By Dr. M. Nara Singh
The shameless looting of public fund by contractors, high ranking politicians and bureaucratese has become a phenomenon to-day in our society. Be it rural development, urban development, public works, social welfare, Lotak Project or even the highest democratic institution (Manipur State Assembly Secretariat) the funds meant for the purposes were misappropriated as if the looters think as their inherent properties. Discovering and unearthing of scam and scandals one after another is the order of the day in to-day`s India. Right thinking people and conscious citizens of the country must have felt shame before the eyes of the international community. Yet is seems that we are immune to such ugly scenario and it has become a way of life in Manipuri society. Who will say No to this phenomenon? Public or Politicians or the so called Social Worker Contractors?
It is very evident that the loot of public money in different forms and accumulation as wealth by a few has become a pride for them. While looting the booty is shared among the trio of the contractors, ruling politicians and the top bureaucracy. The latter two facilitate the loot and get their shares, that is, if exposed, is dubbed as corruption. In this loot and sharing of loot, the ruling class as a whole, irrespective of political affiliation is involved. In most of the scams and scandals that have been revealed during the regime of UPA-II it has been found that the decisions pertaining to reforms and neo-liberalism are at the root of the all pervasive corruption. Corruption has become a word in everybody`s mouth today in our country. The moot points is that the imposition of policies of neo-liberalism dictated by IMF and World Bank by the Narasimha Rao-Manmohan Singh duo in early Nineties Paved the way for unbridled loot of national and natural resources. Coal, gas, oil, minerals all were thrown open for loot and the ruling politicians of the time did share the bounties. Diversion of welfare funds and its loot is ancjther form of corruption that has come to light in several states.
In this background, there is nothing surprising in the revelations about Robert Vadra. He has become a billionaire within a few years. The DLF has obviously facilitated the turning of Vadra into a billionaire as it has been duly compensated rather awarded by the Congress Govts. in Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan. In our state of Manipur too right from the top political leaders to the top level bureaucrats have become millionaires within short span of time, everybody knows it. From the experience we know that nothing much will come out from enquiries as all ruling politicians have a vested interest in Protection each other. All investigations that are going on the several scams and scandals will meet the rate of Jain Hawala Scam in which politicians across the political spectrum barring the Left were accused and they collaborated with each other to hush up the investigations.
Of course, all Pervasive corruption is a burning issue and corruption at all levels needs to be fought relentlessly. But one should not forget that the type of scams and scandals that have come to the light since Nineties starting from Harshad Mehta and Jain Hawala Case to 2G Spectrum and Coal Gate are byproducts of the policies of economic neo-liberalisrn. It is one of the evils of this disastrous course of economic policies. Corruption must be fought with other evils like unprecedented price rise, curb on democratic rights, unemployment, retrenchment and growing gap between the rich and poor. It means those fighting against corruption and now joining politics have to take a comprehensive view on these socio economic issues. It they rail, it will give rise to apprehension that by raising the bogey of corruption they are becoming instrument in side tracking the real socio-economic issues raced by the common people.
Corruption at the state level Politicians and bureaucrates are also to be seen and analysed from this angle. The question of insurgency in our state is directly linked with corruption. Hence, without fighting corruption it will be impracticable to come to the conflict resolution stage.