Not a day passes when allegations of bribery, questionable money deals, and other forms of wrongdoing, by former Prime Minister Rao and his associates do not surface in India. The latest is the alleged involvement of Rao’s son in ‘a scandal of urea import that actually never materialized.
The Delhi high court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation to register a criminal case against Rao, Bhajan Lal, former Haryana chief minister, and a few former ministers of Rao’s Cabinet in connection with payment of Rs 1.5 crore to a few members of Lok Sabha in 1993. The money passed hands when Rao faced a motion of no confidence in the Lok Sabha and won it with the help of certain opposition members including those of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. The G.B.I. consequently, actually registered criminal cases against Rao and others on June 12th.
Rao’s arrest in the case is thus imminent. More important is its likely impact ‘on the current political situation in India. For one, Rao’s grip on the 136 ‘member parliamentary party will loosen. There will be claimants of president ship ‘of the Congress party forcing the former prime minister to vacate the chair, Already, in the states like Punjab, where pro Rao chief ministers or PCC Presidents are in power, dissident activity has grown. In this scenario, the government headed by Deve Gowda will be relieved of the pressures on his administration. The Congress which is supporting the government from outside will be tempted now to think of joining the government and sharing power. In that event, the Left parties will have to distance themselves from the government.
The developments of immediate nature apart, the charges against Rao and company have served to expose the stinking corruption in India’s body politic. But the corruption has not grown overnight. It was practiced much more ruthlessly by Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi during their time. The only difference was that the skeletons remained intact in the cupboard earlier as Rao’s grip on the administration became loose. There is a close link between ruthlessness and Corruption. More ruthless a politician in India, greater the amount of corruption he will indulge in. This was true particularly of Indira Gandhi, and Rajiy Gandhi and Rao.
Those who admired Rao as a liberalizer will have to think again, Liberalization and democracy do not march along with suppression of human rights, collection and spending of money at the scale practiced by Rao, Bhajan Lal & Go. All said and done, Rao’s conduct as Prime Minister Cost the Congress party.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 12, 1996
