Candidates fund elections by taking bribes, getting jobs done, act like venture capitalists wherein once elected they only settle for a 10-fold return.
That is why no Party, however vocal about poll reform in opposition, has made a sincere attempt at stanching the flow of black money into the electoral arena. Hence, we need to usher in electoral reforms, hanging fire since 1991. Each Government makes promises ad nauseum only to forget these once it fades from public memory.
Sadly, there is brazen hypocrisy and humbug in what transpires under the framed rules. Today, a candidate spends over Rs 50 crores per election instead of Rs 70 lakhs allowed by the law. Hypothetically, the minimum amount needed by each Party for the 545 Lok Sabha seats would be a mind-boggling Rs 27,250 crores. Multiplied by 10 candidates per constituency, it adds up to a mind-boggling Rs.2,72,500 crores. Are we expected to believe that this amount will now be collected by cheques? What would happen to India’s parallel economy?
Crucially, we need to ensure that those charge-sheeted cannot stand for elections, unlike presently wherein a person is debarred from fighting elections only post conviction. Given slow trials, insufficient evidence, political pressure on investigating teams (CBI, IT, ED, police) and time taken by courts to pronounce a verdict, very few are disqualified. What to speak of unbridled money and criminal power.
More. A clean administration and character of Parties have to be built on moral conscience and public pressure. Political morality and accountability are paramount for good governance and stability. There is no place for damn lies and deceit in a genuine democracy. The people have a right to know the truth and punish those guilty.
India should take a leaf out of Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission, born out of public reaction against President Suharto’s 30 years corrupt rule. In five years, the Commission prosecuted and jailed over 100 high-ranking officials including a Minister, MPs, Central Bank Chief, Governors, police officers et al. It won every case before the corruption court and had all verdicts upheld by the Supreme Court. Thereby, giving the country a more ethical reputation worldwide.
All in all Modi has made a beginning to eradicate brazen corruption and political ghooskhori. The time has come for our leaders to wake up from their deep slumber of self conceit and deception of money hai to power hai. No longer will India and its people remain silent. The bugle to end India’s creepy-crawly Osama bin Laden: corruption and begin accountability, honest governance and probity has been sounded. Watch out! —- INFA