GhoseSpot | Time for Narendra Modi to deliver on justice
GhoseSpot | Time for Narendra Modi to deliver on justice
There is an apocryphal anecdote about a West Bengal politician of the Left era going to a chit fund tycoon from Uttar Pradesh, to park black money. Apparently, this “banker” of politicians, hearing the paltry sum that the Bengal leader wanted to keep with him, laughed out loud saying, “I don’t deal in Small Savings”. He then added, “First learn to earn and then come back to me.” Since then, market forces have caught up and if the grapevine is to be believed, the level of corruption has gone up exponentially in what used to be the second last bastion of the communists. Unfortunately, the politician is no more, and the ‘banker’ too has gone into retirement. Otherwise, he would have found a fertile ground in Bengal for expanding his business.
The discovery of a mountain of cash at the home of a film actor known to be close to a senior leader and minister in the ruling offers a glimpse into this changed political culture. Some say in jest, this reflects the ultimate transition from socialism to a market-driven polity where everything from school admissions to jobs come with a price tag attached. What is remarkable, however, is the abject surrender of the people to the new order. Bengalis are known for their cynical sense of humour. So, WhatsApp is choked with jokes and memes that tend to normalise graft and greed.
To be fair, corruption is all pervasive and not alien to West Bengal. Just that it was late in joining the big cats’ club. But having gained entry it is now leapfrogging to make up for lost time. This is evident in the scale of the scams that are being unearthed of late. Also, there is a change in the nature of corrupt practices. Earlier the common modus operandi was to make money from large public contracts and development projects. Now, as in the case of chit funds and Teachers’ Recruitment, politicians are making money by fleecing the poor citizens. Another defining feature is the brazen posturing by leaders and arrogance of party spokespersons denying all allegations.
Again, this phenomenon is not unique to Bengal. We see the same script playing out in other states as well, whenever there is a whiff of scandal. The latest being Delhi where one minister — Satyendar Jain — is undergoing custodial interrogation in a money laundering case and the deputy Chief minister is under investigation for reported irregularities in issuing liquor licences. The common refrain in all cases is to blame the Narendra Modi government for misusing central investigative agencies such the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against its political opponents either for vendetta or with the intent of annihilation. Thus, the term “weaponisation of the ED and CBI” has gained currency in the political lexicon of India.
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It is true that at the face of it some of these raids and investigations appear selective. Opposition parties point out that only non-BJP politicians seem to be on the radar of agencies, while those of the ruling party enjoy general immunity. They further buttress the argument by citing instances of opposition leaders who were granted amnesty from previous charges after they crossed over to the BJP. This has earned the BJP epithets of Laundromat that washes of all stains or the Holy Ganga that cleanses the sins of the believers. The ED and CBI too have contributed to this perception with uneven progress on the cases and a “blow hot, blow cold” style of functioning. The abysmal rate of conviction and closure of cases has created the impression of them being more bark than bite.
That there is a credibility deficit cannot be denied. Also, it may not be unfair to say that the government itself is partly to blame for not demanding greater transparency and accountability from the agencies for building public confidence in their functioning. This becomes problematic particularly because the Narendra Modi government stormed to power on the promise of probity and eliminating corruption. That it has not been embroiled in any major corruption scandal in its eight years of existence is only half the deal. Not bringing the original offenders to book was the larger part of the bargain which has remained grossly unfulfilled.
This gap in delivery is creating a sense of déjà vu that is beginning to hurt the image of the Modi administration. The repeated setbacks in court are seen as results of tardy investigation and callous legal homework. The slow progress of cases and low strike rates reinforces doubts about the government’s resolve to bring culprits to book.
Even more worrying is the way the Opposition is pivoting the government’s inconsistent and patchy track record on pursuing cases to its advantage. Thus we witnessed over the last few weeks how the Congress and Gandhis tried to turn the ED interrogations on its head portraying it as a witch-hunt brushing facts under the carpet. Similarly, Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of the Shiv Sena levelled charges against the BJP for using the ED to bring down the MVA government. The Trinamool Congress has been waging war against the Centre for various investigations launched against her party especially in the Ponzi scam, coal and cattle smuggling affairs. Arvind Kejriwal has gone a few steps ahead giving an altogether novel spin to the probes involving party colleagues and his government claiming that they are a product of Modi’s insecurity about the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party.
One can always pick on the old adage of two wrongs not make a right. So, not acting on some does not absolve others of their crimes. However, in a world of post-truths dominated by social and digital media — manufactured narratives often triumph over reality. Inept handling of optics and lack of will to follow through make even the most compelling cases appear weak. The Centre’s track record with activists, media, foreign NGOs has been equally sketchy, giving them a stick to beat the Modi government. All this not only affects its reputation globally but also erodes the confidence of Modi’s supporters at home who voted for him with such an overwhelming majority not once but twice over for changing the system. Their despondency is palpable. Narendra Modi cannot let them down like others who came before him.
Of late, the investigative agencies are displaying a greater sense of purpose. This might also explain the hyper-sensitivity of those at the receiving end of the investigations. One, of course, understands the compulsions of a real world where political expediency takes precedence. But shying away from tough action is no longer an option. The rot must be stemmed.
The author is a current affairs commentator, marketer, blogger and leadership coach, who tweets at @SandipGhose. Views expressed are personal.
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