In the course of five stage Lok Sabha elections, so far the least heard of issue is that of corruption. It is ironical to note that that cash paid to parliamentarians for winning Trust-vote in parliament just less than a year back has not effectively surfaced as an issue. The issue of corruption which ails the system the most remains buried in the din of inane issues centering around personality clashes and meaningless sops promised by different individuals and parties. There was a time when a government that was elected with more than two-third majority came crashing down at the hustings when the kickbacks involved in Bofors gun deal was exposed. But the developments thereafter have robbed the issue of corruption off its sheen making it acceptable to the electorate as a necessary evil in the system.
In the course of Lok Sabha election 2009 the issue of large sum of Indian money stashed illegally in Swiss banks have come to the fore. It is estimated that a sum ranging from Rs. 25, 00, 000 crores to 75, 00,000 crores are lying illegally in the Swiss banks unused. As a result of the efforts made by US government, on February 18, 2009 Swiss banks agreed to reveal the details of those who were having accounts in the bank and 780 million dollars came to the notice of the government. While even developed nations are trying to retrieve money of their citizens secretly stashed in Swiss banks, Indian government has so far not shown the required will to bring back the money to the country. This money could have been used for taking India forward in many aspects - making it a developed nation, strong and powerful. But what we see today is an irrational approach to patronize corruption in contravention to any logic and valid argument. It is heartening to see that Suprme court has taken cognizance of the matter in the wake of a PIL filed by some eminent persons including former Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani, former Punjab DGP K P S Gill, Professor B B Dutta, Jalbala Vaidya, former Secretary General of Lok Sabha Secretariat Subhash Kashyap, and Gopal Sharma.
While bringing back the huge money stashed in Swiss banks is on the agenda of one political parties, the other political parties have till now shied away from the issue. The commitment of the political party currently having it on its agenda remains to be tested. Corruption cannot be limited to financial issues alone; its ambit may be widened to include various forms of malpractices that plague the current system. From judiciary to police and the functioning of elected to bureaucrats - every aspect and component of the system may be accounted for corruption. Currently, Election Commission, CBI and even office of Governors have been found to function in violation of the law. In such circumstances, one wonders as to why corruption is not an election issue?
|
(0 vote)