It’s very unfortunate that we have the central government led by Sh. Manmohan Singh, which is functioning without coherence, transparency and demonstrates little commitment to probity in public life. We are witnessing every day tumbling of scams of high magnitude committed by various ministers of UPA government, worth of lakhs of crores. The present UPA government is completely cornered by the political opposition both inside parliament and outside as well and other resistant movements led by different persons like Anna Hazare and very recently by Baba Ramdev. It is no longer able to cover up the commissions and omissions related to corruption and black money has in fact declared war against democracy and war on people. The way different ministers talking differently and many a times working with cross-purposes, displays the leadership of Sh. Manmohan Singh is only notional and he is being used only as a mask and the controlling authority is somewhere else.

Corruption at higher places corrodes moral and legal authority:

In the last few months, multiple scams where the ministers and various other important persons related to UPA Government are involved have come out to the public notice. Telecom 2G scam, Common wealth Games scandal, Adarsh Society scandal, allotment of coal blocks scam and very recently, establishment of Telecom exchange for private purpose by Sh. Dayanidhi Maran are few examples how the present dispensation is most corrupt one since Independence. This is running like a TV serial where the viewers are periodically fed with entertaining episodes. People have become disgusted with this ever-unfolding scandalous administration. Brazen and shameless attitude from the authorities at higher places is also benumbing the people and making them restless.

• Government refused to accept the allegations of corruption in 2G-spectrum allotment till it is indicted by CAG audit and estimated the presumptive loss at Rs 1.75 lakh crore. Even after that Sh.Kapil Sibal, telecom minister continued to argue that we have incurred zero loss to the revenue exchequer till CBI charge sheeted Sh. Raja, former minister for telecom. This could become possible only with the intervention and constant monitoring of Supreme Court.
• Similarly, government was not forthcoming in the matters of Common wealth games and Adarsh Society scandals. It is always using diversionary tactics to subvert the investigation process conducted by different agencies.
• In Hasan Ali case, again with the relentless goading from the highest court, ultimately, he could be arrested and due to the persistence of the court he has been taken for interrogation. Government of India was always a reluctant player in conducting the comprehensive probe in to the matter.

Present high rate of inflation and resultant ever shooting price rise has an intimate connection to this rampant and wide spread corruption. Finance minister has presented this year budget with Rs 4lakh crores deficit. RBI had to print more currency in order to make the capital available for government to meet its developmental needs. Both these steps could have been averted and eventually present high rate of inflation could have been avoided if this kind of losses for revenue were not there on account of corruption. Now they have started saying this level of inflation and spiraling prices could be avoided only by opening the gates for FDI from Wall Mart and other such corporates in retail trade.

Black Money- Curse on our economy:

Global Financial Integrity has estimated the black money worth $500 bn, which is stashed away in tax havens belonging to India. The black money which is generated in India through tax evasion, corruption, kickbacks and criminal activities- concealed from the audit and deposited wrongfully in foreign lands has in fact grown multiple times after opening of our economy due to large scale corruption. Government of India has not taken adequate steps for recovering the national capital stashed away illegally and never shown any enthusiasm to bring the culprits to justice and declare the names of such account holders. Our leaders have not utilized the international situation, which had turned against such laws of secrecy- protecting the shady accounts in the past.

• USA has got the UBS- largest bank of Switzerland reveal all details about American holders of black money.
• The less powerful countries like Philippines, Nigeria and Tunisia have pursued their cases very effectively with these banks and succeeded to a great extent.
• Whereas, Indian government had taken lot of time to even ratify the UN resolution against corruption.
• Government had shown reluctance to disclose the names of account holders of Liechtenstein bank, which it had obtained, with the cooperation of German government.
• No effective steps have been taken to curb black money canalled through Mauritius in the form of participatory notes.

Whatever the steps have been initiated by central government in the recent past in the context of black money have actually been done either by the intervention of Supreme Court or pressure from the principal opposition, BJP or after application of great public pressure transcending the party lines through the programmes led by Sh. Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev.

War on Democracy and its own people:

The midnight attack by security forces and police personnel on 5th June – early hours, on thousands of satyagrahis – consisting of women, children, young and elder citizens in Ram Lila Maidan is utterly shocking. The intent behind the use of brutal state power against the unarmed and peaceful gathering that have assembled to secure the good, responsible and accountable governance is reminiscent of Jalianwala Bagh massacre. If simple eviction was the real intention of the administration, disproportionate use of physical force was unwarranted and completely unjustified. Letting the police force run riot over hapless sleeping ladies, children and elderly was indicative of a vengeful mindset guiding the action. This perhaps, was a pre-meditated decision taken with a malicious intent to prevent the heat of people’s unrest against corrupt reaching the power-centre of the Congress Party.

It is ironical that this Congress-UPA Government remained unaffected when rank separatists and anti-national elements held a Seminar close to the seat of power openly demanding secession and dismemberment of India. The Government did nothing and no police force was used. Neither was Section-144 imposed nor was any eviction orders served. The Congress-UPA regime is willing to allow full freedom to separatists and anti-national forces but suppresses spiritual leaders and peaceful patriotic citizens demanding probity and transparency in public life and strong laws to tackle the menace of corruption and black money.

It might be useful to recall that just before imposing the infamous Emergency by the Congress Party in 1975, similar set of language, idiom and cacophony was raised by the then Congress leaders to justify trampling of constitutional rights of the common citizens and to protect their turf in power.

Sh Rahul Gandhi raised the matter of police atrocities on farmers in Bhatta-Parsaul but has not shown similar zeal and enthusiasm in condemning the police brutalities on hapless citizens in Ram Lila Maidan. The deafening silence of Smt. Sonia Gandhi over this repression explains her complicity in this most despicable and inhuman attitude of administration. These events clearly show their political expediency and expose their commitment to securing the rights of the common people.

It is very unfortunate that the office bearers of Congress party are indulging in defamatory campaign against the persons or organizations involved in mobilizing the public opinion on the issues of corruption and black money. Consistent use of indecent and abusive language by Congress General Secretary, Mr. Digvijay Singh and other Congress Spokespersons against the leaders of these movements would not have been possible without the consent of the president of the Congress party. These demeaning expressions show the inherently undemocratic and authoritarian streak of the Congress Party and its leadership.

BJP demands that the Congress President- UPA Chairperson, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister to apologize to the nation for this grave lapse of violating the fundamental constitutional rights of the citizens to peacefully protest against the policies and actions of the Government. They must also own responsibility and express regret for use of brutal police force to suppress the agitation by Baba Ramdev and his followers by letting loose a reign of terror and atrocities. The leaders of the government and UPA are advised, instead of adopting undemocratic and repressive measures against people’s movements, which are always counterproductive better focus on resolution of the core issues to the satisfaction of the people.

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