Corruption gets free rein

That corruption is embedded in our political system is a fact of life. But some of the figures that were quoted recently are unbelievable. We had Param Bir Singh, the ousted police chief of Mumbai, writing to the CM that the state’s Home Minister wanted the police to collect a hundred crores for him every month. Now, we are told that the Rural Development Minister of Karnataka was demanding a cut of 40 per cent to pass pending bills of rural road contractors, leading to the suicide of a contractor. What surprises me is how businesses do not fold up in consequence of such preposterous demands!

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If more and more business people and citizens come out against bribe demands, and if their cries are taken up by our youth, there is bound to be a reaction in the ruling circles.

KS Eshwarappa is a powerful BJP leader from Shivamogga district of Karnataka. He is from the influential Kuruba community, an OBC community. Incidentally, Eshwarappa was steeped in RSS philosophy and had everything in his favour, but for the fact that before taking his life, a committed BJP worker from Belagavi had accused Eshwarappa of brazen corruption.

Santosh Patil, a 40-year-old petty contractor, had complained to the PM about the demand being made by the minister for a 40 per cent cut from the Rs 4 crore owing to him (Patil) for carrying out road construction at Hindalga village in Belagavi district. Apparently, the man had invested his own money in the venture. Non-payment of bills spelt financial doom for him and his family. His allegations were reproduced in the media when Patil ended his life after recording a note about the demand of the minister, his inability to meet the exorbitant demand and his decision to die! He blamed Eshwarappa squarely for it.

Since all actors in this drama belonged to the ‘party with a difference’, the Opposition could not be blamed for the suicide. Moreover, the Contractors’ Association came out strongly on the corruption issue. The venerable president of the body told the media that individual contractors and the association itself had protested earlier against such demands that were difficult to meet without accepting a loss in business, instead of the expected profit.

The association alleged that such demands were not confined to the Rural Development Ministry, but most other departments of the Karnataka Government.

Since Modi had publicly stated that he would neither take a bribe nor allow any of his followers to take bribes, the revelations made by the association’s president assumed significance. It was incumbent on the BJP high command to ask Eshwarappa to resign, which he did.

There are numerous lessons to be learnt from this episode. First and foremost, the BJP and a party like AAP, that also boasts of a clean image, should desist from boasting. Any success in curbing corruption should be advertised by the people who will soon notice the difference. All people cannot be hoodwinked all the time. They know the truth about each minister, each MLA, each political operative of each party. Similarly, they know each bureaucrat and grassroots official of each department.

The second thing is the glad news that victims and associations representing groups that are the usual targets of bribe-seekers are now willing to come clean openly and oppose this insidious practice that is destroying the moral fabric of the country.

I remember an incident in Mumbai where the Association of Bar Owners led a procession of its members to the office of a DCP 10-15 years ago in protest against his demand for increased ‘hafta’ (payment in return for permitting them to pursue illegal operations). If more and more business people and citizens come out against such demands, and if their cries are taken up by our youth, there is bound to be a reaction in the ruling party circles. Recently, the association of ‘angadias’ (carriers of diamonds and other precious goods from one city to another) came out openly against a directly recruited IPS officer in Mumbai for demanding Rs 10 lakh a month as the price for closing his eyes to their business practices. The officer is absconding and has been placed under suspension. The action in this case was swift because people are now less likely to accept exorbitant demands.

The demand for bribes is a common practice in the subcontinent. A young IPS officer from Karnataka, I met some years ago, told me that he was disgusted with the foibles of most of his seniors and had decided to quit rather than sell his soul! In Maharashtra, the 10 per cent cut is a persistent figure quoted by contractors dealing with the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. It is believed that whichever party has a majority in the corporation subsists on this money.

A further takeaway from the Eshwarappa case is that if the government in Karnataka was that of any Opposition party, the ED and IT department would have been unleashed. Eshwarappa must have amassed a sizeable pile. Should he be allowed smooth sailing because he can bring in the votes?

The BJP had thrown the Opposition out of elected office in Karnataka by winning the affections of the required number of legislators pining for the crumbs of office. It had played that game in Goa and Manipur also after the previous Assembly elections. This practice of forming governments through inducements conflicts with the teachings of the Gita and should be banned by law. The BJP itself should be wary of tainted members of other parties who can sully its image.

Addressing a gathering of BJP workers outside the party office in Delhi on the night of his famous victory in UP and three other states, Modi asked his audience if they approved of his desire to pursue those who are guilty of corruption and other heinous crimes. The crowd roared its approval. Modi did not specify that those who belong to his party or cross over to it will be exempt. To make good on his word, he should order an inquiry into the fortunes of Eshwarappa.