Panel Discussion on “Lok Pal Bill: Panacea for Banishing Corruption?”

Chandigarh Management Association (CMA) organised a Panel Discussion on “Lok Pal Bill: Panacea for Banishing Corruption” here today. Mr. R.M.Khanna, Ex-Chairman CII-NR was the Chairman of the Panel. The other panelists included Dr. P.K.Vasudeva, Former Professor (International Trade) ICFAI and Col K.K.Sharma, Regional Head, IIPS, Chandigarh.

Speaking on the occasion, R.M.Khanna said that the Anna Hazare’s Fast has led to renewed drafting and passing of the Bill in the Monsoon session of the Parliament, but this event in itself may not be sufficient to end corruption in the deep rooted corrupt body of Indian society. However, he said that at least this event has set the process for driving out corruption in motion. He hoped that 5 years down the line the civil society will become aware enough not to tolerate the corruption in any quarter any more.

Dr. Gulshan Sharma, president CMA said that absence of time-bound benchmarks for administrative actions has eroded public confidence and delay makes room for corruption and political favour to thrive. He said that Anna Hazare’s Fast has shown that the common men and women and not the bureaucrats or politicians are the real instruments of change.

Dr. P.K.Vasudeva while putting forth his point of view was surprised that India stood out as one of the few countries in the world that have not yet ratified the UN Convention against corruption (UNCAC) even after six years of its coming into force in 2005. Prof. Vasudeva said that even though high-level corruption has plundered the national wealth, successive Governments have shown little interest in making India less prone to corruption. He said Anna Hazre has shown the way to come out of the web of corruption.

Col K.K.Sharma while speaking said that 2G and CWG scams has put the scams like HDW Submarine , Fodder Scam, Sukhram, Urea Scam, Jain Hawala, Bofors, and the likes of Harshad Mehta and Ketan Parikh scams into shame. Though, he said that civic society is responsible for corruption like paying small bribes to clerks, traffic cops, and asking sifarish from uncle or aunt to bail them out. He said that instant gratification of selfish needs is at the root of the same and wondered if the Lok Pal Bill would ever act as a deterrent for banishing such corruption. Sharma quoted Swami Viveka Nand and said ‘all that is needed is that India should de-hypnotise herself and wake up from her age-long sleep to her true rank in the hierarchy of nations.”