HISTORY OF INDIA 4
I am afraid that when we speak about the History of our independent India, more often it could sound as Corruption in India. Over time, the history of India will be seen as the 'History of Corruption' that shaped the history of India.
Having said that, let us see what Mahatma Gandhi said about Congress and corruption: "I would to the length of giving the whole Congress a decent burial, rather than put up with the corruption that is rampant". This was Gandhiji's reaction to corrupt practices by the Congress ministries formed under 1935 act in six states in the year 1937. The so called disciples of Gandhi however, ignore his concdrn over corruption in post Independence India, when they came to power.
The first scandal in Independent India:
The jeep scandal in 1948 was the first major corruption case in independent India. V.K.Krishna Menon, the then Indian high commissioner to Britain ignored protocols and signed a Rs.80 lakh contract for the purchase of army jeeps with a forein firm.
While most of the money was paid upfront, just 155 jeeps landed. But the then Prime Minister Nehru forced the government to accept them. There was an inquiry committee led my Ananthasayanam Ayyangar. But the Congress Government was in no mood to listen to the committee's findings. Govind Ballabh Pant, the then Home Minister announced on September 30, 1955, "As far as Government was concerned, it has made up its mind to close the matter. If the opposition was not satisfied they can make it an election issue".
Soon after all these Krishna Menon was inducted into the Nehru's cabinet without portfolio. Later he became Nehru's trusted ally and the defense minister of India.
Morals of the story:
1. If you want a ministerial berth in a Congress regime, get involved in a scandal first.
2. The Indian defense was not spared from corruption as early as in 1948. Why then keep talking even today about Bofors, and Howitzer deals.
The first scandal in Independent India:
The jeep scandal in 1948 was the first major corruption case in independent India. V.K.Krishna Menon, the then Indian high commissioner to Britain ignored protocols and signed a Rs.80 lakh contract for the purchase of army jeeps with a forein firm.
While most of the money was paid upfront, just 155 jeeps landed. But the then Prime Minister Nehru forced the government to accept them. There was an inquiry committee led my Ananthasayanam Ayyangar. But the Congress Government was in no mood to listen to the committee's findings. Govind Ballabh Pant, the then Home Minister announced on September 30, 1955, "As far as Government was concerned, it has made up its mind to close the matter. If the opposition was not satisfied they can make it an election issue".
Soon after all these Krishna Menon was inducted into the Nehru's cabinet without portfolio. Later he became Nehru's trusted ally and the defense minister of India.
Morals of the story:
1. If you want a ministerial berth in a Congress regime, get involved in a scandal first.
2. The Indian defense was not spared from corruption as early as in 1948. Why then keep talking even today about Bofors, and Howitzer deals.
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