Hazare war cry against corruption

Anna Hazare said that the British rulers were outsiders in our country. “But even today they write to us and say that the building that they had constructed had completed 100 years and now it was no longer their responsibility to take care of its upkeep and we should make alternative arrangements. But look at us, the bridges we construct collapse even before they are inaugurated. The problem is that our engineers after taking an engineering degree get into the habit of eating cement and stone. Then how will we have strong structures ?” he asked.

He said since the independence, nine successive five-year plans had spent several thousand crores of rupess in the name of development, but unfortunately the money is not percolating down to the people. It is being taken by an ever increasing handful of people in a planned manner, he said. “I will give you an example of this planned corruption to loot the state treasury,” Hazare said. “In 1989 I took up a case. We found out that 42 Maharashtra government officers in a ministry held meetings and took out government money in the name of development. While nothing happened on the ground several crores were spent on paper. Where did the money go if not in the pocket of the government officers ?” he asked.

“I requested the government to conduct an inquiry. They did nothing. They gave me an environment award which I returned but it was only after I returned my Padma Shree award that the government conducted an inquiry and found that the officers and even a minister was guilty. But because a minister is involved no action is being taken,” he said angrily.

Hazare said that unfortunately, without paying a bribe, no work was possible in any government office. “When there was a change in the government I expected a change. But if the previous government had a graduate degree in corruption, the present government has a doctorate,” he said as the crowd in the packed to capacity hall laughed.

“The amount of work done by any government department is known in the month of March when the budget is presented and expenses have to be provided for. In the Maharashtra government irrigation department on March 18 two years ago, they had around Rs 32,66,000,00 and did not know how to spend it. So overnight the finance secretary, minister and the chief minister signed a proposal to distribute loans. Rs 15 crore loans were given. But still the money was not spent completely. So again before the month end, the rest of the money was given in the form of loans. I have asked for an inquiry into this too,” he added, deploring arbitrary spending in the name of environment, development and corruption.