Corruption all the Way

Corruption all the Way

Sabrina Iqbal Sircar

Corruption not only has become a pervasive aspect of Indian politics but has also become an increasingly insidious factor in elections. The extensive role of the Indian state in providing services and promoting economic development has always created the opportunities for using public resources for private benefit. As the government regulation of business was extended in the 1960s and corporate donations were banned in 1969, trading economic favours for under-the-table contributions to political parties became an increasingly widespread political practice. In fact, corruption has come to be so indispensably associated with politics in India that politics cannot be perceived separately from corruption. This was reflected when The Times of India conducted a poll in 2003 on 1,554 adults in six metropolitan cities and found that 98 per cent of the public were convinced that all politicians and ministers were corrupt, and 85 per cent were of the opinion that corruption was still on the rise.Besides this, even Transparency International, a Berlin-based NGO, in its latest corruption perception index (CPI) ranked India 72nd in a list of 189 most corrupt countries of the world.It needs a deeper observation as to why corruption is so rampant in the Indian state. Here not only the authorities but also the people are to blame. The Indian civil society as such is not a very active but a relatively passive whole, in comparison to its counterparts in other countries. Any critical psychoanalysis reveals that the Indian masses are more tolerant to nepotism and other such corrupt practices. People in India are not very keen to raise their voice to illegal methods. Besides this, the government officials are also not guided by the standards of moral judgement. The notions of virtue and honesty are rather utopian to them.It is argued by critics that corruption started in India right after independence. They say that Nehru had legitimized corruption by tolerating it amongst his ministers, and his daughter Indira Gandhi institutionalized it by holding the posts of both the Prime Minister and party president.Corruption on a wider scale began in India after the fourth general elections of 1967. This election marked the entry of a new interest-oriented political elite into Indian politics. And that was the beginning of a never ending and vicious cycle of corruption in the country, which continues till date.Considering the widespread corruption in the country, the government took various measures for containing the menace, but the measures did not yield fruitful results. Various committees like the Vohra Committee, the Gorwala Committee and the Santhanam Committee were appointed, but there were loopholes in the implementation processes of these committee recommendations.For this, again, the lack of transparency and accountability in the system are to blame. The Indian system is like a system of veils and covers which provides hundreds and thousands of opportunities for indulging in corruption. Not even a single wing of the government is free from the aggravating menace. Even the judiciary — which is supposed to be the guardian of the state — and the Constitution are in the grab of this problem. A former Chief Justice of India has observed that about 20 per cent of the judges are corrupt.Besides this, there are other kinds of data which really present a rather dark and gloomy picture of the political future of India. According to a report of the Election Commission (2003), out of 425 MLAs in the UP Assembly, about 125 had criminal records.Even after such data was made public, there was not much reaction from the masses. This gives a boost to the corrupt political and electoral practices. Indian politics saw several humiliating cases which were a disgrace to the entire nation and the leaders as a whole, but even after such incidents, corruption continues unabated in our society.Actually, politics in India has become a dirty game involving money and power, and the people have come to believe that it is nothing but a futile attempt to try to reform or correct the process. Anyone who raises a voice against the corrupt holders of power is silenced by using violent means.Abuse of money and muscle power to stay in power is a common and characteristic feature of Indian politics, and this feature as it appears is here to stay.We need a revolution to change the political scenario. Leaders are supposed to be guided by value standards and expected to secure public interest rather than their own parochial gains. Indian politics needs to wake up to this truth.A strong, vigilant and alert civil society is a prerequisite for this and we can start by restructuring ourselves as an active mass of people. A prime reason for the flourishing of corruption in Indian politics is that there is no active resistance to it. Let us act before it is too late. source: sentine assam

Exposing corrupt journalists of our time

Nava Thakuria

Corruption in journalism often makes news in Indian media. The creator of news also emerges as a matter of reporting in many parts of the country. The alienated Northeast too never ignored the trend. In fact, soon after the arrest of an Assamese scribe for his involvement in a bribery case with a seasoned politician, the issue comes to the center stage of Assam media.While it was appalling news for the people of Assam, as one of its active state ministers was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials few weeks back in New Delhi with the charges of offering bribe to an officer (to get rid of a murder case), more shocking news waited for the media persons. The investigation agency also picked up the scribe accusing himto get involved in the episode. The arrest of Mukul Pathak, who was associated with an Assamese daily along with the then Education minister Ripun Bora (third prey was a Delhi-based businessman, Ramesh Maheswari), made huge media headlines for many days in Assam. The immediate reaction of the people in general and media persons in particular was that Mukul got nothing but his dues. Meanwhile wild allegations were poured against the young scribe that he managed hundred thousand bucks with his unethical understanding and activities with the minister. Few journalists came out with more serious versions that Mukul destroyed the image of Assam media to the greatest extent. Those journalists even tried to create an atmosphere that after Mukul's arrest, everything became so crystal clear and the Assam media emerged as a place for holy cows only.So there were hot debates and discussions about the punishments that could be pronounced to Mukul, who was then serving the term for judicial custody at Tihar jail. If the CBI can arrest him for his involvement in episode of bribing one of its officers with Rs 10,00,000 in cash by the minister, why not the journalists' body could condemn and expel him from the community-many journalists raised voices. There was however little voice in support of Mukul to explain his point of views. It was a general understanding that if Mukul was arrested by the CBI (which can never do wrong!), he must have been a criminal. And hence there were no point discussing his version of self defense and even not to wait for the final verdict of the court regarding the episode.But a journalists' meeting at Guwahati Press Club on June 22 changed the face of anger against Mukul. Organized by the Journalists' Action Committee, Assam and the representative of National Federation of Newspaper Employees, the meeting insisted on providing space for Mukul to clarify his stand at the earliest. Presided over by a journalist Keshab Kalita, the meeting also decided to send a delegation of journalists to New Delhi to meet Mukul and pick up his explanation on the incident. The delegation was supposed to meet the concerned CBI officials as well.Various speakers in the meeting were unanimous in asserting that Mukul could never be 'the only and the last tainted reporter', working in Assam for various media. It was observed that a section of journalists tried to establish it with their comments soon after the incident. Hence they urged the editors to keep a vigil on the working journalists of the respective media houses."If Mukul is proved to be involved in the episode, for which he was arrested by the CBI, the journalists' body would support appropriate actions against the reporter. He will also be expelled from the journalists' body," said in a resolution of the meeting.In another resolution, the meeting demanded the minimum salary and other economic facilities to the working journalists of Assam. Speakers including Prakash Mahanta (a senior journalist and the secretary of Journalists Action Committee, Assam), Sabita Lahkar (editor of an Assamese monthly, Ajori), Mukul Kalita and Naresh Kalita (both are Guwahati based senior journalists) expressed resentment at the disappointing condition of the working journalists of the state, where over 60% of them were compelled to work without a proper appointment letter, salary structure, leave and other relevant facilities, which are recommended by various laws including the Indian Labour Act. The meeting was also addressed by Pankaj Dutta, Neetumoni Saikia, Samir Sandilya, Nayanjyoti Bhuyan (all are reporters associated with vernacular media) etc."This is very unfortunate that media persons in Assam have to work with a salary starting with even Rs. 2000 with absolutely no job security. Many times, the journalists (including the editors) are used by the proprietors of media groups for their business (other than media) interest. So in such a chaotic situation, we can hardly expect a fair journalism in the state," commented a Guwahati based senior citizen, Dimbeswar Talukder. He however added that it was not only the local and less paid scribes, who were engaged with some corrupt means, but a section of established journalists (belonged to news agencies and metro dailies) with adequate financial security too continued indulging with such kind of activities.His comment was supported by a city based scribe, Haren Kalita, arguing that there were many journalists, who pursued unethical means for personal benefits, of course, in a different way. "Why are you making so much noise against the poor reporter (Mukul Pathak)? Do not you know that many so-called senior and responsible journalists were equally involved in corrupt practices? I know that they do it in a more polished manner. So nobody find it worth bothering," he commented.Devashish Bhattacharjee, another city based reporter raised a vital point, "Take an example. We have a number journalist cum documentary film makers (employed with professional media houses) in the city, who works for the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India). There may be nothing wrong to produce documentaries for Doordarshan, but when one does it on some government departments, it might turn sour. Suppose, one proposes for productions related to the state forest department and take all possible advantages (conveyance to lodging in forest guest houses) from the department while on shooting, is not it a wring way? Because the producers had already received (or will receive) the money against all relevant expenditures from Prasar Bharati, then why he should go begging the unethical support from the department? Will he be able to raise voice (to file news) against the department in future in a credible way?"Bhattacharjee wrapped up with a final say, "Was not exactly it a cause, why many journalists in Assam ignored the public resentment against the state forest department during the last few months for its failure to protect the endangered one horn rhinos in various national preserves? One can go for record that those journalists remained silent while the conscious people of the state came to the streets condemning the state forest minister for his negligence in duties, but they were too quick to report when the minister or the forest officials made some statements (though many times those were proved useless). Is not it a matter of corruption in different shape and sizes? Source: assamtimes.org