The Maharashtra Government's responses to various allegations of wrong-doing by politicians, businessmen and officials raise doubts about its seriousness in combating corruption and crime. One recent decision which has inevitably aroused public speculation about the Government's intentions is the sudden transfer of a Deputy Commissioner of Police whose conscientious investigations have brought to light the misappropriation of funds in cooperatives. In the now notorious cobbler societies' scam involving large businessmen, the sums amount to as much as Rs 1500 crore. Sufficient material has been discovered for arrests to be made in that case and in two cooperative banks, the Abhyudaya Bank and the Janata Sahakari Bank. On the face of it, therefore, the removal of DCP Suresh Pandey at this juncture is unwarranted. Unless, of course, the Government's message is that the reward for successful police work is a posting to a non-controversial job in a district as far as possible from the wheeling and dealing in Mumbai.

Equally inexplicable is the long delay in bringing in the accused in the Abhyudaya Bank case, including an independent MLA, for questioning. There is indication here of a lack of firm direction to the police to do its job properly. This is in sharp contrast to the excess of zeal all round when it came to jailing a politically inconvenient mafia don some months ago. Either way, the Government itself is being seen to bend the rules. Such signals from the top act as a severe discouragement to the honest discharge of their duties by officials at all levels. As for the image of the Shiv Sena and the BJP among the people, it can be rightly said that Anna Hazare's campaigns are not doing nearly as much damage as the Government's own actions. Not that the activist from Ralegan Sidhi is making no direct impact. But his chief importance lies in exposing the Government's stonewalling tactics when it comes to rooting out corruption.

Prima facie evidence of wrong-doing by one of two Ministers named by Hazare has led to another inquiry, this time under the Commission of Inquiry Act, and a likely delay of many months before charges, if any, can be framed. Some 18 officials, out of hundreds accused, have been suspended or dismissed. In round two, Hazare has alleged that a third Minister has benefitted personally from welfare funds. Regardless of whether even a fraction of Hazare's accusations holds water, the least the Government is expected to do in keeping with its election commitments is to welcome public scrutiny. Instead of name-calling and questioning Hazare's integrity it would do well to launch an initiative of its own to clean up the administration. This is not to recommend a witch-hunt. But without a serious effort to introduce transparent procedures and reliable mechanisms for monitoring government expenditure, corruption could become the foremost issue in the State. Perhaps Chief Minister Manohar Joshi has all this in mind when he promises to deliver a white paper on corruption shortly. But since that paper was due last year and has been revived only in the midst of Hazare's latest protests, his sincerity of purpose remains in doubt.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.