CLP : Discussing level of graft practices :: Internal affair, but a significant admission
- Sangai Express Editorial :: May 17, 2013 -

An internal affair, it was. Two points can be deduced from here.

For one, there is no pressing compulsion to take the issues discussed to the public domain.

Two, if sincerity and honesty came high on the agenda of the participants, then all the cards would have been laid on the table while discussing the issue.

It has not come out on the public domain, but from whatever little information that The Sangai Express was able to glean from sources, one of the issues discussed was ‘reducing the level of graft practices in the State’ during the Congress Legislature Party meeting held on May 14 behind closed doors.

The meeting was some sort of a mini-marathon, stretching over four hours or so and this has only added to the interesting part of the meeting.

‘Reducing the level of graft charges in the State.’ This is the magic sentence. In one stroke it is an admission that corruption has become a matter of concern amongst the Congress legislators, a party which has been lording over the affairs of the State for the past ten years and is now into its fifteenth year.

And if the prophesies of the Congress leaders are anything to go by, then it could well be a case of the party going in for its fourth consecutive term in office after the next election, four years hence.

So is this an indication that the lung power of the Opposition, best displayed in its series of public meetings, has somehow managed to rattle the citadel of the party in power ?

Or is it more a case of the party going in for some serious self introspection, an admission that the level of corruption has reached sky high ?

Either way it bodes well, not only for the people but also for the party, a party which Gandhi, Nehru, Tilak and Gokhale to the country.

This is just to name a few personalities. However discussing an issue, a crucial one at that, and actually getting down to the business of starting the mopping up process are two entirely different things. Only the CLP members can answer this question but make sure, no public answers will be forthcoming, for reasons that should be obvious to all.

Other issues were discussed as well. But The Sangai Express believes that graft charges or the actual practise of corruption in the corridors of power is what should come higher on the list of priorities.

By discussing the measures in which the level of graft practices can be reduced in the State, the CLP or rather the Congress Government has admitted that corruption has become somewhat synonymous with the State Government. This is fine and comes like a breathe of fresh air, but this is not enough.

The first test will of course be the recruitment of 2000 police constables, for which the process has already started.

This particular recruitment process needs to be seen in the backdrop of the Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam recently questioning the process of police recruitment in the light of drugs seized from police personnel at Pallel on April 28.

Many things may be read into the observation of the Deputy Chief Minister and the question put on the recruitment process should not and cannot be seen in isolation of the ‘price tags’ that come with securing the post. This is where graft or corruption comes into the centre stage.

As noted earlier, to be sure the finer details of what was discussed (read graft practices) will never come out in the public domain, but in the very act of discussing it, the State Government has tacitly admitted that the talks of corruption doing the round are not a case of empty vessels making some meaningless noises.

It has been discussed, but do not let it remain at that stage.