BOMBAY: An unprecedented magnitude of corruption and the flow of nation’s wealth abroad have not only endangered the Indian democracy but have also put its independence at stake, said eminent lawyer Ram Jethmalani here on Feb 4.
Mr. Jethmalani pointed out those kickbacks in arms sales involving a Swedish company was now an acknowledged fact. Taxpayers money worth over Rs 100 crore was. Swindled and there was hardly any reaction from the intellectuals of the country.
He cited the instance of an intellectual turning blind to reality. Mr. Jethmalani regretted that Justice P.N. Bhagwati, the ex-Chief Justice of India, giving his opinion on arms deals papers as “inadequate evidence of kickbacks” the Government would not annul the arms. Contract lest the supplier’s threat to expose beneficiaries. Under the circumstances, Justice Bhagwati failed to perform his duties as a responsible citizen, the senior lawyer remarked.
Speaking on “the future of Indian democracy in the context of current trends” at a Rotary Club meeting. Mr. Jethmalani was blunt in professing his pessimism and squarely blamed the people’s attitude, intellectuals’ apathy in particular, towards the happenings in the country. Unless intellectuals reacted to the wrongs and falsehood being sought to be perpetuated by the rulers, democracy stood no chance of a bright future in India.
He praised Mrs. Malati Chowdhary, the steadfast Gandhian, who refused to accept the Jamnalai Bajaj award from the Prime Minister since she rightly felt that the Prime Minister had not done anything to promote Gandhian values. “Only such acts of courage and dramatically change the fortune of democracy, Mr. Jethmalani said.
Mr. Jethmalni was harsh on rulers for perpetuating ignorance among the people and saw distinct vested interest in doing so. At this rate 60 percent of the literates in the world will be Indians by the turn of the country. Doordarshan and Radio has become smokescreen to hide the realities from the people, he commented.
Another aspect for strengthening democracy was equal distribution of wealth. Mr. Jethmalani said farmers of the land were being given the worst treatment. “We cannot forget that we are partners in their farming vocation, our investment is worthwhile, and if a farmer tums insolvent, we also incur loss in that partnership,” he reminded.
He cited how cooperative societies were trying to extract money from farmers who had filed lakhs of insolvency petitions in Bombay High Court.
Unless intellectuals take up the cause of democracy, unlike Justice Bhagwati democracy has a bleak future in India, regretted Mr. Jethmalani.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 24, 1989
