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Anil Agrawal (Retired) 13 October 2009

Democracy

We swear by Constitution and Democracy. This is what they give us:

Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand Madhu Koda is in big trouble after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sought custody of two of his co-accused and former state ministers Enos Ekka and Harinarayan Rai. The ED has moved a Vigilance Court in Ranchi seeking custody which means they are likely to summon Koda soon. The 38-year-old is the first chief minister and high-profile politician to have been booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act along with eight others including three of his cabinet colleagues. ED has also written to South African Government for more on Koda’s money laundering network.

The ED has registered a case against Koda for alleged money laundering, diversion of state funds and making huge illegal investments abroad including purchase of mines as far as in Liberia. The ED has already filed chargesheets against Anosh Ekka and Harinarayan Rai both former ministers currently lodged at Birsa Munda Central Jail, Ranchi. According to the Enforcement Case Information Report (equivalent to a FIR) before the Prevention of Money Laundering Act court in Ranchi against Koda, he is alleged to have purchased mines in Liberia worth $17 lakh (Rs 8.5 crore) besides making other 'benami' purchases in the name of his close confidant Binod Sinha, once a tractor mechanic.

And we can't do a thing.

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16 Replies

(Guest)

Anil Agrawal ji,

Already this type of politicians ruined our country. Our law makers are law breakers. This is our country's fate.

Anil Agrawal (Retired) 14 October 2009

They get away with it. Who is responsible? Executive, Judiciary, Constitution all of them or none of them.

Anil Agrawal (Retired) 14 October 2009

The score mounts:

PMO monitors probe against babus
14 Oct 2009, 0827 hrs IST
Five months after the complaints came in, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has begun investigations against some government officials, who are accused of taking bribes from US companies and their Indian counterparts. PMO sources said that the CBI is currently probing into allegations against babus working in the Central Insecticides Board. This comes after the Department of Agriculture handed over the case to the CBI. The Central Insecticides Board, which is a part of the Agriculture Ministry, is accused of receiving illegal funds from the US company Dow Agro Science Pvt Ltd. In early June, on the PMO's directive, the Department of Personnel and Training had begun investigations against some officials in the Agriculture Ministry, Defence Ministry and Railway Ministry. Even some babus in the Maharashtra government are under the DoPT's scanner. This allegation of corruption by babus was brought to the PMO's notice by Indian ambassador to the US -- Meera Shankar. Indian Ambassador to the US Meera Shankar had on May 12 written to Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister T K A Nair saying a number of Indian companies had received illegal payments from some US companies. Meera Shankar's letter has several references to payments made by US companies to babus. Among the companies named were Maharashtra State Electricity Board (which got payments from Mario Covino of Control Companies), Indian Railways (by Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation) and Central Insecticides Board (by Dow Chemicals). In January this year, Mario Inc accepted that it bribed officials in the Maharashtra Electricity Board (MSEB), which Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Wednesday (October 14) said that any babu in the MSEB if found guilty of taking bribes, will be dealt with severely. He said, "Several officers of MSEB have been bribed and there is a complaint lying with the Prime Minister's Office -- a complaint that's come from the US ambassador. Its right now with them and they are sitting on it. They have said on paper that they have bribed officials of MSEB in crores of rupees. These things have not come to my knowledge and if there is anything like that, .we will definitely take the strongest action in the law." In February last year, Westinghouse Air Brake acknowledged the illegal payments made by its Indian subsidiary. Two years ago, York International agreed to pay fines after it was found to have bribed Indian Navy officials. But what's shocking is that Indian Navy officials got sold out and are accused of taking Rs 61 lakh in bribes from agents of York International Corporation. The global provider of heating, air conditioning and refrigeration products has admitted to the transaction. The money was transferred over a period of six years between 2000 & 2006 for placing over 200 orders. An official in the Central Insecticides Board was bribed by a Dow Chemicals subsidiary to expedite the registration of three of its products. Mumbai based DE-Nocil Protection -- a subsidiary of Dow Chemicals has admitted to paying about a crore to a an official in India's Central Insecticides Board to expedite the registration of three of its products. Then there are other instances of the Maharashtra State Electricity board getting over four crores in bribes. Mario an American firm which makes valves has also admitted to the payoffs. Indian Railway Employees are under the scanner as well. Pionner Friction Limited having admitted to making payments of Rs 63 lakhs.

sylviavillalobos (CEO) 18 October 2009

i just watched WOrld Debate on BBC this morning .The topic is about "DEMOCRACY IS NOT FOR EVERYONE?" with the Author of the BOok "The Life an dDEath of Democracy " John Keane he said that Indias fight for Democracy had change everything in the world, a country that is thickly populated and over burdened with poverty and yet they manage to stick together through cultural and faith base non violence journey they achieved democracy.

A Representative from India i cant really recall his name but he is handling a post on Internationanl Policy ... said that " Indias fight for Democracy was a middle class enterprise and the real truth is that until today Money plays a major role in democratic India. I agree with him . Democracy ,justice and equality is only accessible to the privelege few . Maybe its time for democracy to devise some methods to DEMOCRATIZE DEMOCRACY.

What is your view? DEMOCRACY IS NOT FOR EVERYONE?

Anil Agrawal (Retired) 18 October 2009

It has become a fashion these days to compare the progress made by India and China. Why China has succeeded? Is it because the decision making is centralized and the democracy that has been taught to us and practised in India is absent there. Any body who talks against parliamentary democracy is termed anti-national. One of the basic structure of our Constitution is parliamentary democracy and we are paying the price with most of he representatives in the States and at the Centre facing criminal charges. Two phrases have been coined and are touted in defence of corrupt babus and netas:

1. Unless conviced, not guilty. Wonderful jurispruddence and allows the corrupt to become even Home Minister.

2. Lower court has convicted but appeal is pending in the high court. Therefore, not guilty. Can again become Minister. Term of his office would be over and appeal will keep pending.

Contrast it with what happens in USA. I think that country has also adopted democratic system. I know of no instance where a candidate with criminal background can ever be elected to the post of Senator, Representative or President.

It is in our interest to defend democracy in India. I am often reminded of the famous quotes of late Churchil:

Power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues and freebooters. All Indian leaders will be of low caliber and men of straw. They will have sweet tongues and silly hearts. They will fight among themselves for power and India will be lost in political squabbles.

This is the end result of democracy in Africa, Latin America, South East Asia which are suffering from poverty, disease, hunger and crooks have taken over.

Both Japan and Germany were decimated after II World War. See the transformation that has taken place there. They are two of the richest nations in the word and billions of dollars is given in aid to third world countries which are pocketed by corrupt netas and babus.

Only recently India's Ambassador to USA wrote to PM how millions were paid by American companies to Indian babus for favours and contracts. This is the kind of democracy that we have.

We are advised to be patient, tolerant and we shall succeed in removing this evil bring the rule of law.

Well, I commend such thoughts.

Anil Agrawal (Retired) 18 October 2009

A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.

Thomas Jefferson

All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.

Thomas Jefferson

In Republics, the great danger is, that the majority may not sufficiently respect the rights of the minority.

James Madison

(Guest)

Sylviavillalobos ji,

In your posting

"A Representative from India i cant really recall his name but he is handling a post on Internationanl Policy ... said that " Indias fight for Democracy was a middle class enterprise and the real truth is that until today Money plays a major role in democratic India.

As you asked view about DEMOCRACY IS NOT FOR EVERYONE?

(Guest)

faced posting problem

Who the hell that representative from India? Did he know the meaning of Democracy? Such people made india worse to worst. In U.S also money plays a major role. Is that not a democratic country? In every country corruption is there. They boast themselves. World is jealousy on india's richness and unity. They try to expose india as they like.

(Guest)

If anyone reads Indian history they will know that since Mohenjadaro and Harappan civalization our country has been following democracy.If you read great epics Mahabarata and Ramayana we can know how much democracy has given by the Kings to his kingdom people. Of course to uphold justice and democracy stringent actions were taken against criminals. India taught world what is true democracy.

Today world leaders speak about Indian democracy ! What poor leaders. Before speaking indian democracy they have to read indian history and indian epics then only they come to know what is true democracy.

(Guest)

As you asked view about DEMOCRACY IS NOT FOR EVERYONE?

As long as we elect unfit peoples representatives/ inefficient Government officials appointments take place in highest positions in a democratic country like ours we will not see true democracy.

(Guest)

Tyranny naturally arises out of democracy- Plato

Democracy... is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder; and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequals alike. - Plato

Dictatorship naturally arises out of democracy, and the most aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme liberty - Plato

Anil Agrawal (Retired) 19 October 2009

Hitler followed the Weimer Constitution and became a dictator.

Basanta Kumar Misra (Retired Industrial Consultant) 23 October 2009

There is no democracy in India. The polititiansm the babus and the judiciary have createdtheir monarchy. So, the legislature only make a law with out any mechanism to implement it properly, the babus mostly flout the Constitution and statue and the Judges could tharsh a citizen as they desire in a court room, as if a slave is standing before a monarch.

Rajeev Gandh[ said out of hundred rupees sanctioned for the poor only fifteen rupees reach them and eightyfive rupees are misappropiated. And, a Prime Minister with sufficient support

of Parliament Members could not make any stringent law like fast track courts to take up the corruption cases and death penalty like punishment for the corrupt government personals.

When, major portion of the money cycled back to the polititions including the P.M, why such

stringent should be made at all, And what his son or other polititians of BJP/BSP/LEFT etc would do except some gimcrack.

UNLESS WE THE PEOPLE DISCRD SUCH POLITIANS AND PREVENT THE ENTRY OF PRESENT POLICAL LEADERS ENTRY TO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AS THEY POLUTE THE MIND OF THE STUDENT AND CREAT CORRUPT POLITITIANS FOR FUTURE, WE CAN NOT ENJOY THE FRUIT OF DEMOCRACY.