The Irony of Corrupt Nation - A Two Year Revolution?

Remember the campaign by Indian Against Corruption, the stage set for the revolution under the leadership of Shri Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejrival, and others. The protests and high pitch action at Delhi transformed the force against the congress regime which was later picked up by the leading opposition party for an political opportunity. The seats of power was later unseated by the steady political campaign and later seeds of anti-corruption force gained power in the centre and state. The present government has benefited from the anger of the middle class on the political governance of the nation.

The theme of anti-corruption rules the political dialogue among the power circles when the ruling party charges again and again for its desire to remove corruption from the nation. From political cause to general corruption indicator, the developing nation like India continues to be branded corrupt and unethical. The free market economy and globalization era also led to opening of the economy to transnational corporations. The political class on the other land found lucrative to attempt intrusion of the MNC towards its economy. But all these also required earning the goodwill of the government by bribing the ministers and bureaucrats. Where else you can find the corruption promoted to facilitate the private players to have play in the market and capture the consumer early. In most of the cases the government is biggest consumer with most of the private players wanted the share of government sector which was thrown open to privatised.

The telecom, railways, road, banks, power and consumer goods were segments were disinvestment were made and red carpet was allocated to private players. The capital investment of any sorts were required to be translated on ground through benefiting the political parties in power. The parties with increasing cost of election, keeping electorate happy and purchasing the votes tend to indulge in easy money and thereby increased the corrupt nation image in world.

The current government even though tries to erase the image of the corrupt nation the basic ingredients remains same the political parties are vary from getting donation through legitimate means. The electoral reforms and resultant political expenditure has not led to reduction in corrupt practices. The evidence of the selecting and electing the 'money bags' means people who are rich and can spend amount required to be candidate is preferred over others. What must be changed is the manner in which the political parties  collecting funds from various sources. The corruption is among the government function not on the common citizens. The large brokers are more serious crime than pitty brokers with Rs.100 charge on their services. The image of country is tarnished with close nexus between the government servents, politicians and businessman. This has not reduced infact they act as gate keepers in order to control the flow of people towards decision makers. They make access to decision makers difficult. You cannot run enterprise with straight face, you must be humble to people in power.

They are the one who decides your fate, the two year massaih of people who keeps on reminding 60 plus year of corrupt nation must understand the greed of market based economy, The ever corrupt system is due to urge of the economic players to maximise the profit with minimum investment. The corrupt nation tag is not due to people and common person who simply wants to have poor interface with government. The connection with the government due to its subsidised nature of governance must be reduced. The transfer of the power to people has not happened and its difficult to make the government offices respond to people needs efficiently. The political parties cannot be only torch bearers, but unfortunatly they have taken the role of being sole authority and with little understanding of the national character they are likely to come back to same old tactics.

The people who started the anti-corruption drive is on side lines and one of serious opposition to the current government shows the fragmentation and ideological divide on who is fighting against the graft. The fall back on the current leadership also indicates the heads needs to be counted on the faces of new corrupt systems. The two year also resulted in the corrupt practices with more government departments getting private players and tenders being rigged to protect and provide for particular suppliers.

The lobby system works in market economy, the planned system gone its only money which is available to flow.

Gag the Civil Society and tag them Anti National

The soft spoken ex prime minister has left a harsh decision to get the intelligence report on the Non-Governmental organisation. The recently submitted report alleges lots of irregularities (financial?) and anti national activities (protesting against developmental projects and stopping exploitation of environment). These NGOs are posing threat to the governments development programs (developing private industries, and investment in corporate facilitation infrastructure) which are supposed to raise the GDP. Due to civil society protest, now say the right to information, revised land acquisition bill and forest rights etc, which was passed by parliament under the pressure from the NGOs. The activism which led to the justice and policy for the Sardar Sarovar Dam, led by supreme court. All these measures made post 1991 libralisation led government unhappy over the civil society namely the NGOs. They could only target now the internationally funded NGOs for their alleged 'Anti National' or 'Anti Development' activities. How strange the governments led by the Congress in past ten years got the service from the National Advisory Council whose member belong to these so called internationally funded NGOs!! The present IB report made these NGOs responsible for the slow growth rate. Good at least they recognised that NGOs can become a big force to effect the governments decision making.

The activism of the NGOs led to rise of a political party namely 'Aam Aadmi Party' AAP due to their struggle against the injustice done by the past governments. Governments instead of listening to these voices rose with repressive actions against the citizens. The stalemate of December 2011 upto April -May 2012 with the Anna Movement and government showed the government the power of civil society. The action now against the NGOs are targeted to supress the voice of civil society in the name of anti-nationalism. The rights based activists are wrong in assuming that government listens to their concern of environment, they only provide lip service.

The government at present is led by huge corporate supporter base who want their projects on the fast track. The more the projects cleared, the more investment, and thus the raise in GDP in two digits. Instead of focusing on the 'inclusive growth' and addressing the needs of rural and urban poor the government tries to bypass their own agenda set for the Twelfth Five Year Plan. It tries to hide its failure to improve HDI in the name of economic growth. Thats what the economists have be tought in the classes and many PhDs they do to address the macro economic issues. The lack of sensitivities towards the civil society and improper action to supress independent voice. This is gag order by the government machinary against the NGOs and civil society to support unilaterly the desires of the capitalists. Let the people now think again in the manner in which government should be going about in running the country for next decade. The political parties do not matter, its sold to the high and mighty to thawart an attempt to protest against the unjust actions.

'Development' in Political Debates: Beyond People Just Elections

Whatever had been our development philosophies the elections have covered a close agenda with parties after parties have not accepted that there is some requirements which can always grow. The needs are endless and thereby no one can satisfy the needs of people to a hundred percent centrality. Thats why we also see the 'development' now equated with 'roti, kapda aur makan' along swasth aur shiksha (Food, Cloth and Shelther along with Health and Education) as the basics of development.

For any development analysis this would be easy plan,

(a) Even America fails on this pretext because these are growing demands and government often do not reach to the target because of many of the people are out of reach to the governments. India too stands on similar line but more harsher, if you want to target any government you may find plenty of instances where they fail on these counts. There are people who are out these circle of development needs (as mentioned above) because they are wealthy and support themselves. In countries like India 80 percent are dependent on the government for these 'development' needs. Even countries like USA, UK and France more population is dependent on state lead mentioned 'development' doles.

(b) Nine out of the ten country would move along with the population growth, but high growth of population and lack of economic attainment do not allow the people to catch up with others. The cycle of poverty catches them since they seldom have resources to match up with the growing demands. What then a 'development politician' can do to serve the people? The promises to supply them enough finance and materials to fight with needs the governments does not reach to all the citizens groups. May be due to priority and difference among those who are authorized to supply. The different and specific approaches benefits only few but harms many for the want of 'development needs'.

(c) Politicians often claim my development is better than yours, but they often forgets the coffers are same, the finance and ability to meet the requirements of the citizens can not be different during the various political regimes. Recent claims and counter claims of the political parties to become messiah of one or other citizen groups often fall flat due to inabilities of the leaders to understand the development sourcing which are same. No amount of work can satisfy the hundred percent population and opposition would always puncture the long lasting claims of ruling parties.

(d) The media houses across the globe is used by the political parties to fool the citizens in favour  of their idea of development, which revolves around the similar development wheel. The image maker overs to market the 'development' products, which are packaged to suit the party and their ideologies. In countries like India there seems to offers from the media managers to take the political leaderships to these development rides advertising the political campaign to sell the 'development products' offered to citizens. 

Election in democracy is chance for the political leaderships to claim the development efforts by the governments, forgetting that they are by chance the trustees of such works. Its the who system which functions to provide for the 'development needs' of the people. Why do the claims of the parties to correct the wrongs be accepted, which in a way justifies the role of political class to claim the development outcome. The scores of industrialists, academicians, scientists and others who toil hard to reach to there goal thereby contributing to the development requirements often feel neglected and fooled by the political class. The assumed power of the political class and their debates often circles around reducing the development to their party framework, forgetting the needs of the people. 

When Development is tagged to political parties...

Its good that development as a topic of discussion  takes a central stage in political discourses. But the most important thing which can be noted that the governments in its nomenclature is also termed out to be X parties government. When in democracy we adopted by naming a central and state govt. by parties. The political parties have a limited role to play in decision making exercise, which are supposed to be outcome of extensive research on the policy research, its impact and monitoring. 'Development' which till recently world over is thought about a serious exercise which does not mean going by party line (which often is not an outcome of well researched agenda) but by analysis of the data given through national or state level surveys. During the discourse we are into the position of easily projecting an development ideologies which stands on the political ideology and of course which totally differs from the theoretical bases. The schemes which can be objectively targeted at the development needs of the people emerges to be treating to the political needs of the parties.

The good research output suggestive of a policy which might be emerging from the burning of night oil by the numerous support staff (you may call them researches) often turning to be night mare to convince the political bosses. How on earth development issues can be limited to political parties without institutional backup. Are parties suppose to run a parallel institutional network? Or the institutions also become politicised to give feed accordingly to the political class. The individuals in the recent political arena tries to make the policies based on the their believes which in most of the cases are poorly analysed by themselves. The polarisation of the parties in the national issues is also resulting in the policy polarisaiton on the party lines. To some extent these are good to understand the good and bad outcome expected of the decisions taken by a political leaders. But do we essentially mean to say that the system is not in place to find the problems, discuss with people for verification and solutions. Development to wide spectrum of people means illusion created by the political masters. The populism of the policy depends more on the freebies which in long run may not be fruitful.

There is little doubt about the political parties in asserting their wish to the policy makers, when they themselves become the policy makers by not just discussing it among themselves also creating a no question mode for the people, the problem of acceptance arises. The serious development analysis in these scenarios take a back seat. The state governments now if seen from the political perspectives may stand in front of central governments in accepting the major political decisions or even rediculing the central decisions. Same in the case of the grass root democratic setup a situation of distress arises when the basic policy intentions and guidelines are violated. We are in a situation when more we look into the problems we try to find the quick answers which are of course short lived. Certain conflict in the policy approach or infighting between the political class has seen as loss of good opportunity in sharing the best of all. 

Distribute Goodies to Electorate and get votes

Elections are too far since the it has not been announced in Gujarat or in other parts of country. The state parties are busy distributing goodies (pots, cycle, vollyballs, bags etc) to the people to lure them to votes. This is apart from the hosts of Garib Kalyan Melas which allowed the state (no the political master) to distribute from his able hands. With all the melas, we may not believe that we are living in developed state. The state which host Vibrant Gujarat and boasts of double digit growth is not shying away from accepting the poverty in the state and makes sure the identified poor by the party workers gets the goodies.

The days of simple political gimmicks have taken over by presenting doles to the eligible voters, even the opposition congress is not behind they have been making promises to give home, laptops, and other articles to their loyal voters. Money can buy anything, Is that the mantra for parties to come to power. Shameless people who would be enticed by the offers cannot resist and why should they, given the horrible state of public life with ever increasing prices. The responsibilities are given to center for the state's apathy and state takes pride in conducting the campaign for general election (which is two years away!!). Is it well timed or BJP is expecting early elections in state.

One thing is common the nature of political class has not been changing, the world may look at India from the pretext of developing nation, the country does not want to claim any status. The political class wants the nation to remain backward and not questioning on their intention, so what if some goods are distributed, poor fellow do they have any questions or doubt about their governments. Its good that they sleep over the state of affairs in state, the media might shell out some news for them to draw some opinion.

The festive season in country has just started with arrival of Ganesha, the political parties would and are exploiting to bring home their points, and so is ideological warfare claiming to be with people, praying to god to save the nation. Thats too much to accept the fate of people without their participation, else let them glue to that 'idiot box'.

Electoral agents would be now hacking the accounts of the individuals lottering on cyberspace for more data on youth behaviour setting campaign (digital and virtual). Let some party also distribute online gaming tools to youngistan to play with political masters. The net savvy politicians have even lot left medium to be free, they have jumped on passing judgements on the issues even those which are pending in courts, they rightly feel the best judge are the people and its now easy to bribe them. Ganesha says, You must be fool enough to discuss all these, the jokers in the game know when to play, which may spoil the opposition. People must be heard not to hate but to work.

Politics of Decentralization and Center

The nature of citizenship offered by India is universal and sub-nationalism was in background when India  adopted new constitution and emerged as a nation state decades ago. The nationalism was fueled by the then freedom fighters and decision makers at the national and state level politics. What ever may be their party affiliation  the concern for nation for the priority, the states were not developed to have become an independent economic strength. The national priorities were together and distributed across the nation with clear mandate to provide boost to economy- including agriculture and industry dedicated to the nation. The national goals are set by the then leaders and obidiantly being followed till the rise of new India post 1991.

The decentralisation of power with centre leaving the development turf to the state, and state governments joining the free market economy to take charge of their development. It was so good to feel the new power of the state, but it also added downfall of the centre both economically and politically. As a nation state the control of centre is limited and state's are running for the money. But till this time all states were not ready for the freedom it has taken almost a decade for the poor states to rise from the ashes.

The states like UP, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan has increasingly being now prepared to join the league of developed states like Tamilnadu, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana etc. Much needs to be done in order to be attractive for the outsiders, instead the growth in these states would arrest the mass exodus of population to the developed state. In more cases, the developed state might loose some shine due to initial labour shocks.

The politics of nation is also allude the centre-state relationships with little over 10 states, leaders have no ambition to join national politics, its marred with difficulties, its now very tough to be raise a national party. Except, Congress and BJP to an extent has been successful in holding the turf, but badly challenged in their respective party ruled states.

Development policies of centre is more advisory then authentic show of nationalistic flavour, and states often do not offer centre favourable ground, central agencies across states find it difficult to work with state governments. Railways is best example to show the politics of decentralisation and hurdles both sets of government puts to one another.

A state leaders no matter how good they are in administrator or being popular in public finds very difficult to find acceptence at the national level. Its difficult to find national leaders acceptable at the state politics, take case of communist leaders (central and states) they are different roles and destinations.

Party politics for long has used the state has ground to work as national leaders, the nation logic has been used to promote the party ideologies, but in practice the state's across the nation had become laboratories of such ideologies such as Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Tamil Nadu. Most of the these ideologies ruled by different parties find it difficult to be adopted at the national level.

May be time has also come to review and research on the subject.

Who wants to do business here anyway?

India has been ranked 134th out of 183 countries for the 'ease of doing business', tought for the analyst who think India has globalised and libralised from red tape since last two decades. The poor performance emerges from the lack of sanctity of the contract system between the players. Be it corruption or speed money this is rocking the business world in dealing with Indian system of functioning. No matter what we do, it is failing in keeping the promises. The example of Common Wealth Games (CWG) mired with controversies refuses to pay to its international suppliers, coursey, Kalmadi and Co. The 14.0 Lakh crores worth MoU signed in Gujarat, would take years to materialise, the system is pathetic. The small and medium enterprise cannot think to survive in this scenario. Govt and their department just does not hounour the contracts, it takes numerous communications to get through your money.

As someone rightly points INDIA is business logic ' I'll Not Do It Again'.

Even though Anna's anti graft movements has raised the corruption, this Diwali could not be less merrier for the Govt. officials, who lapped up gifts, with both hands. Some even heard to have supplied gold and silver bars to the state secraterate in Gujarat. Just to boost business the gratidute is given to the babus and political masters, to ensure your ability to do business in India. The state govt's is also no exception in accepting the speed money from over the table in country. The fearlessness of the system would not go just because Anna and Co wanted, because it feeds on self, the system is prone to such attitude.

India cannot expect to have 'Arab' revolution or Capturing of Wall street, we can at best 'tweet' to rest in our residences, allowing the poor traffic walas to take his share of cake. The political system right from the local councellors to the state cheif, is marred with steep rise in rates post diwali asking for more. What they say of Anna, thats for his carrier and people who join them, we raise the toast. Alex says, 'Those who wonder where are the corrupt persons, we all must say, its here..its here..its here'. Amin!!

Politicians fight back by shaming civil society

What an idea sirjee?? Politicians are hated in this country exactly for the reason understood better by the organisation called India against Corruption. Initially even thought of good work was gone into the gutter once the stories about their action which tarnished their image to be stringent standards makers for corrupt people. We have forgotten the story, to let down the voice giver to society in same manner, we tend to acknowledge not the voice but the person behind it. The corrupt politicians are scoring brownee points by making 'Anna and cos' look real culprits which saving their #$*& against peoples movement. What has happened in central India was state repression against the people who where up in arms against the similar attiude of government. The government lead by the politicians (of course we have choosen them amongst us) have always shown us that they are the masters not the servants of the society. While the country pay taxes to upkeep their pockets. Who runs the government? The present masters dominated by party ideology has forgotten the constitutional mandate while they decide against or in favour of x community, Y village/city and their supporters. Those who are in power cling to them with a tight rope, we the citizens have given them this rope too. The team Anna has to fight back, though they may also think to reply politically. One thing would be clear they are not the third front in the country, some one in leading party is playing with their idea of India. God save this nation ...a million time.

Fight Corruption from Street to Parliament

Just when the heat against corruption was hot the team Anna and other civil rights groups lauched an combined effort to bow down the government. People from the middle class after long gap came on the street to support the cause. Most of the youngsters were pitting for the 75 year old Anna saheb for the leading them who was equating this as fight for the second freedom.

All this has now part of history, the bill would be back in parliament, if MPs unite, the citizens are now left to see the fate of Lokpal bill are in hands of government in power. The street which was packed by 'I am Anna' supports are now filled with ravellers of Ganapati and Ramzan. Do we all would be able to take the fight till end. We all had doubts yet hope lingers on the somewhere else, the typical urban middle class have not connected them selves with rural India and also with the civic issues arising in their own cities. The ' egg shell' like their houses refuses to come out on the streets and still believes that someone like Anna would fight, fast and die for their cause.

Parliament which were supposed to be addressing these issues is again would be busy in putting things into back burners with many legislation waiting to be passed. The Lokpal would take ample time in come to force in near future. The issue of corruption might have been prime time episode for most of us, but it has failed to raise the national consensus for social reform in supporting the cause.

Social Ideas on Corruption Hatao!!

Even most corrupt is after the slogan of 'corruption hatao', It makes us think of messages which government department should be posing on the regular TV/Media and Public places. Here are some of thought for thinkers;

(a) Identify the departments which is likely to be more pathetic on corruption practices and put labels or sign board advising points detailing about corruption..incidences.

(b) Identify roads in city where traffic police is more prone to corruption preapre Spatial diffusion map of corruption in your city.

(c) Identify corruption free places and place symbol or signage indicating corruption free. Like No Smoking zone.. Corruption Free Zone.

(d) Prepare direct messages for anti corruption..(but I wonder there is no system to punish those caught red handed) with going through court process.

(e) Special Messages for Holi, Dewali, Anivarsary, Wedding, Birthday and other occasion which enhances corruption related favours.

(f) 'Say No to Cash' campaign for payments above certain amount should be through banks instrument only. Include large traders/ departments/municipality and transaction beyond certain amount per day.

(g) Start closing cash /payment counters at government offices, auto remittances through all government department directly to the accounts of beneficiaries.

(h) Corruption in certain offices like PDS, Dairy, Hospital, Police and like wise should be non bailable offence.

(i) Builders who deal in 40:60 or 60:40 of black and white components should be identified with the help of IB, Police and Citizens. Maintain close check on all the deals of property tracing the roots of transaction at the revenue department level.

(j) Identify Schools and institution charging capitation fee, extra charges etc to be accountable to district education officers. DEO should be more stringent in inspection of school accounts/ public or private. Make education a corporate activity for the high end schools, and let them pay taxes.

(k) Charity commissioner, should look at the corruption from his perspective since most the institutions are not doing charity clearly many of them are business empire evading taxes.

(l) Public display of massive projects accounts by conducting public vigilance week in all departments and publication of key data for transparency.

(m) Every post office should have seperate section dealing in accepting corruption related complains which gets forwarded to concern departments of central or state government. Post offices should have directory of anti-corruption offices for state and country where complains can be forwarded.

(n) More powers to CVC and state vigilance offices in monitoring and accepting complains from one and all.

Geoinformatics Technologies for Fighting Corruption

When the decision making depends on the indviduals wishes, the horror of corruption emerges. In most of the public utility cases using right technology might reduce the content of corruption. The reform initiatives for the e-governance has recently slowed down in order to acheive transperancy in functioning of the government offices. The access to the information recently made online through e-tendering, online greveinces, tracking of complains status, etc becomes outreach program to fight against corruption at the system level.

Most the government contracts and payment when assigned digital tags, the citizens would get the desired knowledge about their area of interest. The use of Geoinformatics (GIS and Remote Sensing) and tracking devices most of the monitoring tasks of the government program and services can be achieved. Two departments are example for the reduction in corruption intensity these are Indian Railway and Telecommunication for the common men. Most of the e-tendering process by the governments have become easier and little hassle. But the decision making still remains with the department heads and executives in the government, these are not assisted by Information technologies. The Geoinformatics so far have penetrated in some ministries and department which is helpful in monitoring the works and progress in the sectors.

The people in general is not conversant with the e-governance initiatives by the department which might have been helpful in reducing the corruption. The technology penetration is possible in all the governed departments which helps in monitoring and assigning the tasks for the development and status of works. But governments are slow in implementing the technologies citing ignorance and pitfalls ahead. Using internet has been limited to just having a site, some departments have opted to inform general public about their works and achievement. Most of the public services do not interface with citizen citing confidentiality. The legal tools under discussion might help in punishing the culprits, why not use the technologies to monitor and analyse the decision making of the key departments? T

he application areas of Geographical Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing has raised the technological possibilities for integrating the services departments to allow users to get access to functions performed by the local and state governments. Next generation reform should allow the citizens to access the service information on their mobile, PCs and Laptop using the mentioned technologies.

Show your worth: the power of Capitial

Public accounting has never been subject for those who are interested in commerce. The onus of proving the sanctity of capital ownership now lies on the holder of capital. Thus the present declaration by Baba Ramdev and others, Shri Anna Hazare and other declarations by MLA/MP or IAS officials is an welcome exercise. But crux of the problem is this is visible transection, even the tax authorities knows it and well clear of any doubts. What is not clear is functions performed with the money by these large individual corporate giants.

Capital is not stinky for many, its our right to earn well to provide for needs as well as wishes of all those concerns us. Power comes from capital its understood, those who are on top should be worth millions, no matter it has come from hard work of their enterprise and activities. Law of land is messy in dealing with the earnings, and there is free fall post 1991 for those who wish to reach top of capital earners.

Ethics of business or politics shows us the way we handle the public money, all the individuals and corporate uses to maximize the return on investment. The individuals who does not wish to acquire capital also holds high moral grounds but would be weakened to get closer to seat of power. That is the mantra explained in political strategy circles. The urban areas around the world is place wherein the people tend to show their capital and get respect irrespective of their background of manner of generating it.

What is your worth? Individual would feel powerless in such a situation, the few people like Mahatma Gandhi and now Anna Hazare has courage to stand tall among the Penguins of today's Socio-political world.