Is fight against corruption again a losing battle?

The phenomena of corruption is all pervasive in the contemporary scene in India and many leaders charged with corruption are still holding to power with the result that fight against corruption is becoming day by day losing battle. No doubt India has the best chance in current regime for eliminating this malady as the government is being ruled by a Prime Minister who is not only honest but also keen to ensure that all those who work with him maintain high standard of integrity. He is not only himself spotless virtually absolved by 12 years fault fighting investigation against him before he captured power in Delhi but also determined to root out the deep seated disease. Unlike his predecessor he is both strong with solid majority to back him in the legislature and decisive. Nevertheless the phenomena is so widely sunk in the functioning of the government and corporate sector that it seems to be a very arduous task ahead of the country to free itself from this all engulfing sickness. My pessimism has been set lose  by the exposure in case of Director CBI’s conduct in cultivating close relations with people who are neck deep in corruption enquiries. The very agency that is supposed to play a key role to uproot the corruption is not above suspicion. The director has entertained at his home dozens of such accused and even fifty times or seventy times in last few months. Although the director has questioned the authenticity of list and also demanded the source of information yet the facts as reported point the needle of suspicion on his conduct.

When Supreme Court also joins him to find the source instead of ordering investigation based on material produced the whole matter seems to be again taking its own slow course of delay and death. Jan Lok Pal bill was proposed in 1968 by then law Minister Shanti Bhushan and the passage by Lok Sabha.  It was supposed to be final answer to the need to curb corruption. But Rajya Sabha could not pass it and since then it has been tabled in the house again 11 times till 2013 and has cost the nation Rs 28billion. Still it is hanging fire and not finally out. This shows how entire system of legislature, judiciary and executive are hampering the fight against corruption.

The crusade of Ram Deve for bringing back black money from abroad and Anna Haare for Lok Pal bil took their toll and entire struggle as well as sacrifice has gone waste till I write this column and now even the agencies that are going to implement it are looking tired and wearisome.

There are good stories I hear that Modi helped a young boy in Assam who could not get his passport to join his employer in Kuwait and was threatened that unless he pays bribe he will not get it and yet he received passport within a few day when he wrote to Modi on his becoming the Prime Minister. But how many boys Modi will help and how many people can write to him and will get answer? The attitude of people can be described in  a typical answer you get when talking of corruption in public  ‘All are corrupt so what if a particular leader is also corrupt?’ How long even convicted leaders will fight elections from jail and win? There is need to unleash an attitude of social boycott of such tinted leaders and corporate managers. There cannot be complete eradication of corruption unless we bring a social revolution. Why Anna Hazare is silent and inactive but he is very much needed even if Lokpal Bill is passed the attitudes will remain the same.

Bus Stop

First Passenger: I want to go to IPL matches but am not sure if Government will permit this and my ticket may  go waste.

Second Passenger: Don’t bother even Government is interested to watch the matches so they will find a way for their own entertainment.

-----Prof N.K.Singh former Chairman Airport Authority and Ex Chairman of Management Development Institute (MDI)