People should speak up against corruption as every individual had a role to play in the fight against the malaise, former chief justice of India J.S. Verma said Monday.
Presiding over a function to release a book titled ‘The Tangy Taste of Indian Politics and Beyond’ here, Verma said that corruption in high places needs to be tackled as it will have as a salutary effect at every level.
The book has been written by former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer N.K. Singh.
Justice Verma said that it is the individual who makes a difference to the system.
‘Ultimately, in any system the person who holds office makes the difference,’ he said.
Leading lawyer Ram Jethmalani, who released the book, said corruption has come to be part of Indian life.
Recalling the role played by N K. Singh in investigating cases of some political personalities who were linked to the excesses of the emergency, Jethmalani said police officers should work fearlessly.
‘If there were more such officers, things would be much better,’ he said.
Noting Mahatma Gandhi had mentioned that India will get prosperous soon after Independence as the British had been ousted, Jethmalani said: ‘But indigenous dacoits have proved more dangerous.’
Jethmalani, who has filed a petition against black money in the Supreme Court, said that he had been urging the court for forming a Special Investigation Team as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) cannot be trusted.
He also urged people to raise their voice against corruption and accused sections of media of not speaking up forcefully and not publicising facts of history.
‘A great portion of media is bought,’ he alleged.
Narrating personal anecdotes from days of the Emergency, he said that high courts were doing their job despite the oddds. ‘Nine high courts ruled that Emergency is no bar to exercise of judicial liberty.’
N. K. Singh, in his remarks, said the country needed a robust CBI which has no political interference but it should remain part of the mainstream of government.
‘It can be isolated otherwise,’ he said.
Singh, who entered politics after his service in police and has contested three Lok Sabha elections, said that the Central Vigilance Commission should be empowered to deal with service cases in general and proposed Lokpal should deal only with corruption at high places.
I respectfully disagree with the view that corruption at higher echelon of the society only should be dealt under the Lokpal Bill. Focus against Corruption should be at that level but it should be dealt with equally strongly at all levels and the lokpal bill should include that also. The Hon’ble Supreme court , as the past is an indicator, could not deal with corruption inside the judiciary as strongly as it was expected. However, if the Judicary is also included under the Lokpal Bill then who will decide the case against corrupt judge. In my considered opinion Judiciary should be excluded altogether and a separate provision may be made in the Bill that Lokpal shall recommend to the Chief Justice of India case against the corrupt judge and let the Supreme Court deal with it. One of the basic principle of Natural justice is “that no man can be a judge in his own cause”. Judiciary consists of not one person but innumerable persons. I think keeping the CJI and CJ of High Courts under the Lokpal bill would be sufficient guarantee for justice. Then specific provisions be drafted for dealing with corruption at those levels.
Former Chief Justice of India JS Verma is right in saying people should speak up against corruption. Already some public spitited persons like Anna Hazare and others have begun the crusade against corruption and many others are doing their best in this regard. Many persons are utilizing the provisions of Right to Information Act and collecting crucial information to initiate action against the erring officials and corruption. Likewise many whistle- blowers despite facing threats
to thier lives are vigourously pursuing thier efforts. But how far an individual effect and effort will bring down the corruption. Hence all the intelluctuals, educated and right thinking persons should join hands against the fight for corruption. In fact the retired Judges, retired IAS officers and others should form anti-corruption forums and fight
the malaise of corruption in the public interest by collectively using thier expertise, knowledge and wisdom.
WASIM AHMED KHAN
ADVOCATE HYDERABAD.