The Davos snapshot

It is axiomatic that a picture never lies, even if it may not reveal the whole story. The government’s publicity machinery, PIB, on January 23 circulated a “group photo” of PM Modi from Davos where disgraced diamond merchant Nirav Modi is also seen along with other Indian business tycoons. Naturally, the Opposition linked the photo with the multi-crore scam that was apparently known to the Punjab National Bank systems at least eight days before the PM’s controversial photo-op. No PM would knowingly allow a scamster to sneak into his personal or official photo shoots. It means, till that day, the PMO was clueless about the $1.77 billion fraud that took place in the second biggest bank of the government.

It is nothing but a communication failure. There has been lack of communication among government arms — PNB, the North Block and the PMO. Perhaps, this could be the reason why the agencies chose to ignore whistleblower Hari Prasad SV’s complaint to the PMO against one of the co-accused of the PNB scam in July 2016. Or possibly, due to the cold response of the PMO, the agencies did not pursue the matter. This points to a growing concentration of power and decision-making under one roof. Powerless departmental heads naturally try to anticipate the boss’s predilection before taking a decision or communicating a message. Extreme centralisation of power is turning out to be a governance disaster. Restoration of departmental self-governance is a must for effective administration of the world’s largest democracy.

The government officials and CII executives bring themselves no credit when they defend the indefensible. Their argument that Nirav Modi accidentally appeared in the photograph because he was “hanging around there” is laughable; it raises doubt about the PM’s security and protocol arrangements. How could our security agencies allow an unwanted element so close to the country’s top leader? Such photographs are often misused as calling cards. There may not be the kind of proximity between the two Modis as is being alleged by the Opposition, the group photograph does tell us that the crony capitalism bubble remains intact. A scam has taken place under PM Modi’s watch but the known suspects are yet to be rounded up.