Editorial

Learning from India

Corruption is endemic in both South Asian neighbours, but India has lived up to its status as an emerging major player

Editorial November 10, 2010

Learning from India

Two top Indian politicians were asked to resign on November 9 by the country’s ruling Congress party, due to corruption charges, while investigations were launched to look into accusations against them. Suresh Kalmadi, the infamous chief organiser of the Commonwealth Games held in October, was asked to hand in his resignation as Congress party secretary due to the embarrassment India suffered under his management of the Games. From falling bridges to human excrement found in the flats set up for visiting players, it seemed Kalmadi could do no right. India was pounded by the media whilst visiting teams gave ultimatums of cancelling their participation.

The second politician asked to step down,by Sonia Gandhi, according to Indian media, is the Maharashtra chief minister, Ashok Chavan, for allegedly selling apartments reserved for war widows to politicians and military officers. In both cases, the crime has not yet been proven but the politicians have resigned to preserve the sanctities of the positions they held. India’s record for tackling corruption is by no means stellar but these actions are a step towards transparency and accountability, the hallmarks of democracy.

In Pakistan, we ignore corruption charges. Recently, several politicians were accused of diverting floodwaters into unprotected areas to save their own lands. Calls for an independent inquiry to ascertain what happened were resisted by the Sindh government. Measures to ensure that flood management guidelines are followed in the future may be too much to hope for. And herein lies the contrast with India.

Though corruption is endemic in both South Asian neighbours, India has lived up to its status as an emerging major player, ready for bigger and better things, by holding its leaders accountable. Pakistan must do the same to ensure that the cycle of corruption is broken once and for all.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (22)

Cherish Raj | 14 years ago | Reply I support you, Harsh. I do not know why our countrymen go bragging in every forums. Its a good thing to compare, whereby we can learn about strengths and weaknesses and take stock of progress. But bragging is so embarrassing!!

United IndoPak | 14 years ago | Reply How about Pakistan joining Indian federation? This will raise the Pakistan, especially Pakistani people to an incredibly high status. No more Kashmire issues, military confrontations and dragging each other. But before that Pakistan should destroy all minitants on its nursery and its forsts. Pakistan shoul dcome out of Islamic law to more acceptable Indian like law and justice system. Together, the Indian federation can rule the entire south east asia. As a result people will be greatly benefited by the way of economic routes being extended, oil and gas pipeline being built etc. What an incredible opportunity? The British killed allo these. Had it not been British to split the country, India would have been holding like 10 times of power of China now. The Bristish idiots are the reasons for all the world terror problems by the way of ontroducing Pakistan to the world. People of Pakistan should seriously think about this angle.

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G. Din | 14 years ago | Reply @Rajat "...and regarding the population remark how in the world can population be reversed to your levels???" Population, like any organic structure, is prone to expand and contract. China's population is aging and soon will start contracting as a result of their one-child policy. European populations are already contracting. That is why they need Turks to do their menial, low paying jobs even though according to Turkish Ambassador to Austria, they are treating Turks like a "virus"!!!.

Rajat | 14 years ago | Reply @Punjabi Munda China is 95% Han Chinese, the single largest ethnic group in the world, Thus communism with an iron fist works for them, the dissenter get silenced even before they create dissent (lol). This type of government is not possible in a pluralistic society like india, where no particular ethnic group has a clear majority(note: this is ethnic group not religion). ...and regarding the population remark how in the world can population be reversed to your levels???

ram | 14 years ago | Reply Congress party asked Kalmadi and Chavan to step down due to pressure from Opposition. The telecom minister caused loss of Rs.1.70 lacs crores and is not stepping down inspite of adverse Supreme court remarks and opposition pressure. Congress is unable to do anything due to coalition politics. In India, there are corrupt politicians who want to occupy positions at any cost

Ashutosh | 14 years ago | Reply India, after 60 years of democracy had started kicking off the corrupt politicians and government officials and it may take another election or so to make them punish as well. It is nice to see that many of the known criminals-turn politicians are in jail and were not allowed to participate in the elections. Confidence in democracy takes some time to develop. Pakistan too needs 4-5 fair elections before people and the politicians realize the true potential of a VOTE.

Punjabi Munda | 14 years ago | Reply Democracy is not for countries like India. Indian democracy is a sham, I will call it anarchy. We need a Chinese style leadership for a few decades which can clean up the mess. Once every Indian sees prosperity, and the population comes under control to a manageable 400 million or so, and when every person is educated (in the right sense of the word), then democracy maybe a good idea. This Gandhi suspending a few folks is all hog wash. She should be suspended first!

Harsh | 14 years ago | Reply I am an Indian but really hate Indian come bragging here.

Raju | 14 years ago | Reply Politicians weather indian american chinese or paki will remain same unless ur people are educated. MAKE EDUCATION A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO EVERYONE IN PAK. INCLUDING WOMEN then look at the things changing

User | 14 years ago | Reply We have nothing to learn from anyone. We are perfect. To suggest otherwise means you are part of the Hindu Zionist Crusader plot to destabilize Pakistan.

R. Qureishi | 14 years ago | Reply @Neeraj The language you are using how much poisen you have about Pakistan. You are not arguing simply throwing abuse. This also shows how free press is in Pakistan. By your definition, are you trying to say that India is more developed than the rest of the world and that is why there is more corruption than USA, Russia, China etc??

Neeraj, India | 14 years ago | Reply @R.Querieshi, Pakistan is not on the top of the list simply because there is nothing left in your country's coffers to loot! Even the donors are reluctant to throw their alms at you because of the exemplary "honest" record of your politicians, bureaucrats and the men in uniform. Please don't brag about high moral standards of the citizenry of land of the pure!!

R. Querieshi | 14 years ago | Reply Learning from India????? Swiss bankers association says that Indians are number one when comes to black money in Swiss banks. It is $1500 BILLION. Second number is Russia with 450 Billion US dollars. Even China is at number 5 with $96 Billion US dollar. Pakistan is not in the top list!!

khalid.aziz | 14 years ago | Reply Pakistan should just keep on---- hating india, safeguarding its "strategic assets", increasing its defence budget. We will someday wave our "sabz Hilali" flag on Lal Qila. Let the poor starve and keep on the Defence Housing flourishing. Pakistan ZindaBad.

Afzal Rahim Khan Yusufzai | 14 years ago | Reply Pakistan must do the same to ensure that this cancer is diagnosed once and for all.

parvez | 14 years ago | Reply Agree 100% with Humanity's comment.

prasad | 14 years ago | Reply Always heart-warming when there is something positive about India - flattery will get you anywhere in India including winning deals that will secure 50,000 jobs in the usa as it appears. Resignations are a good signal to everyone out there - and in some cases it creates a shadow that will never lift as in the case of the IPL guy - Modi, Shashi tharoor (to a small extent) and definitely Kalmadi. For those individuals, the loss of public prestige must hurt. Modi was being celebrated as the success story of India - surely he must be missing the adulation - a yacht and a swiss bank account may soften the blow though. And I am hoping that Zardari will set an example - afterall he has made so much money - setting moral standards will be more enduring and serve his children better in the long run.

Manoj | 14 years ago | Reply Mere risignation is not enough. This has been done by congress party since long to pacify the public anger and divert the issue from media glare. Fact remains, till date not a single politician or public servant has been punished by court of law for the Asset dispropotionate to income. This is phathetc. Public money has to be recovered from the looters and looters needs to be punished to regain the public confidence in the system. Resignation is only the first step of process of justice. Pakistan do not need to learn from india on this count. We as an Indian are ashamed of our corrupt politician and officer and sometime feel helpless to bring these people to justice. Power lies in these people's hand and they very easily muzzle the voice of protest. Only solution I find and recomend that people should reject such leader in election.

Harsh | 14 years ago | Reply They ere only made to resign. No punishment. Hope pakistan does better.. and punish the corrupt in their country.

Ashwin | 14 years ago | Reply Dear Sir, :) This is action is taken by congress party to avoid any bad press for congress.I very much doubt if ever these fellows will be found guilty and punished, it is just a eyewash.Once the memories of their actions fade from public these guys will come back to power.If these sorta guys are part of money making process of a political parties.As for Democracy, it is just an act, we Indian really really far from being democracy, yes we have election, but after that what happens is not in our control.We strongly believe that once every indian gets all basic amenities then we can think of having implemented governance, until then forget democracy, even indians should not even claim of governance, which does not exsists in most parts of India even today. Battles are not won empty stomach, right now 40% of all indians do go hungry due poverty. Work Hard Make Money, Feed ourselves and then fight hard for our country and rights. Well i feel Pakistanis should try to emulate the Chinese example.

Ali Sina | 14 years ago | Reply Both countries have a great future ahead. But to truly ensure a cure from the serious cancer of corruption, the only solution is penalty for government officials convicted of corruption, and enforced by strict rule of law. While civil society keeps debating death penalty for other lesser crimes, my recommendation is a first. I know the gene make-up and can confidently state that there is no other way South Asia to prosper. Call it "Democracy with South Asian characteristics" if you will.

Humanity | 14 years ago | Reply India has outplayed Pakistan for decades now. India engaged with the global community while Pakistan engaged in Islamization and disintegration of the society through hatred and intolerance. There is much Pakistan can and should learn from India. Pakistanis must start with putting national interest ahead of any thing else by treating the homeland as their mother.

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