Voice from the Rooftop

Blog of Vincent Augustine D'Souza

Tag: corruption

Corruption at top and bottom

Corruption, India
Comments

There are people who say Lokpal Bill targets corruption at top and does not make any difference to corruption at bottom. They do not know corruption at bottom is very often due to corruption at top.

A home minister takes four crore rupees as bribe to appoint a police officer as commissioner. The commissioner recovers that money from his juniors who in turn recover money from their juniors and so it reaches the level of constable. This also results in criminals going scot-free due to acts of commission and omission by police.

A chairman of a Public Service Commission takes 75 lakh rupees as bribe to appoint DSPs and judges. They recover it from their juniors and others.

If getting a driving licence, passport and income tax refund is difficult without paying bribe, people at the top are responsible for it. Transport minister is responsible for RTOs. People should question him about corruption in RTOs. Transport minister can act against corrupt employees.

If someone says he does not want zero corruption he is either corrupt or a beneficiary of corruption.

Some say PM should not be under Lokpal and he can be investigated after he demits office. That is closing the stable doors after the horses have fled. What if he does not demit office and gets re-elected or manages to retain office through foul means till his death? It seems Congress wants Manmohan Singh to quit as PM and Rahul Gandhi to take over. Manmohan Singh has not obliged.

Many have spoken about how Hong Kong was once corrupt and one day people came out on the streets and said we will not tolerate corruption. All corrupt persons lost their jobs. India can have such a day when Indians will come out in every city and village and say we will not tolerate corruption and demand dismissal of all corrupt people.

Death penalty for corruption has reduced corruption in China to a great extent and has made it a great power.

Commonwealth Games and Corruption

India, Sports and Games
2 Comments

Commonwealth Games in news for all the wrong reasons and corruption is a major reason. Some want the show to go on and any action against corruption be taken later on after the games are over. Conducting games is a matter of national pride and Suresh Kalmadi can not be replaced at this stage.

Now we know why the expenses for Commonwealth Games constantly increased. There is corruption in procurement of many items like umbrellas, doormats, toilet papers, fire extinguishers and so on. Corruption was suspected but the magnitude was not known. All expenses are said to have been approved by Secretary of Urban Development Ministry. Venues are not ready and it is doubtful whether they will be ready on time. The cost of renovation of a stadium has proved to be more than building a new stadium. There is report of child labour in the construction of venues. Death of 48 labourers did not make much news and was mentioned in passing. For some of the mess in Delhi, Congress blames MCD controlled by BJP.

Three Organising Committee officials are suspended. One of them, T. S. Darbari, had been named as the recipient of 28 lakh rupees ring by a man caught by Kochi customs some months back. Corruption in Baton relay is public knowledge. Anil Khanna, treasurer, resigned and A. K. Mattoo took over. A. K. Mattoo was in news as the head of Hockey India when hockey players had gone on strike demanding the payment of their dues.

Too bad if Suresh Kalmadi can not be replaced with 58 days to go for the games. It seems other IOA officials are good for nothing.

Going by past records it seems nobody will be punished for corruption. Cases will drag on for years and evidence will disappear. Guilty people of 1984 anti-Sikh riots and Bhopal gas tragedy are not punished even after 25 years and some of them are not even prosecuted. All the accused in Jain hawala case were acquitted.

Questions should be asked now and guilty should be prosecuted come what may. Let no one be under the illusion that he is indispensable. National pride or prestige should not be an excuse for covering a multitude of sins. Patriotism is the last resort of the scoundrels.

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IRI(India Rejuvenation Initiative) and fight against corruption

India
24 Comments

On 2/4/2010 there was an advertisement in a newspaper about fighting against corruption. I have some questions and comments.

What is meant by ‘top most’ public posts? Do they mean President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Ministers in union cabinet? Does the list include judges of the Supreme Court, IAS and IPS officers, chairman and members of Union Public Service Commission and so on?

Punishment for corruption should be in proportion to the amount. If jail term for corruption of Rs.1 lakh is one year jail term for corruption of Rs.1 crore must be 100 years. For high cases of corruption there should be death penalty. Law must be changed for that.

Candidates for legislative bodies have to declare their assets when they file nomination. Civil servants and others do not have to declare their assets. Did IRI find anything that points to corruption based on the declarations of MPs?

The idea of bringing back black money is mooted by BJP and Baba Ramdev. Who have stashed Rs.70 lakh crores in foreign countries? When Rs.70 lakh crores are brought to India rupee should appreciate. Over the years RBI has printed notes to stop rupee from appreciating. What is IRI’s position on exchange rate of rupee? Successive governments have favoured exporters. Printing notes leads to inflation.

Poverty eradication and creation of world class social and physical infrastructure can be done without recovery of money from foreign countries. Abolish subsidies. Scrap PDS, NREGA and schemes which have corruption. Abolish MPLADS, MLALADS and MLCLADS. Food is rotting in godowns. In some places liquor bottles are stored in FCI godowns and sacks of wheat and rice lie outside. Stop wastage.
What system IRI people have in mind? Do they mean judges and those in anti-corruption bureaus are of no use?

`Corruption in high places’ and `recovery of India’s stolen assets’ are two distinct things. What is the aim of IRI? Is it prevention of corruption in high places or recovery of India’s stolen assets? What about someone who is corrupt and his/her assets are in India?

It is UPA government at the Centre and Congress is the dominant party. Do IRI people think it is becoming fascist? Fascism thrives when law fails to take its course. Corruption has been there in India since independence. May be people did not know about it. The country has not become fascist. Elections take place regularly.

What IRI has to say about corrupt people in state governments and local bodies?

What is IRI’s position on reservations on the basis of caste, tribe, class etc.? There is a competition to backward and extreme backward. Naxal movement is a danger for democracy. Many Naxals want revolution because reservations deprive them chance to get power through ballot so they want it through bullet.

What is IRI’s plan to eradicate corruption in CBI, Public Service Commissions and judiciary?

What is IRI’s stand on former Election Commissioners and Chief Election Commissioners joining political parties, becoming MPs and ministers?

What IRI has to say about Telgi stamp paper case?

What IRI has to say about Madhu Koda case?

What IRI has to say about a former chairman of Public Service Commission who was under investigation? It was said he took Rs.75 lakhs to appoint DSPs and judges. What happened to the people who paid bribes?

IRI people should fight for abolition of taxes, duties, levy, surcharge, cess etc. Most of corruption will disappear.

IRI should fight for right of citizens to prosecute civil servants and for abolition of need of government sanction for prosecuting civil servants.

Those who wish to fight against corruption can contact irinitiative@gmail.com

India Rejuvenation Initiative

India Rejuvenation Initiative

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