THE SHAME OF IT
Manmohan Singh’s desperate attempts at self- preservation have now acquired a gigantic dimension of shamelessness. The almost unending series of cover- ups, several botched, ought to have been shameful for any decent man. But then the lure of high power often brings out the indecent in the gentlest of men. If the only casualty of ‘ Operation Save MMS’ were to be the Congress party— almost certainly doomed to a humiliating defeat in 2014 under Manmohan’s continued leadership— there would be little to be concerned about. Unfortunately, the consequences for India are graver. The fact is that the exercise to save Manmohan Singh has badly emaciated several institutions so crucial to the proper functioning of democratic government.
There will come a time when Manmohan Singh will not be Prime Minister, just as there will be a juncture when the Congress will sit in Opposition. What will remain in government are the CAG, CVC, CBI and attorney general. What will remain in Parliament are the PAC and JPC. It will still be the mandate of these institutions to enforce checks on, and provide balances to, the executive. But will they be in a position to do so? And will the Congress as Opposition have any credibility when it rises to defend these bodies against interference by another government?
It cannot be anyone’s case that corruption and wrongdoing will simply disappear if Congress is voted out of power. Whether it is the BJP and its allies or potential constituents of a Third Front, everyone has bad eggs who will work to subvert the system for personal gain. Vinod Rai’s successors may indict another government as strongly as he has censured this one, but by then a precedent would be set to question the CAG’s calculations and his or her political inclinations. The appointment of a CVC may happen without the consent of the Congress leader of the Opposition, but who will buy the Grand Old Party’s protests? The CBI will be a convenient stick to bully allies. Congress has laid out the blueprint. Needless to say the CBI’s success rate in actually solving any case will be zero. The government’s top legal advisers, like the attorney general, will easily lie to the Supreme Court to protect their masters rather than play their proper role of offering objective advice.
Even more worryingly, Parliament will be a forum to exercise brute majority. On committees, the ruling coalition will simply override the Opposition by the strength of its numbers. Instead of holding the government accountable, Parliament will become a rubber stamp, available to second government when it needs and sent into recess at any hint of trouble.
A straightforward man with nothing to hide would have strived hard to protect the integrity of institutions. Manmohan should have readily appeared before the PAC and JPC in the 2G case. He should have accepted the CAG’s criticism on 2G and Coalgate, just as he should have followed due process in appointing a CVC. As the CBI’s presiding minister, he would have given it autonomy long ago. And he certainly would not have dithered for a week before sacking erring ministers.
India’s tragedy is that individuals have always put themselves in front of institutions. A supposedly apolitical Manmohan could have been different. He has turned out worse than most and set the stage for a future charlatan.
A STRAIGHTFORWARD MAN WITH NOTHING TO HIDE WOULD HAVE STRIVED HARD TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF INSTITUTIONS. MANMOHAN SHOULD HAVE READILY APPEARED BEFORE THE PAC AND JPC IN THE 2G CASE.