Do the recent protests and agitations involving members of the Civil Society groups like Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev have the danger of converting India into a Banana Republic where mass protests by such groups hold government at ransom? This is one of the most prevalent questions making rounds in the Media and related discussions these days.
Are Civil Society Activists like Anna Hazare holding the government at ransom?
Let us take this question head on.
Did the protesters demand crores of rupees for themselves or their relatives from the government?
Did the protesters demand any freebies for themselves or their relatives from the government?
Were the protesters there to demand loan waivers for themselves from the government?
Were the protesters there to demand job or free land or free homes for themselves?
If not what was the ransom demanded by the protesters?
Asking the government to discharge its constitutional obligations, is this holding the government at ransom? Demanding that the law makers provide a clean and efficient corruption free administration – can this be termed as holding the government at ransom?
Presence of Corruption + Absence of Administration = Nuisance to Common Man
Why did the people have to come out and protest in the first place? All those thousands and thousands of people who donated their time and money for these protests, didn’t they have any better work to do in life? Were they there in the hot sun to make merry?
If India was as corruption free as say Singapore, why would have these people started protests and fast in the first place? Doesn’t it show the inefficiency of the elected representatives that people have to leave all their work and come down on the streets demanding clean governance? So who is causing this Banana Republicization? Isn’t it the Banana administration that is causing this?
When we talk about protests by Civil Society members – who are these Civil Society members? Isn’t it a dignified way of saying “common man is protesting out on the streets”? Do we see only five six people like Anna Hazare, Kiran Bedi, Baba Ramdev etc sitting there in isolation and protesting against the government?
Who are those thousands of supporters around them, millions who support the movement by texting sms messages, by tweeting on social network sites, blogs etc? So if all those who are protesting against the government are termed as “Civil Society Members”, then aren’t these the very people who elected this government in the first place?
Civil Society is nothing but the citizens of this country demanding accountability from their elected representatives. Can we term this demanding of accountability as converting India into a Banana Republic?
Some have termed protests like these by the Civil Society as a threat to parliamentary democracy. Well the real threat to democracy in this country is the elected representatives being given a free run for the next five years not being held responsible for their deeds or misdeeds, it is this system which has caused India to become a “Once in a five year democracy”, followed by a dictatorship for the next five years till the next elections take place.
No day runs in our administrative departments without taking bribe. There is not a day when news channels do not show a breaking news related to at least one major multi crore scam. The entire developmental activities and nation’s progress are held at ransom by corruption. Existence of such rampant corruption in the system, has it not made India already a Banana Republic? Or is it that large scale corruption is a core feature of mature republics and only questioning of this corruption is what converts a mature republic into a banana republic?
What is a Banana Republic?
A Banana republic is a commercial enterprise for profit by collusion between the State and favoured monopolies, whereby the profits derived from private exploitation of public lands is private property, and the debts incurred are public responsibility.
This is one of the definitions of a Banana Republic. Another definition of a Banana Republic is
A Banana Republic is a government by thieves, features influential government employees exploiting their posts for personal gain (embezzlement, fraud, bribery, etc.), with the resultant deficit repaid by the native working people who earn money, rather than make money.
Now read and re-read these definitions and think for yourself. Are civil society movements causing India to become a Banana Republic, or is India already a Banana Republic?
Is India a Banana Republic?
Look at the first definition – A Banana republic is a commercial enterprise for profit by collusion between the State and favoured monopolies
Doesn’t the 2G Scam fit into this definition? A collusion between state (ministers in power like Raja & co), and between favored monopolies (like the companies who benefited illegally from the 2G Scam) – doesn’t this make India already a Banana Republic?
Look at the continued definition – profits derived from private exploitation of public lands is private property, and the debts incurred are public responsibility.
Don’t the agitations by farmers recently in Uttar Pradesh, and earlier in West Bengal, and frequently across the country fit into this definition? You have public agricultural lands being exploited by private industries, and the debts incurred by this is passed on to the tax payer as increased tax and to the common man as inflation. With an ever increasing population, if we continue to ever convert all agricultural land into industrial land without proper planning, in the coming years are we supposed to live by eating industrial waste?
The thousands of illegal mining licences existing across the country, doesn’t this too fit into the above definition of a Banana Republic? We have public land, hills and forests looted by mining companies illegally, and the resulting pollution, future costs due to lack of conservation and ineefficient use of limited natural resources like ores and minerals – all these are passed on to the common man.
Permission is denied to peacefully protest, to peacefully demand government action against illegal Black Money and to enact laws to put an end to corruption. Does this happen in mature democracies? Do mature democracies impose section 144 against peaceful protests when there is till to date not a single instance of violence in these protests? We have seen this only happen in dictatorial middle east countries where peacefully protesting people are lathi charged and tear gassed. And it also happened in India two days back, and that too at 2 am in the midnight, when people – women, children, elders alike were sleeping! Does this happen in a mature republic?
Look at the second definition above about what is a Banana Republic – influential government employees exploiting their posts for personal gain – Corruption in the system – with the resultant deficit repaid by the native working people – we pay ever increasing taxes. In simple terms it means a country where corruption is rampant is a Banana Republic.
No election passes without the police seizing liquor meant for distributing to the electorate, money and other freebies meant to be distributed to the electorate in return for votes. No election passes without political parties announcing freebies to the people if they come to power – treating the electorate like small kids waiting for chocolates. Does this happen in a mature democracy, or does this happen in a Banana Republic?
Too many Banana Promises
- Pandit Jawaherlal Nehru, our first prime minister promised to eradicate poverty from India.
- Nehru’s daughter Prime Minister Indira Gandhi coined the slogan “Garibi Hatao” – Eradicate Poverty.
- Indira Gandhi’s son Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi promised to eliminate poverty from India.
- And recently, Rajiv Gandhi’s Son, Prime Minister in waiting – Rahul Gandhi declared a War on Poverty.
I do sincerely hope that my grand children won’t be editing this article to append two more generations to the above list.
Let us hope against hope that the civil society activism, the people’s movement – yields the desired results and converts India into a true mature democracy – free of corruption, full of efficient administration, and of course – devoid of the need for any promises by any political party or a politician to “Eradicate Poverty” from India.
By the way, India is the world’s largest producer of the “Nature’s emergency snack” – The Banana :)
Anna should stop his nonsense behaviour. He is fast loosing his credentials. there is no logic what he says. Now this old man has become a liability to Civil Society. This UPA government gave maximum space to civil society. Old man wants to claim the credit for anti-corruption law to be enacted otherwise also by the government. Let the government first investigate financial malpractices in the societies and trusts that he manages ….
Well I guess you should once definitely visit his modal village. UPA government is one of the most corrupt governments India ever saw, and the irony is that this is inspite of having a honest prime minister! Our governments are fit for nothing, look at the way Chinese are developing their country.
You think if Anna or any other civil society members had indulged in corruption then the government would have kept quite even for a second? Too much is at stake for the corrupt political and administrative class to allow a strong anti-corruption institution in the country.
Assume that Anna and co had not started this anti corruption movement, what would have happened then? Government would have come up with a strong bill themselves? Everybody who are blaming Anna & co would have continued with our chalta hai attitude in this country no matter even if the entire country had gone for sale due to corruption.
This is the first time in history that Supreme Court has taken the central government to task so many times in relation to various corruption scams, the latest being Supreme Court setting up its own investigation team to probe into black money issue after the central government failed repeatedly in convincing supreme court about the steps it has taken to bring back black money.
The government has not enacted Lokpal bill yet, and if you read the government’s draft which it actually wants to enact, you will have an anti-corruption institution which can ONLY complain about corruption cases to the government and DO NOTHING about it on its own. Its just a mere eye wash.
well do that but also check the government is it that good? I wonder Why is india still developing even after 65 years of independece. Even if he is corrupted wont India as a whole benefit from it? wont the schemes finally reach the people?
If one just sits back and calculates the total money spent so fat by various govt schemes to develop the country – one will be surprised to see that probably the entire world could have been developed with that money if it were used appropriately and had reached its true beneficiaries.
Few months Back :
Raj. Congress Minister have Exposed “Our Honorable President of India used to clean dishes and cook food for Indra Gandhi’ and because of it she become president of India..
So now what could we expect in our country ? Where our Prime Minister is HELPLESS..
Seriously India is a BANANA Republic – Even our New Rupee Symbol , truly symbolize Corruption”
RTI Activist Exposed Rupee Symbol Design Scam and now Delhi High court allows RTI activist to file PIL….
for more information go to >>> http://www.saveindianrupeesymbol. org
To put it rather bluntly, and without any apologies, we are morally and culturally corrupt. From the ordinary cops, to the CM or the PM – we nurture corruption, nepotism and filth in our close proximity without battling an eyelid. Be it moral depravity, social callousness, or human brutality, nothing shocks us. We have accepted the “juggad” as the way of life. If there is “something in it for me” anything goes.
We are tolerant because we are habituated to live on crumbs and proud of it – never caring to ask if we deserve the rewards that someone else worked for. We, our people, our institutions, are like street dogs – can be easily swayed from our goals by the scent of some easy crumbs that is put in out way.
Spread this shocking News on twitter & Facebook, Orkut about “Rupee Symbol Design Scam’ as its shameful that our rupee symbol is created by corrupt selection process even..
And if we we have to fight against corruption.. we need to take action instead of only commenting HERE !
Looks like for every new project or programme we are destined to have a scam in this country.
Few months Back :
Raj. Congress Minister have Exposed “Our Honorable President of India used to clean dishes and cook food for Indra Gandhi’ and because of it she become president of India..
So now what could we expect in our country ? Where our Prime Minister is HELPLESS..
Seriously India is a BANANA Republic – Even our New Rupee Symbol , truly symbolize Corruption”
RTI Activist Exposed Rupee Symbol Design Scam and now Delhi High court allows RTI activist to file PIL….
for more information go to >>> http://www.saveindianrupeesymbol. org
To put it rather bluntly, and without any apologies, we are morally and culturally corrupt. From the ordinary cops, to the CM or the PM – we nurture corruption, nepotism and filth in our close proximity without battling an eyelid. Be it moral depravity, social callousness, or human brutality, nothing shocks us. We have accepted the “juggad” as the way of life. If there is “something in it for me” anything goes.
We are tolerant because we are habituated to live on crumbs and proud of it – never caring to ask if we deserve the rewards that someone else worked for. We, our people, our institutions, are like street dogs – can be easily swayed from our goals by the scent of some easy crumbs that is put in out way.
Spread this shocking News on twitter & Facebook, Orkut about “Rupee Symbol Design Scam’ as its shameful that our rupee symbol is created by corrupt selection process even..
And if we we have to fight against corruption.. we need to take action instead of only commenting HERE !
Absence of a credible, clean opposition in India has led to Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare becoming symbols of popular anger against corruption.
True, looks like the civil society led movement against corruption is about to become yet another failed attempt to bring about accountability in the administration. Lokpal will be established just like any other existing institution, with little powers to act on its findings.
A very well written article dissecting the problem . By any definition we are already a Banana Republic. The common man is being commercially exploited by this Government ,hand in glove with vested interests ,and the elected representative…s are bleeding us blue . If the Prime Minister turns a blind Nelsonian Eye to the SCAMS generated by his own Ministers and for Kapil Sibel to say that ” there is ZERO ” loss to the exchequer in the 2G scam ~~~then these are statements that will arouse a mass Civil Society movement . We are not a Banana Republic but a “”ROTTEN BANANA REPUBLIC”” God save us !!!!!
That was more apt “Rotten” – frustrated seeing new scams everyday from the local municipal corporation to central cabinet ministries. Yeddy govt seems to have been competing to break all the records and put India ahead of all in the most corrupt list.
Durgesh Bailoor The govt will pay its price in next election, such blatant use of unwarranted force is a death knell for democracy
Rajkumar Trikannad Excellent paper-thanks -really goes to the heart of the matter- Many years ago when Rajiv Gandhi kept saying “Bharat ko Mazbboot BANANA-Chahi hai” …India Today mag.caught on and promptly quipped –Banana Republic -Now we are farthest from Eradicating poverty as Scams & Swiss Accounts abound – This will be an litmus test for this Govt-on perfomance -2011 spells uncertainty .
Kishan Hattangadi Right, when the protests or Satyagraha is for better and cleaner governance and adoption of severe anti-corruption laws, such movements surely cannot be considered as holding the Government to ransom!!
Shri. Vajpayeeji at his best
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK0I2YP069o
Good one :)
“I do sincerely hope that my grand children won’t be editing this article to append two more generations to the above list” … good one :)
But, still Civil Society members labelling every politician as inherently corrupt, cursing ministers as bloody liars, cheaters etc. will not help this LokPal movement, rather it will make a hesitant government act tough.
Also, initially UPA offered a olive branch to civil society members because it thought this was an apolitical movement. But Ramdev ruined it for civil society members, because watever u say he is still close to RSS and has got a lot of favour from BJP ruled governments in UttaraKhand and Madhya Pradesh. Now, UPA clearly sees this as an attempt to destabalize their government, thats why they r acting tough.
So, civil society members should give up their false egos and start negotiating with ministers for a good lokpal bill, instead of boycotting it.
People like Anna Hazare should not confer his legitamacy to tainted people by associating with them.
I do not understand why some people have a problem if someone associates themselves with RSS or BJP. In our country, anything Hindu is labelled Communal. Anything Christian or Muslim is Secular. First of all, for all the ignorant masses – RSS is not a terrorist organization. How many people are aware of its good deeds? Anywhere any accident/natural calamity happens, RSS is there to help the victims. And they do not do it for cheap publicity- but bcoz this is their core ideology. RSS’s core ideology is not promotion of Hinduism, but helping people and society and social service. The Congress was the first one to label it as communal in order to gain votes and promote its secular agenda.
And when RSS members act in the scenario of a natural disaster, they do not help only Hindus. They help victims- irrespective of their caste or creed. They do not help with an intention to convert ppl to Hinduism.
I am a Muslim. My family was trapped in Burj earthquake. I was not in the city so i escaped. The RSS were the first to respond before the police and army to help us out. They saved my family and numerous others. From then on, i have been keenly following their movements. They have been their to help everytime there is a natural disaster or accident/earthquake/fire. I personally know an RSS activist died while saving the life of another fellow human being.
So it pains me to hear ppl labelling them as a terror outfit/communal organization. Also, Hinduism is not a religion. It is a way of life.So there is nothing communal about Hinduism.
I don’t have any problem with any kind of association with RSS. But, the truth is Congress hates RSS and unfortunately the power is in Congress’s hands. So, wouldnt it make sense for civil society members not to associate themselves with RSS so that this nation can be gifted with a good LokPal bill?
Seriously, suppose some person wants something to be done from ur side, but when u come to know that that person has sided with ur enemies and starts criticizing u, will u still do that work for him? I don’t think so.
Government was serious about Lokpal bill. Infact, it wrote to every states asking for their opinion when civil society members demanded PM and CJI to come under the ambit of LokPal.
What really put off governement was that the civil society members started public mud-slinging calling them as bloody liars and cheaters. What more, they even sided with Congress’s political enemies and turned an apolitical movement into a political one.
So, congress did the right thing by acting tough. Why would it want to dig its own hole by giving these civil society members free run?
Who is Congress to decide who can and who cannot participate in anti corruption movements? Are RSS people not Indian citizens? Every citizen of India has the freedom and right to peacefully protest, and this right is given by Indian constitution and democracy not by Congress.
Congress dig its own grave by acting tough – acting tough on whom? people demanding corruption free governance and return of illegal wealth stashed abroad? Which is why I wrote India is a Banana Republic. Congress is not doing any favor to the country if it takes steps to draft Lokpal bill. This is a bill which this very party promised to the people of this country immediately after Independence, but has not yet implemented it. Today after waiting for decades people are finally on streets to force this party to act.
Is there any rule that who should and who should not join a movement? Congress will bitterly lose the elections in 2014 if it does not come out with a strong Lokpal bill by then. It is digging its grave by being arrogant and acting tough on a people’s movement. This is not a movement by RSS or BJP, it is a people’s movement and they are backing it for their political mileage, how can one blame the core activists for that?
What is the problem if RSS participates in the movement? Would they have had same problem if muslim league or christian bishops or sikh gurus were at the forefront of the movement? This movement is not about any religion or ideology, it is about national well being.
Does any politicians raise objections in US or Europe if rightwing leaders participate in movements related to a national cause? No. why? Because they are mature democracies.
Only in India such silly objections come as if supporters of an opposite ideology are not citizens of this country. Which is why I wrote, India is a Banana Republic.
Who is Congress to decide who can and who cannot participate in anti corruption movements?
Well, it is a main alliance partner of the legitimate ( I hope, u don’t consider it illegitimate) Government of India.
this right is given by Indian constitution and democracy not by CongressWhat Constitution, what democracy? In India, if u don’t suck upto bureaucrats and politicians, then u can’t do anything.
All these rights are only on paper. And, if u do go extra mile and approach courts to secure your constitutional right, then by the time they pronounce verdict u would have been very old playing with ur grand children, and by that time u would have lost interest in all these rights.
U don’t have to antagonize the ruling party by associating with their enemies and criticizing them, when the ruling party is trying its best to accomodate you.
Instead of wasting time in joining ranks with their enemies and calling them as liars, cheaters, they could have better spent that time in having a dialogue with the government and trying to build concensus on this issue.
This is exactly the reason I called India a Banana Republic. Everything is only on paper. The amount of laws and rules and regulations we have, no lawyer can remember them all, and yet the actual enforcement makes one think whether there are any laws at all in the first place.
Being a main alliance partner or party in power does not mean they can decide who can or who cannot protest against corruption. These rights are given by constitution not by the party in power. But if it is the case that party in power can override constitution or deny constitutional rights, then again – India is a Banana Republic.
What is this about antagonizing the ruling party? This doesnt happen in the mature western democracies. The government is not doing us a favor by trying to accommodate us. This is not Indians demanding justice from British. This is Indian citizens demanding governance from their elected representatives. If on the other hand, the citizens get antagonized with the government, then this ruling party will be trailing party in the next elections.
But if it is the case that party in power can override constitution or deny constitutional rights, then again – India is a Banana Republic.
Yes, party in power can override constitution. And so, India is a Banana republic, no doubt about that.
What is this about antagonizing the ruling party? This doesnt happen in the mature western democracies.
India doesn’t come anywhere near to being a mature democracy. India has a MOBocracy.
So to sum it up, since India is a banana republic, since India is not a mature democracy, since politicians have unlimited powers, civil society members should have shut their mouth up and not supported ramdev. They should have just minded their own business ( in this case, their business being drafting a good lokpal bill by having dialogue with government and by building concensus). They cheated this nation from having a good Lokpal bill by indulging in public mud-slinging with the government, calling ministers as bloody liars and cheaters. Also, labelling every politician as inherently corrupt made it difficult for those politicians (in power circle), who were sympathetic to their movement, to bargain for them.
Exactly. Since politicians have unlimited power in India, if they really intended they would have passed the lokpal bill years back. The didnt because they dont want to. Right from day one they are trying to create differences between civil society members. They targeted the lawyer duo, called Anna an RSS agent, after welcoming Baba at airport then ordered inquiry into his assets, and so on.
For Anna & co not to support Baba Ramdev, if you visit the Civil Society founding members page of the India Against Corruption movement’s official website you will see spiritual leaders from all religions including Baba Ramdev.
http://www.indiaagainstcorruption.org/aboutus.html
So now not supporting Baba Ramdev would be like allowing the government plan of divide and rule to succeed.
Finally, it would be incorrect to say that “they cheated this nation”, while the real cheaters are the actual looters. Infact Anna & co did and are doing something which we all only talked about and dreamt about. They are the ones sitting on fast there for a cause, so it would be inappropriate to target them, they are fighting for our cause and our children’s cause, Anna is already 70+ and he is fighting for us. It is they who started this movement and they have all the right to decide how to go about it further.
But as far as the actual Jan Lokpal Bill is concerned, no matter who says what or does what, only a miracle can get it passed in its effective form in the parliament. The crores of rupees at stake is really a huge amount to be given away so easily.
Well, the Lokpal Bill is not for BJP or RSS, it is for the people of India. If Congress maintains that it will create a strong Lokpal and bring the bill in parliament this time and makes it a law how on earth will BJP or for that matter anybody be able to take credit for that? Congress will also easily win next elections.
By saying that it will act tough and silly things like that, they are only making it appear to the common man that they are against any anti-corruption setup in the country. Even those who were not supporting Ramdev earlier are supporting him now. Remember there is no religion in this, it is an national movement.
Any tough action on activists will be seen by the people as arrogance by the government. This is how even Indira Gandhi ruined Congress earlier – by acting tough on a people’s movement led by JP.
UPA is making the biggest blunder of its governance by trying to brand a people’s movement as communal. If there were elections tomorrow, they would lose their deposits. Police action at 2 am in the midnight when people were sleeping happens only in Banana Republics. Who would have been responsible for the tragedy if people had responded with violence that night? Why do you think Supreme Court take suo motto cognizance of this incident and issue notice to the government? So did NHRC.
Actually I am quite scared about the decision making ability of the central government after this incident. First they send cabinet ministers to welcome at airport then at the midnight send an army of police only to invite the wrath of public, SC and NHRC. If the government acts so cluelessly about a peaceful protest at its capital city, how will react if say Pakistan is taken over by extremists, or if say Chinese army comes down on North east?
Guess, it will be then the government’s turn to peacefully protest against this aggression :)
yes this bill is for the people of india and so wouldn’t it make sense for civil society members not to align with Congress’s political enemies so that this nation can be gifted with a good lokpal bill?
Congress hates RSS and VHP, and Ramdev is in some way aligned with those organizations and, RSS and VHP are aligned with BJP. So, civil society members should have shut their mouth up and remained neutral. They shouldn’t have neither supported nor opposed Ramdev.
And, regarding ur point that UPA is not serious about lokpal bill, my reply to sharmila below should suffice. Anyhow, i’m pasting my reply below:
“Government was serious about Lokpal bill. Infact, it wrote to every state asking for their opinion when civil society members demanded PM and CJI to come under the ambit of LokPal.What really put off governement was that the civil society members started public mud-slinging calling them as bloody liars and cheaters. What more, they even sided with Congress’s political enemies and turned an apolitical movement into a political one.So, congress did the right thing by acting tough. Why would it want to dig its own hole by giving these civil society members free run?”
And, how naive of Ramdev to think that all black money abroad is in cash form? It could be in the form of Mortgage bonds, banks might have invested that money in something else, it could be in any other form. So, there’s no magic wand, and by fasting u can not armtwist the government to bring in all those money.
And why did individuals park their money in foriegn banks at the first palce? Because of bad economic policies here. During Licence- permit Raj, taxation was as high as 90% for business people. Myriad of regulations didn’t help either. Even 1991 reforms did not do away with all those bad policies, there are still so many economically choking policies which the government is reluctant to change. Besides, 1991 reforms were shoved down the throat of India by IMF in return for bail-out. If not for Forex crisis in 1991, Manmohan Singh would have presented the same old socialist budget, and India would have been even worse screwed up place that it is now.
Anyhow, it was off the topic, so the solution is to change economic policies here. Without curing the source, you cannot cure the disease. Unless India comes out its socialist policies, and unless we reduce this “Big Fat Indian State” whose government thinks that it can govern as well as do busineess ( with mediocre employees), this corruption and black money issue will not go.
Government was serious about Lokpal bill?
You really must be joking. This is a central legislature, not related to individual state policies. What is the need to ask state governments about it? It just had to convene a meeting of all political parties and get things decided quickly. All these drama are just delaying tactics.
I bet that this bill wont be passed even in the coming parliament session, and even the one that comes later will be not the draft which the public wants. It will be to create a namesake lokpal. This is not the first time there has been an attempt to create a lokpal in this country.
In case of Black Money, tax avoidance is only a small percentage of that. Most of the black money is scam money, bribe money. Black money by politicians is the largest pie in it, not that of businessmen – and this black money is ill-gotten money from all the scams, not from any business.
Good economic policies or bad economic policies, black money will always be there and will be directly proportional to the total number of corruption scams in the government. So the cure for this is to make governance transparent. RTI was a right step in that direction. But with no protection for RTI activists this again looks like what the article says – India is a Banana Republic.
“This is a central legislature, not related to individual state policies. What is the need to ask state governments about it?”
If that is the case, why isn’t the central government struggling to bring “GST ( a tax reform, called Goods and Service Tax)” into effect? As far as I know it is trying for 2 years to bring this GST in effect, but yet could not succeed. Why? Pranad Mukherjee directly acknowledged that there is not enough consensus on this issue b/w centre and state governments to bring this GST into effect. And, why do u want this consensus b/w centre and states? coz GST is a national issue and affects every state. In the same way Lokpal bill is a national issue. Isnt Lokpal also about setting up Lokayakthas in individual states that directly work under lokpal. So, this issue affects every state of india. So, whats wrong with UPA writing to all state governments regarding this issue? why do u see that as a delaying tactic?
“Most of the black money is scam money, bribe money. Black money by politicians is the largest pie in it, not that of businessmen.”
Where does all this scam money comes from? It doesn’t fall from sky, right? All this scam money is bribe paid by businessmen to politicians. It is the unholy nexus b/w businessmen and politicians that results in scam.
And, why does businessmen have to bribe politicains and bureacrats from top to bottom? Because of bad economic policies pursuid by politicians that requires businessmen to obtain a myriad of licences to setup business. In that process, if they dont bribe them, their competitor will bribe them and secures the deal, and they will be out of business.
So, economic policies pursuid by nations have a major impact on corruption and black money. If there are good economic policies, busineesmen then dont have to suck upto politicians, so no scams and no black money.
Well Sir, if good economic policies would stop corruption then this world would have been a much better place to live in :)
It is the minister or his secretary who finally gets the project approved or license granted and no amount of good economic policies can stop him from demanding bribe.
We have enough laws infact stringent laws which actually the delay the whole process and yet are completely ineffective in curbing corruption. The solution is not good economic policy, but transparency in governance which is what RTI is intended for. You make the entire process transparent and open for public scrutiny. Any arrangement behind the door will always result in corruption.
Even the Lokpal bill is about power to catch corrupt, and that is because all other laws to prevent corruption simply are not working. That is why Baba Ramdev is demanding capital punishment for corruption at public offices.
If you have good economic policy and two equally competent bidders are in place, and one of them agrees to pay hefty bribe to get his bid selected. Then? Just look at the 2G scam, all the required policies were in place, it was the clear violation that resulted in the scam, and hence the need for Lokpal.
GST directly has an impact on states income and hence the delay and also the requirement to talk with states. Without adequate funds at disposal (which gets impacted by GST), there is little that a state government can do to run the state.
But that is not the case with Lokpal. Lokpal is related to central governance, you dont need state approval to pass this bill, it requires approval from political parties in the parliament.
By the way few states like Karnataka already have Lokayuktas in place. In India law and order is a state subject, and there is nothing much centre can do if a state decides to alter the power of a Lokayukta. What central government should be really worried about is getting the Lokpal in the first place. Lokayukta discussions can even be carried out in the second phase. Asking state governments advise even before the central Lokpal’s scope is pending to be agreed and drafted is a tactic of causing confusion and slowing down things.
If you are really interested in getting things done on time then you take up things one at a time and achieve it, not send documents to 20 odd states and wait for their responses. If the government was that keen then they could have even arranged a mutliple round meetings of the draft committee with chief ministers :)
Well Sir, I do believe that world is a much better place to live now than it was 30 years ago. And, when it comes to good economic policies, Finland and Singapore come first. And yeah, life there is certainly better than here in India.
Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea were as much impoverished as India when they got independence. But, look now, where they have reached, how prosperous they have become. Its all because of good economic policies sir.
Infact, India had a headstart over those countries during 1950’s and 1960’s, and yet they easily overtook and defeated India by a mile. Why? while India was being screwed up by bad, socialist policies, they started to bulid their country on good market-based economic policies. Whatever u say, economic policies matter.
And, economic policy is also about taking those discretionary powers from ministers and secretaries, and forcing them to award projects/licences in a transparent, auction-based way. Economic policies and transparency, go hand in hand. For a country to prosper, it needs both. If u have an ultra-transparent administration, yet at the same time u have ultra-crappy economic policies pursued, what is the use?
Thanks for writing this article. It clarifies things for the common man, who is not actively involved in the protests. It explains why the common man has to stand up, support and be a part of this movement. Thanks again
The best platform for the common man to support this movement is by casting his vote after having good thoughts on whom to vote, just like the way he would have selected an employee if he had owned a company.
Take a look at this link. Amazing info with proof. https://www.facebook.com/notes/nitin-gupta/why-is-congress-scared-of-getting-black-money-back/10150182763676384
Did u take a look at the magazine in the above link showing Rajiv Gandhi having 2.5 billion.
Cool info, thanks a lot for that.
Medha Patkar had been a victim of the same kind of politics which is now faced by Ramdev, they said she had contacts with gangsters, and now isn’t it the same thing. The government is just accusing everyone who goes against them and blabbering stuff left and right.
Slowly our governments are becoming more and more dictatorial by nature. This happens when people reelect the same parties back to power again and again, as was happening during the times of Indira Gandhi. India has become once in a five year democracy.