At a time when nexus between bureaucrats and politicians is being seen as the main factor for widespread corruption in the country, TSR Subramanian, former cabinet secretary, A K Verma, former head, RAW and Prakash Singh, former DG BSF lamented the political interference in the system leading to a severe deficit in governance.
Zee Research Group/Delhi
If this country needs to change, its politicians should first change, asserted former cabinet secretary TSR Subramanian. “Unless our leaders are ready to come out of their comfort zone, things will not improve. The fundamentals of law and order are health and education but politicians are not ready to walk the extra mile and often ignore them”, Subramanian told Zee Media’s Bharat Bhagya Vidhata (BBV).
He was joined by A K Verma, former head India’s premier external intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Prakash Singh, former DGP of Uttar Pradesh and Assam on Zee Media’s ‘Mudda Aapka’.
The top ex bureaucrats lambasted the political class. Verma said in India the democracy had taken a new meaning. “Democracy in India means of the vested interest, by the vested interest, for the vested interest.” Singh was no less critical. He argued democracy in India was “of the ruling class, by the ruling class, for the ruling class.”
The former cabinet secretary, who did not shy away from blaming a section of his own community, blamed the functioning of political leaders of the country. He said, “Leaders in our country make their own goalpost which may or may not be aligned with the public sentiments. Unfortunately, there is no one to oversee them and when a bill like Lokpal came to the fore, they collectively derailed it. We immediately need checks and balances”.
Endorsing Subramanian’s point of view, Verma criticized leaders for not willing to improve the present situation. “Our politicians do not want any improvement in the society and want to retain the status quo. The colonial administration which we inherited in 1947 from Britishers remains unchanged.”
Singh believed Police are the only weapon to break the nexus among criminals, politicians and bureaucrats. However, leaders are not ready to empower the police. “As earlier, today also police do what politicians want them to do”.
But, how can one improve the situation?
Subramanian pitched that in 2014, only those who are from clean background, ready to give written assurance on spending on health and education and ready to bring Lokpal Bill, should be elected. Verma suggested electoral reforms and infusion of democracy in political parties. Singh also stressed for electoral reforms, improvement in criminal justice system and curb on corruption.
Both Subramanian and Singh also pushed for independence to CBI. “CBI is working under political pressure which should not be case. There should be some checks and balances for CBI,” concurred Singh.
Subramanian also averred that a bureaucrat should not be allowed to work in the corporate sector for the next five years after his retirement.
(Mudda Aapka airs every Monday at 10 pm)
