Two previous years of UPA II Government were marred by uncovering several instances of corruption involving many high ups. In most cases that were brought to the notice of the general public either by media or through the instrumentality of NGOs and PIL, senior Government functionaries, public men, political personalities and ministers stood indicted for various corrupt practices. These cases have made the Indian nation hang its head in shame. It is more agonising to us as a nation. The march of history had convinced the world that a nation which produced the saint and philosopher like Gandhi ji, known as apostle of peace, would not allow its moral standards get lowered or tarnished in any case because the great teachings of Gandhi ji had become the basis of a welfare and humanitarian state emerging after the departure of the colonial power.
We are pained for what we have done to our good name and popularity. We have shamelessly tarnished our image and we have belittled ourselves in the eyes of the world. India is very much listed among the corrupt countries of the world.
The case of our State is no different, rather it is more distressing. And the peculiar thing about it is that the protectors of law and enforcers of order in the State are more corrupt than the actual perpetrators of corruption. This is a very critical situation. It shows how the culture of corruption has seeped into the body polity of our State. We have elaborate anti-corruption mechanism and institutions set forth in the books of law, but in practice, we are foremost in violating all norms of morality, culture and the rule of law. When the anti-corruption wave, unleashed by the campaign of Anna Hazare swept over the entire country, and there were cries in the corridors of civil society for strengthening the institutions of accountability, our State Government boasted that we did not need any addition to our elaborate anti-corruption mechanisms that were in place. Unsuspecting people began to believe that we really had such a system and there were far less chances of corrupt practices being observed by the members of civil society and government functionaries. Perhaps the political leaders were apprehensive of Anna Hazare movement reaching the State and people responding to it massively. That was the reason why at that point of time, unusual media hype was given to the false notion of State having an elaborate anti-corruption mechanism.
What we find on the ground today belies all those superimposed notions. Recently startling details have come in open of scores of cases of Government functionaries, from top to bottom including senior ministers and bureaucrats who are indicted by Departmental inquiry or the Crime Branch or the Vigilance Organization. But despite sound cases likely to be framed against them, their immediate bosses in the hierarchical structure try to protect them by methods fair and foul. In scores of cases the departments concerned have stonewalled permission to the prosecution of the indicted persons. Despite reminders from home authorities no formal permission as required under Service Rules has been conveyed to the prosecuting authority. The bureaucracy is shielding the indicted persons by sitting on papers. That is why we say that in our state the problem is not as much with the officials who are corrupt but with those who are supposed to move anti-corruption wheels and act against the corrupt officials. Even the orders of the High Court asking for framing an indicted officer are spurned and trivialized by the bureaucracy and yet the Government cannot take any action. As far back as 1989, a case of a former Minister having property disproportionate to his lawful income, framed by the Crime Branch is hanging fire and concerned authorities are not willing to convey their consent to his prosecution under law. As already said, scores of cases are relegated to back burner just because the indicted persons are politically resourceful and are misusing their influence.
We would implore the Government to come out of inertia and deal with the cases of corruption, misappropriation, embezzlement and misuse of authority with firmness and speed. If it wants to prove its claim that J&K has a sound anti-corruption mechanism that is fully functional, then scores of cases that have got stuck up at various places for formalities should be taken up for final disposal. Immediate prosecution of cases of established corruption misappropriation and inefficiency should be referred to the court of law for final disposal. We would recommend that official quarters trying to sit on the files and indefinitely prolong a decision should also be charged with abetting corruption and thus brought to book.
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