Wednesday, November 16, 2011Country nearing tipping point in graft, say experts
Mumbai, India is approaching a tipping point in tackling corruption, campaigners say, with a former government minister on trial and hopes of tougher new laws to tackle top level graft.
The threat from corruption to India’s emerging status on the world stage — and how to tackle it — was a recurring theme among senior business leaders and policymakers at a two-day conference that ended in Mumbai on Monday.
India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani talked of the urgent need to improve governance while the incoming Confederation of Indian Industry president, Adi Godrej, said successfully fighting the problem could boost foreign investment.
But whichever way the issue is framed, doing nothing was no longer an option for India as it seeks a more prominent role in world affairs, said Huguette Labelle (pictured), head of global anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International.
“Something can be done. The issue is will it be done?” she said on the sidelines of the India Economic Summit. “But hopefully there’s a point of no return at this stage.” This year has been a watershed for India in tackling bribery and corruption, which has been described as endemic in society and blights the daily lives of millions.
Last week, former telecoms minister A Raja and top executives went on trial over the sale of mobile phone licences to favoured firms at cut-down rates that is thought to have cost India’s treasury up to $40bn in lost revenue.
Officials in charge of last year’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi are also facing trial after claims of widescale graft at the event, which was dogged by chronic delays and complaints of shoddy infrastructure and poor organisation.
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Both contributed to a wave of popular anger that culminated in nationwide protests in support of social activist Anna Hazare, who went on hunger strike to demand amendments to new government anti-corruption legislation.
Hazare and his supporters are now waiting to see whether parliament agrees to their demands to create an independent ombudsman with powers to investigate the prime minister, top officials and the judiciary.
The 74-year-old has threatened another hunger strike if the bill does not become law by the end of the winter session of parliament on December 21.
With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government tainted by a series of scandals, Labelle said that being seen to be tough on tackling corruption and getting its own house in order will be vital for New Delhi.
“What will be important for the government is to ensure that its laws are implemented and enforced,” she added. “I don’t think that one can be complacent and say that it’s business as usual. It will be very important for India to take this seriously, as I presume they are.”
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