Dr. Joginder Singh (IPS)
Ex. Director CBI
There are different opinions, as to why the main political party in power, in the Central Government was literally wiped out in the four State Assembly Elections held on 4th December, 2013, and could stay in power only in Mizoram. It is impossible to hazard, an accurate guess, as different voters, would have different causes and reason.
Some attribute it to the poor Governance, others say that it is the Hindu Bashing in a country of Hindus, for appeasement, of minority votes. Some others say that it is due to the rise in prices. Still others say that it is due to the rampant corruption in all Departments of the Government, where nothing moves without the money. When I was writing this piece, I received a mail, on considering the Hindus responsible for every thing wrong in the country and hold their beliefs to be only the Superstitions. The Mail is reproduced in toto as under, without any comments.
Proud to be Superstitious – Rama Sethu
The Government said, that the Rama Sethu is just a geological formation, and Sri Rama is just a myth. But we Hindus are superstitious and believe in myths. Then the Supreme Court was told that there are three Shiva Lingas on the Rama Sethu in the middle of the sea, which were also described in Skanda Purana.
Government says ; Of course, there are scientific and rational explanations for this. But we Hindus are superstitious and believe in myths.
Then the Supreme Court was told that the coral rocks, used to make the Rama Sethu, could not occur, in the middle of the sea, and could only be carried there from the coast.
Government says ; Of course, there are scientific and rational explanations for this. But we Hindus are superstitious and believe in myths.
Then the Government in 2005 sent a dredger to break the Rama Sethu, but the dredger broke and sank to the ocean floor. Then the Government sent a crane to retrieve the dredger from the ocean floor. Then the crane also broke and sank to the ocean floor.
Government says ; Of course, there are scientific and technical explanations for this. But we Hindus are superstitious and believe in myths. Then the Government got alarmed and brought a Russian engineer to investigate the problem. Then he fell and broke both his legs.
Government says ; Of course, there is scientific and rational explanation for this tragic occurrence. But we Hindus are superstitious and believe in myths. Then the Government, decided to do a Puja, to propitiate the deities, at the site, and brought the local MLA to perform the needful, and break a coconut. Then, the MLA’s car on the way back had an accident and he died.
Government says ; Of course, there is scientific and rational explanation for this tragic occurrence. But we Hindus are superstitious and believe in myths. And so we remain, Superstitious, and proud to remain so.
-It is all based on Based on Subramaniam Swamy’s 8 hour argument in favour Rama Sethu in the Supreme Court, as reported by him to the public.
Unending Hindu Bashing
Some Hindus believe, that Communal Violence Bill which tries to cast aspersions on all Hindus as a communal group, is a ploy, so that the Muslims and Christians would vote for Congress. Even if they lose the state elections they can still make up for the central government by passing this Bill which has already been shown to major communal bodies in India . It is only the state governments who would be affected, are not taken in the confidence.
In any case, it is a moot point, as the Law and Order is a State Subject.. Other than the JD(U) all other parties have opposed. All Indians have equal rights under the Constitution, but gradually, the
Central Government is taking over the State subject, like giving Direct Cash Subsidy, and many other subsidies for the subjects clearly in the domain of the States.
But I suppose, there is hardly any difference between the political parties, to take credit, where it is not due.
I am not a member of any political party and neither do I intend to be one. But I am a keen observers of men, matters and happenings in the country. I have a friend who has a weird sense of
humour and when I was discussing the political scenario in the country, he came out with a gem, that some of our Politicians would be happy to be sell their grand mothers for a few votes. I pointed out that it was too harsh an assessment.
Our Politicians say that they want to beef our economy. I doubt if most of them can differentiate the pork from the beef. Party hopping is quite common as some of them may change their party for the sake of their principles and some their principles for the sake of their party. Even a Politician, Ronald Reagan who became the President of the USA once said; “Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first (Prostitution )” .
People want to have clean politics and cleaner politicians and not those who extort money from the corporate or business men or shop keepers, as it has reportedly happened in the just held elections.
After all, the emergence and winning a substantial numbers, by a green horn and not even a two years political party in the National Capital has been proved.
If one tenth was delivered what the political parties promise to the voters, there would be no need or inducement, for any Indian, to go to the heaven. But it is a tall order, as not only clean politicians are required, but also they must be able to wield big sticks, on those, who are the blood suckers of the public.
India’s image on tackling corruption has not improved with Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) placing it at 94th rank out of 176 nations in a report released in December, 2012.
This year, India has a score of 36 out of 100 on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean) which is a result of an average of 10 studies including World Bank’s Country Performance and Institutional Assessment and Global Insight Country Risk Ratings. .
And No Punishment For Corruption Or Other Crimes
More than that Indian Laws are the weakest in corruption tackling. Infact the onus lies on the Government Agencies to prove that any amassing of property or wealth acquired is beyond the known sources of income of the corrupt. NO assets of any top bureaucrats or politicians have ever been attached, so that if at the end of 17 years ( Take Fodder Scam case registered and chargesheeted in 1997 and accused convicted in 2013), they can enjoy the ill gotten gains.
Archaic Laws rule rampant and as the Government does not want prompt disposal of the cases, to let the corrupt politicians or bureaucrats escape, to stay in power, the number of judicial officers is woefully inadequate. Over 300 posts of judges in high courts are vacant as per the Government data. The government is planning to set up fast-track courts but has yet not moved to fill vacancies of judges in various subordinate and higher courts. With some high courts having vacancy of up to 50%, appeals go unheard. Some samples of vacancies of judges in high courts are as under;
High court——-Approved strength—–Vacancies
Allahabad—————-160———————-74
Delhi———————–48———————–13
Rajasthan—————–40———————–18
Bombay——————-75———————–20
Calcutta——————-58———————–17
Karnataka—————–50———————–13
Madras——————–60———————–10
Punjab & Haryana——-68—————-26
(Source: Union law ministry) The figures might have changed here and there in the time between writing this piece and its publication.
Similar for lower judiciary, whose strength should be around 75000, as per the Universal norms and recommendations of the law Commission . In our country, there are only less than 14000 judicial officers, against the sanctioned strength of 18000. This leads to perennial delay in the disposal of the cases and hence poor convictions rates, as the witnesses feel harassed in coming to the Court again and again.
Government Data On Crimes
According to the data compiled by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), in its Publication relating to the year 2010, over 1.78 crore cognizable criminal cases, including cases registered under IPC and special/local laws (SLL), were pending for trial at the beginning of 2010 in various criminal courts.4 67.51 lakh cognizable crimes comprising 22.25 lakh IPC Crimes and 45.26 lakh crimes under SLL (Special and Local Laws) were reported in 2010.5
1.8 6330 cases have been pending investigation from previous year under the Prevention of Corruption Act (POCA) & related sections of the IPC in 2010 and 3822 cases were registered during the year. Therefore, a total of 10152 cases were pending investigation in 2010 out of which chargesheet was filed for 2929 cases.6 In relation to these cases, 4578 persons were chargesheeted.
Trial was completed for 3379 persons, out of whom 891 persons were convicted. Hence, the conviction rate vis-à-vis persons accused under POCA in 2009 is 26.4%.
Similarly the Conviction rate in 2010 for violent crimes such as attempt to commit murder, rape, riots etc., is 27.7%. Conviction rate for crimes against women (IPC and SLL cases) for 2010 is 27.8%.8. It is impossible to believe that there were less than 10000 corrupt officials in the country out of a total of 1.97 crores, State and Central and Pubic Sector Employees.
Our Laws Are Pro Accused
Our legal system has made life too easy for criminals and too difficult for the law abiding citizens, the Supreme Court said in 2012, referring to the “dilatory tactics. What can be a more sadder commentary and working of the Government.
Good Governance
We have all the trappings of good governance like Various Government Departments, a plethora of Regulator, an proliferating Inspectors Raj, Vigilance Commissions and umpteen advisers, about
whom, God only knows, as to what kind of advice they give, a Parliament and State Assemblies, who have become factories of making laws, but no system of enforcing them, which even if it is there on the paper. It is, as good as non existent, Our Government has forgotten, that if Columbus, who discovered USA had an advisory committee he would probably still be at the dock, deciding whether to sail his ship or not. This is what the advisors do, that is to create the bottle necks.
As a Joke, it is said in USA, that it might be more worthwhile if we stopped wringing our hands and started ringing our congressmen ( MP’s in USA). It is for the readers, to decide, as to how much of it applies to India.
Inspite, of all this, Democracy is the only system .that persists in asking the powers that be, whether they are the powers, that ought to be. Our Government is more bureaucratic for which the final results and welfare is not important, but the letter of the law. The bureaucrats, both serving and retired had it so, good as in the present dispensation, no accountability and no punishment,
whether you work or not Its non working or already retired and ancient bureaucrats, are more like a broken cannons They would not work and you cannot fire them, without following a cumbersome laws. The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem and slurs over the foibles of those charged with the duties. The Rulers should remember, that, that Government, is best, which governs, least.
Instead of selling promises and dreams, it is time for it to deliver. Thanks to indifference of the Government, the inflation has been all time, and is at least ten times about the Government figures.
However, the Government can claim one credit, that petrol per litre is cheaper than one Kilograms of Onions or Tomatoes, as on today.
We have plenty of faith and confidence, that India, can be made the most developed country in the world. But unfortunately, we are grossly short of people, in whom this trust should be reposed.
