All the investigative agencies should be merged into one single agency, the Lokpal. Give it jurisdiction over both bureaucrats and politicians. Give it comprehensive powers to investigate and prosecute the guilty without needing any permission.
And, the Lokpal should be completely transparent so that it does not become a centre of corruption. Lokpal members should also be appointed through a transparent and participatory process, lest it become a tool in the hands of some political party.
Let the government first set up such a Lokpal and then hand over the CWG and 2G spectrum cases to it. Only that will yield effective results. Else, these issues will merely cause cacophony in the media with the outcome already known.
For the full text of the essay by Arvind Kejriwal in the TOI, click here.
Having worked within the government, one can expect, Arvind Kejriwal knows what he is talking about. Besides, he is the one who gave shape to the RTI bill which has, over the years, become a very powerful tool in the hands of the people in the fight against corruption. Perhaps, the civil society across the country should join in in the demand for the Lok Pal (and, LokAyukta in the states), duly empowered as suggested by Mr Kejriwal.
Muralidhar Rao
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buck must stop
There are four immediate steps, which can be taken to control corruption. First, the government must notify the rules for the confiscation of assets of corrupt officers in the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988. Second, India must enact strong anti-perjury laws to stop frivolous, false complaints under oath. Third, reversing the onus of proof. The accused must demonstrate why illegal cash or real estate suspected to belong to them is not theirs or face confiscation. Lastly, posting the right man for the right job.
For the full text of the article by Srivatsa Krishna, IAS, in the ToI, click here.
Good and workable suggestions. In fact, I have always wondered why 'perjury' has never so far been seen as a serious issue in the country.