Ripun Borah episode and its significance

Ripun Borah episode and its significance

— Dr Akhil Ranjan Dutta

The education Minister of Assam, Ripun Bora was arrested on June 3, 2008 in New Delhi in the alleged case of bribing a CBI official. It happened in a dramatic way. The euphoria of the successful completion of two years in power of the Tarun Gogoi-led BPPF government in Assam that celebrated the anniversary on May 25, 2008 was not yet over. The opposition was virtually put into a state of mum by the Government with series of sops announced on the eve of the anniversary and also the subsequent announcement of the constitution of the New Pay Commission under the chairmanship of Bhaskar Baruah. The middle class, particularly the salaried section in the State was virtually forgetful of the high inflation and insecurity arising out of it amidst the announcements like increase of DA to 97 per cent and an interim relief fund of 10 per cent of the basic pay till the new Pay Commission comes up with its recommendations. To be precise, the Government was in a safer side despite its failure on almost all fundamental duties like law and order and also rendering the very basic services to the people. The North Cachar Autonomous Council episode unfolded and ended without attracting wrath of the public despite the dirty game played by the autonomous council and that of the State government around the issue of massacre carried out by the DHD (J), popularly known as the Black Widow. The sensation created by the resignation of the Gauhati University Vice-Chancellor Prof Amarjyoti Choudhury and the subsequent act of taking over charge of the University administration by the Chancellor, the Governor of Assam Ajai Singh was also slowing down. As instructed by the Chief Minister, the Ministers were busy in bringing out huge and costly advertisements in the newspapers and electronic media focusing on the success stories of the respective ministries. There was no public initiative to scrutinise the tall and false claims. Tarun Gogoi, encircled by the most trusted trio – Himanta Biswa Sarmah, Rockybul Hussain and Ripun Borah and his best smile in face roaming around through big hoardings and colourful advertisements.It was amidst these happy moments that one of the trio within the Tarun Gogoi Ministry Ripun Borah, the Education Minister of the State, was caught in broad daylight by CBI while bribing one of its officials. As reported, the intention behind the bribing was to escape from the alleged involvement of Borah in the murder of his political rival Daniel Topno at his constituency in Gohpur in 2000. Two others, one businessman and a news paper reporter were also arrested in the same case. People have known and heard about corruption and bribing of many public officials including the ministers. But a minister bribing a cbi official was something extraordinary that people hardly can imagine. The episode reminds us about the increasing vulnerability of political institutions and political competition. Therefore, it is pertinent to read the whole episode critically from relevant political angles.The incident of bribing of a CBI official underscores the almost confirmed involvement of Ripun Borah in the Daniel Topno murder case. If it really had happened then we are surely back into a state of feudal barbarism in political competition. We can no longer be complacent of the fact that such barbarism is a monopoly of Northern India – the homelands of feudalism. It also underscores the fact that the line between political competition and political revenge resulting in political murder is becoming extremely thin.The rare adventure of bribing a CBI official by a minister signifies the gross vulnerability of political and public institutions in Assam. Within the trio of the Tarun Gogoi ministry Ripun Borah was perceived as relatively clean, transparent and less corrupt. But, a minister handling the Education portfolio and coming out open to challenge a Vice-Chancellor of a University forcing him to resign was supposed to have some political ethics and morality. A minister, who used to sit in the offices of the Directorate of Education at Kahilipara, Guwahati at least once a week with proclaimed intention of doing away with corruption, has now proved to be a big drama. It could now be well understood that he was rather patronising corruption to earn extra money to bribe others whenever and wherever necessary to sustain his political show. Unfortunately Ripun Borah is not alone in this mission. Most of us are involved directly or indirectly in the mission undertaken by Ripun Borah. It is an open secret that the college teachers are forced to give bribes to the officials at Directorate of Higher Education for receiving approval of appointments, confirmation of appointments and also financial approval. This episode has also unfolded the myth of ‘simplicity’; ‘fairness’ and ‘transparency’ in social and political dealings of the Chief Minister of the State. It is hardly difficult to understand that a Chief Minister encircled by corrupt political managers cannot be non-corrupt and transparent. Ripun Borah must have bribed the Assam Police and the Chief Minister’s Vigilance cell with knowledge and permission of the Chief Minister. The sanctity of the office of the Chief Minister and the departments under him are now under eyes of big public suspect.The reliability and credibility of the fourth estate of democracy i.e. media will now be questioned more after the Ripun Borah episode where a journalist from a reputed news paper played the key role in mediating the act of bribing. It is high time that the media itself follows the norms of journalism including salary and other allowances and develop strict internal vigilance over the movement and activities of its own staff. Nexus between politicians and media could result in the sort of devastation that people are afraid even of imagining.The role of the opposition has been most disappointing during the past few years. It was all in silence when people have been suffering from high price rise in essential commodities and other problems arising out of the mal-governance at different fronts. Series of corruption have been exposed through RTI. But the opposition preferred to take recourse in silence. May be more use of it will dig their graves too. There has been no plan on the part of the opposition to encircle the government around these failures in the ensuing interim burget session. Suddenly they have picked up the Ripun Borah episode and is creating a hue and cry. There is an apprehension that the government will convert this crisis into an opportunity by diverting people’s attention from failure in governance to ‘one man episode’ where the government has done its very basic responsibility by dropping him from the ministry.The important question that we need to ask is whether the Ripun episode is an isolated incident altogether. It is certainly not. This is a product of a particular historical and political setting that we have been put into. It is a moment where everything is considered as commodity and the sanctity of political or public institutions is hardly respected. This is indeed the gift of the neo-liberal economic policies pursued by the Indian state for around two decades now. Under this neo-liberal regime the government no longer remains a public institution and public affairs respectively. It is under these circumstances that we are gradually transiting back to barbaric feudalism in new forms and styles both in personal and public affairs. Therefore it is a structural crisis that we are confronting today. Solution to the crisis will also invite structural changes. It now depends on how do we plan and act for such a structural change. (The writer is a Reader in Peace and Conflict Studies in the Department of Political Science, Gauhati University). Source: Assam Tribune