There has been a lot of speculation about the wealth left by the late Surinder Nath who, along with nine members of his family, died in July, The Indian government authorities have been keeping silent on the matter, If anything, Delhi has done everything to deny the newspaper reports which are mostly passed on hearsay. The Economic Times last week in a report hinted that Nath had crores of rupees, a few kilograms of gold ‘and other ornaments and certain valuable in his vaults.
Indians home minister denied whatever he could deny namely that soon after attending Nath’s last rites in Chandigarh, he took no money with him to Delhi, This could be true, But the Digger question still remains unanswered whether the Punjab governor possessed the amount of wealth being mentioned in news reports, if so, what exactly was its quantum. Home Minister was again evasive. “I am not aware of it.” Again, this statement may be correct. The only hint the minister provided was in the following observation.” It is for the prime minister to take a decision whether to hold an enquiry.” Obviously, if nothing unusual was found from Punjab governor’s official residence in Chandigarh, then where is the question of an enquiry? This particular statement of Chavan lets the cat out of the bag; the damned fact is that a big amount of cash and other valuables were indeed recovered from the Punjab governor’s residence.
The question is, where did all the money come from? The people of Punjab are aware of the widespread phenomenon of corruption specifically being encouraged in Punjab by the Indian government because a set of corrupt persons alone can undertake to do what Delhi wants them to do. The assignment includes even murders of Sikh activists and whitewashing. These crimes. In the bargain, India permits these administrators to amass as much wealth as they possibly could: all at the expense of the people of Punjab. This loot is extralegal and falls in a different category than what India does officially through the so called laws namely the looting of Punjab’s river water and other financial resources.
The world has a right to know the amount of wealth really left by Surinder Nath, the sources and means of its collection and who was responsible for Surinder Nath’s appointment first as Advisor on law and order to the Punjab governor and then as governor of Punjab. The answers to these questions will indicate the modus operandi of the Indian authorities Vis the governance of Punjab.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 4, 1994
