Institutionalization of Corruption in India

Every-time we go to bed, think about starting a new business or take any
decision regarding our lives, security from external threat is taken for
granted. This sense of security comes from our belief in the capabilities
and integrity of our armed forces. Barring the 1962 debacle against Chinese
aggression, our armed forced have served the country with an immaculate
record in a volatile neighborhood. We decisively won against our rogue
neighbors' aggression in the conflicts of 1965, 1971 and 1998.  Through
indigenous research and development and procurement in the international
markets, we have established credible nuclear and military deterrence
against a Chinese aggression. Our forces have often been hailed for their
peacekeeping and humanitarian work work under the UN umbrella. Moreover,
our armed forces have always respected the democratic traditions ingrained
in our constitution. It therefore hurts to see a serving chief of Army
Staff being publicly humiliated as the Government shamelessly fights a
dirty battle of One-upmanship.

It would be factual to say Corruption has become institutionalized in our
country, including our Armed Forces when it comes to defense procurement.
It is therefore pertinent to ask ourselves why and how corruption become
ingrained in our way of life. Given that Congress Party, independently or
in a coalition, has ruled India for most of the time since Independence, it
would be hard to distinguish the history of institutionalization of
corruption in India from the Congress Party. Despite being a proponent of
Parliamentary Democracy, Congress itself has always been a fiefdom of the
Nehru-Gandhi family that has little respect for internal democracy. We all
hold Jawaharlal Nehru in high regards as a freedom fighter, as the guardian
of secularism and democracy, as the founder of non alignment movement and
as India's first Prime Minister. While each of the accolades have merit, we
often forget Nehru also had a high tolerance for corruption. As long back
as 1939, Mahatma Gandhi said "I would go to the length of giving the whole
congress a decent burial, rather than put up with the corruption that is
rampant." in response to the widespread corruption in Congress ministries
formed under 1935 Act in six states in 1937.

Post independence, the first scandal broke out as soon as 1948 with the
Jeep scandal. This scandal involved a transaction concerning purchase of
jeeps for the Army for Kashmir operation. It was entered into by
V.K.Krishna Menon, the then High Commissioner for India in London with a
foreign firm without observing normal procedure. Contrary to the demand of
the opposition for judicial inquiry as suggested by the Inquiry Committee,
the Government led by Nehru announced on Sep 30, 1955 that the Jeep scandal
case was closed. Union Minister G.B.Pant declared "as far as Government was
concerned it has made up its mind to close the matter. If the opposition
was not satisfied they can make it an election issue”. As a reward for the
Jeep Scandal, Krishna Menon was inducted into the Nehru cabinet a Minister
without Portfolio. This reflected the arrogance of Nehru's Congress party
as there was no real opposition to speak of that time.

It is worth remembering that Krishna Menon was also the Defense Minister
during 1962 when we miserably lost the war to China and failed to protect
our borders. India's defeat in the war against China was as much due to
neglect and treachery of the politicians like Menon and Nehru as due to bad
preparation and strategy on part of General Kaul. Nehru had later admitted
that he kept, China having built a road through Indian territory linking
Tibet and the Chinese province of Sinkiang as far back as two years, a
secret from Parliament. Little surprise then that it was Menon who
repeatedly declined army's request for safeguarding India against Chinese
aggression saying the real enemy was Pakistan and not China. India's defeat
in the war has been widely debated by military strategist and even if one
wants to give Menon the benefit of doubt, one can never forgive Nehru for
thrusting upon India a corrupt and incompetent defense minister.

Nehru further showed his embrace of corruption in judicial inquiry into the
charges against Pratap Singh Kairon. The inquiry was held after an
indictment was handed out by the Supreme Court in a case filed by a Punjab
Civil Surgeon. It was the first judicial inquiry into charges of
corruption, setup against a Chief Minister in office by the Government of
India. The commission concluded that "There is no getting away from the
fact that Kairon knew or had ample reason to suspect that his sons and
relatives were allegedly exploiting his influence and powers. In view of
his inaction in the face of the circumstances here in before alluded to, he
must be held to have connived at the doings of his sons and relatives, his
colleagues and the government officers."

Nehru reacted to this matter by saying "The question thus arises as to
whether the chief minister is compelled to resign because of adverse
findings on some questions of fact by Supreme Court. The ministers are
collectively responsible to the legislature. Therefore, the matter was one,
which concerned the assembly. As a rule therefore, the question of removing
a minister would not arise unless the legislature expressed its wish by a
majority vote." Supported by Nehru, Kairon's initial reaction was to stick
to his office in spite of the adverse verdict. But when Lal Bahadur Shastri
got the report published, Kairon had no option but to quit. It therefore
comes as no surprise that current Congress Leadership always reacts with
disdain to the demands of resignations of corrupt and tainted ministers.

These two instances are important for us to know and reflect on. These two
cases clearly reflect how Nehru not only had a high tolerance for
corruption but also how he created a culture where nepotism was an
acceptable way of life and how corruption was never a deterrent to the
advancement of political career of the culprit. These two events set the
stage for the way Politicians would view corruption in public life going
forward.  As recently as 1993, when the Nation was deeply into the Bofors
Scandal probe, Congress showed its lack of respect for democracy and
embrace of corruption by deciding to abstain from voting on Justice V
Ramaswami's impeachment proceedings. Ramaswami was the first judge in India
to face impeachment proceedings and had been found guilty on 11 of 13
counts by the committee constituted by the Parliament. While a small matter
that often gets pushed aside or ignored in light of bigger scandals like
Bofors, this event once again put to the fore how Congress promotes
corruption at all levels and nothing is better than promoting corruption
among Judiciary that happens to be the only independent arm of government
still commanding some respect and integrity.

In the more than 55 years of Congress rule in India and in most of States,
we have come to a situation where corruption has become a way of life. BJP
which offered a glimpse of hope as the party with a difference also seem to
have lost its way having been involved in corruption scandals of its own
and having lost the leadership of its moderate face Mr. Vajpayee. Given the
increasing fragmentation of political parties at regional level along caste
religion and language lines, it does not look any party with a strong anti
corruption message can capture the imagination of the electorate to win
2014 elections. One can only hope that if this shameless looting of the
country goes on and majority of law abiding citizen continue to clamor for
potable water, electricity and road, an Egypt like revolution may set in
which would force the Political landscape to undergo a fundamental change.