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BANGALORE/KARNATAKA CENTRE

Prepared on 25-07-2009 FN                                                         dated on 27-07-2009 AN

 

 

Guest Paper*

 

 

CORRUPTION CHARGES – DALIT LEADERS

 

 

 

Often, there are many small and big Charges of Corrupt Practices against some of the prominent SC&ST Dalit Leaders.  The Accusation of Corruption, includes –

 

1.      By-Passing the Rules;

2.      Violating the Laws of the Land;

3.      Not following the Norms and Procedures;

 

4.      Indulging in general Corrupt Practices;

5.      Taking Bribes in Cash and Kind;

6.      Patronising the Rich;

 

7.      Purchasing Cars;

8.      Accumulating Wealth;

9.      Acquiring Lands and Homes;

10.  Educating Children in Big or Exclusive Schools and Colleges Abroad;

 

11.  Developing a big Taste to Dress Nicely;

12.  Frequent Shopping in big upmarket Places;

13.  Fancy for Good Comfortable Luxurious Life;

14.  Patronising big Clubs, and eating out in costly Restaurants and Five Star Hotels;

 

15.  Visits or Holidaying Abroad;

16.  Accepting the Hospitality of Business Individuals, Industrial Houses, Diplomats, NRIs, Foreigners, MNCs, other Famous and Wealthy Individuals, Smugglers, Mafia, and Individuals of Dubious Character and Suspect Reputation;

 

17.  Seeking different Women, or Men.

 

Many SC&ST Dalit Leaders, often get accused of Corruption and Corrupt Practices.  Some get involved in Dubious Deals and Suspected Favouritisms, causing immense Losses to the Govt, and Damages to the Public and Society.

 

In a few cases, some dominant caste hindu individuals, political activists, party leaders, and even the Govts, Police and particularly CBI, appear to be systematically going against SC&ST Leaders.  Some Ministers and Chief Ministers, are being so harassed from different directions, with endless complaints and acquisitions, series of court cases against them challenging their actions and decisions etc, to prevent them working, and even in discharging their duties.  Every decision of theirs are questioned, adversely commented upon, and colourfully written in News Papers, Magazines and Journals.  These only reflect the intolerance of the dominant caste hindus, officials, Govts, courts, press, media and society.

 

The biggest victims, of these fishing expeditions by the caste hindus, are the SC&ST Dalit BC and Minority Leaders.  At times, even dominant caste hindu leaders also get into big Problems, and are immensely harassed, when they go against the brahmin and dominant caste hindu interests.  Some classic examples are –

 

1.      VP Singh, as PM, for trying to Implement the Mandal Commission Recommendations,

2.      Arjun Singh, as HRD Minister, for trying to make Higher and Professional Education available to SC&ST Dalits, Backwards and Minorities,

3.      Anbumani Ramadoss, as the Union Minister of Health and Family Planning, for trying to reign in anti-SC&ST, anti-BC, anti-Minority, anti-Reservation, anti-Govt Medical Students, Doctors and Directors of Medical Institutions.

 

Often harassed amongst the SC&ST Dalit Leaders are –

 

1.      Kum Mayawati, CM of UP;

2.      Sardar Buta Singh, when he was the Governor of Bihar, and presently being the Chairman of the National SC Commission;

3.      Ram Vilas Paswan, just for dressing decently; for pushing Reservations for BCs, as per the Mandal Recommendations, when he was Labour and Welfare Minister; and as Railway Minister, for giving opportunities to SC&ST Officers also as per the already existing Govt Policies to go for Foreign Trainings, Visits Abroad, Postings and Deputations Abroad, Foreign Assignments etc; and most importantly for Protecting SC&ST Officers from Denial of Promotions to Higher Posts, Superseding them Unnecessarily and Unreasonably; and Blocking their Promotions when they become due and eligible in their turn on the first year, or second year, and also on the third year, just to bring them down in seniority, to ensure that they don’t become the Principal Heads of Departments – PHODs, Additional GMs, GMs, Members and Chairman of the Railway Board;

4.      Sibu Soren, as Union Minister, and also as the CM of Jharkhand.

 

Amongst all, the Targeting, and constant continuous and relentless witch-hunting of Kum Mayawati, as CM of UP, and the way she is being chased harassed and persecuted, is unbelievable.

 

As for the Accusation against Mayawati, about Accumulation of Large dispro­portionate Assets and Huge Wealth, her supporters argue that, the charges of dispro­portionate assets, are clearly a big Conspiracy, deliberately hoisted by the dominant caste hindus.

 

The common SC&ST Dalits Question and Ask, as to how different is their Bahenji’s case, from the slew of Cases and Charges against the dominant caste politicians, who have accumulated, much more unaccount­ed wealth.  Why strangely the media does not even Speak about them, when they shriek from Roof Tops against Mayawati?  Why the Govts, CBI, Courts, Media, and even their declared and known rivals don’t even breathe out or open their mouth?  Why they keep quiet and accept others building palatial huge bungalows, lined with imported Italian marbles, inlayed with big Precious Stones, and virtually lit­tered with Silver and Gold?  Why everyone keeps mum, while so many Industrialists, Business Houses and Politicians book entire star hotels, for their Wives and chil­dren’s birthdays?

 

Why no one comments when the Wives and Children are presented with huge exclusive private Jet Aicrafts, Helicopters or huge Mansions are bought, multi-storied condomiums are built, and loads of gold and diamonds are gifted?  Why all such cases are quietly winked at with smiling faces, and approving looks, even by Tax Departments, CBI and all State/UT and Central Govts?  Why then is Mayawati’s birthday Bash, singled out for criticisms, comments and censure?

 

Very Justified and Persuasive arguments.  But, somewhere our own conscience Pricks, to hear about these imperfect considerations or Calculations of our Friends.  A system, steeped in cor­ruption, cannot ever really turn out to be a justification, for individual self-aggrandisement of anyone, or any leader at anytime.  It should be so, even if it is by any of our own Family Members.  In fact, it reveals the basic flaw, in the whole Approach to all the Corruption, Moral Values, and in fighting Injustices. These, also indicate the absence of the Concept of Crime and Punishment, Jurisprudence of Proportionate Penalties; as well as Equality of all before Law. These reveal and expose the serious gaps and weaknesses in our mental make-up.

 

Corruption is a basically a big crime, even if it has occurred by some mistake, a wrong and an Injustice.  And our SC&ST Leaders Liberators Officials Teachers and NGOs, should always be carefully free from these.  All our socio-political revolutionaries, those from Schools of Socialistic Thoughts, Communist Movements, Civil Right Activists, Human Right Groups, Social Reforms, Social Justice, Self-Respect and Dalit movements, must be above board.  They should ensure that not a speck of Dust fall on them.  There should be no room, for Complaints and Accusations.  None should even raise a finger of accusation against them ever.  There should not be any failings on their part, or family members, their personal staff, office functionaries, and others associated with them.  class and caste bias, can not come with us as Defence. 

 

Being a victim of an inherently unjust system, is an attractive ideological construct, and not untrue.  But, sadly it has been used too often, and can not generally stand by us, and come in our Defence.  Making caste hatred, the basis for their predicament, does not help us in anyway.

 

tragically, the real vic­tims of caste bias, are not that much the politi­cal leadership of SC&ST Dalits, but the vast silent multitudes of poor helpless People.  It is they who will suffer more and more, by any excesses by Official and political leadership of SC&ST Dalits.  Mind you, they have all actually been Living with, hopeless hopes for days, years, decades, generations after generations, and over many long Centuries and Millenniums.  One can see, now in their eyes, a big sense of hope, that somehow, their leaders will fail them not, and deliver them all surely, from their life of Marginalisation, Humiliation and Deprivations.

 

This hope, has been interpreted by ideological Dreamers and supporters of SC&ST Dalit Cause, as the real sign of a bold New Voice, asking for genuine empowerment, of those who have been discriminated against for centuries.  The fact and reality though is that, the voices have a false ring to them.  The hopeful eyes of the Poor, are only witnessing a political Charade, being played out at their expense; one in which the only real beneficiaries, are rabble-rousing leaders.  For, all the parties are like the Congress.  voters have become only a fertile catchment area, not the harbingers of change, indicating a robust coming of age of a new order. To that extent, even SC&ST Dalit politicians, represent the strengths and limitations of Identity Politics of the poor and the weaker sections.  What perhaps started off, as genuine movements for empower­ment of SC&ST Dalits, are often ending up as palace coups that has struggled to go beyond the Speeches Stages Writings Books Posters Parties Elections, and new Govt Formations.  And No One seem to be Questioning anyone, ever.  That is a real and great pity!

 

– Pr TS Kalanjali*

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*  Pr TS Kalanjali is an Environmentalist and a conscious Tribal Dalit Activist based in Bangalore.