Cash and carry

Shiban  Khaibri
In commercial world, the general maxim is to pay cash and carry home, one’s selected or opted item, the premise or the consideration of the sale being the element of profit or the difference between the cost and the sale price. The profit, as we all know, is shared by the dealer, the broker, the seller, the manufacturer etc; in agreed proportions. Now, new types of commerce, newer brands of impropriety with newer benchmarks   have most unfortunately entered the realms of political corridors.  Those, who fought for the independence of this country and offered their supreme sacrifices, had never even dreamt of such a phenomenon taking place.  The father of the nation had said that one of the seven deadly sins was “politics without principles”.  Those stalwarts of the early making and shaping of this country had never thought of such a deep malaise to engulf our polity. Which level  is today’s Indian political propriety being graded in relation to truthfulness, ethics and morality, perhaps has lost its relevance when the Congress led UPA2 is obliging the nation by saying,” The Railway Minister has “welcome” the probe in “job for sale” scam or railgate and action will be taken suitably….” Has the Railway Minister even the power of not “welcoming” the probe , read agreeing for a probe, is difficult to comprehend and who knows in the days to come, that scenario too may have to find its due place in the scheme of things. In other words, when there is a prima facie case of a serious violation of law, some among the rulers of this country, could indulge in manipulations so as to incapacitate the identified apparatus to bring forth culpability to face the rigors of justice.
The former Railway  Minister saying that he had no business relations with his nephew, sounds strange – when many positions were deliberately kept vacant only to accord favour to the ones in the highest competitive bid in the Rail Bhawan and when the whooping amount of money taken, was for a consideration to be got approved or appointed by the top authority in the Ministry who happened to be  Pawan Bansal himself. The allegations that appointments of members in the Railway Board and the General Managers were done even by ignoring the norms of seniority, overtly or covertly cannot be construed to be without the knowledge of the Minister. The railway traveling public cry hoarse about lack of any visible development, the inadequate facilities, hopeless and unhygienic food served,  unclean linen, dirt and filth around railway stations and absence of proper security measures in Railways but those who should have been toiling to make a turnaround in the functioning of railways, are engrossed in building personal interests. Instances of conflict of interests have come to fore in the instant scam probe. The important question is as to why did not the Railway Minister on May3 itself get the concerned officer arrested who was involved in paying money, reported to be Rs.90 lacs as “first instalment” to the Minister’s kin? Why did not the Minister himself resign immediately to ensure free and fuller access to the documents, files, records, seizures etc; by the investigating team? Did the rail minister feel emboldened over the avoidable stand taken by the PM himself by allegedly getting tone of the findings against him in the probe document of coalgate by the CBI, changed as Dr.  Manmohan Singh himself was in charge of the coal ministry from 2006 to 2009? In other words, therefore, do both Pawan Kumar Bansal and Ashwani Kumar want the PM too to own moral responsibility and resign?
This disguised “job for sale ” or  pay “cash and carry” scam must not be a story of a day or a month or a year, perhaps that is why,   the top Railway postings  made, are under the scanner of the investigating authorities? That is why the scope, tenor and tone of the probe are getting wider and the PA to the Rail Minister too is facing inquiries from the investigating team.
We do not pronounce the verdict about  the direct involvement of the Railway Minister and  he too “holds the same views” but what kept him from offering his resignation to allow investigations take place thoroughly  and to come clean thus adding to his personal integrity? Can there be two interpretations of the law , one for the common citizen and the other for the politicians? Congress Party which does not get tired of boasting of high traditions and principles, should have at least asked Pawan Bansal to follow the traditions set by the Late Lal Bahadur Shastri, who within hours of a railway accident taking place, sent his resignation as Railway Minister to the PM in the year 1956.
The question is whether morality in politics has become redundant and deficiency of integrity is considered as no disqualification. In other words, do morality and integrity need redefining in the fast emerging political scenario? How is it that people joining politics in most of the cases, become economically very comfortable and in shortest time and the culpability or accountability are relegated to background under the pretext “matter is sub- judice”  or ” till the court convicts a political accused, he or she is deemed to be innocent”? Pawan Bansal as per recent reports is going to be in very tight spot as open cases of nepotism, building of family fortunes, promotion of business interests of close family members, background of bank credits and unsecured family loans etc; having brought the heat of the job for cash at his doorstep.  Has it become a set precedent now that under the alibi of “personally not involved” gives political legitimacy of disguised underhand means when the fortunes are staying within the family? How can the sensational nepotism trails of rail minister disclosed through media, provide any exit route to him from the legal and moral angles and justify his initial statement of having no “business relations ” with his nephews?

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