Haryana’s graft taint

HARYANA has had a ‘double-engine’ government since 2014. It’s no mean feat that the BJP has won three Assembly elections on the trot in this state adjoining the Capital. No wonder voters continue to have great expectations in terms of good & clean governance. Even as the euphoria over the party’s stunning victory in the October 2024 state polls is waning, a sobering fact has come to light — of the 104 trap cases in which officials were caught red-handed by Haryana’s Anti-Corruption Bureau last year, 34 involved members of the police force. It is a good sign that the ACB is cracking down on corrupt officials, but what about deterrence and fear of the law? The functioning of the government and the police comes under a cloud when those tasked with law enforcement themselves demand and accept illegal gratification. Other departments have a better record, but there is no room for complacency as they also have their black sheep who need to be weeded out.

It was the anti-corruption plank that had helped the BJP decimate the scam-tainted UPA a decade ago, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasising his zero-tolerance approach with the slogan, “Na khaunga na khane dunga”. However, the rot in Haryana shows that the initiative to cleanse the system remains a work in progress.

Speaking at a ‘Good Governance Day’ event last week, the Haryana Governor rightly stated that information technology was the most effective means of curbing corruption. Indeed, e-governance has made a difference, but unscrupulous people are adept at finding new ways to bypass rules and procedures. The Union Government, which is often accused by the Opposition of misusing Central agencies to settle political scores, must pay greater attention to Haryana, which is at risk of becoming a bad advertisement for the much-touted anti-corruption campaign.