PatnaDaily
Some of the comments on my post, http://www.manojenath.in/
Thanks, but no thanks Mr. Kaushik Basu, have focused more on the scholarly eminence of the author of the idea of harassment bribe , than on the practicability of its implementation. In an unstated manner, it is also a soft impeachment of my credentials to join issues.
I am not surprised that my venturing an opinion on his proposal, in itself, has been taken to be an act of intellectual impertinence.
No one can question the formidable academic achievements of Mr. Kaushik Basu. He is one of the leading economists of our time. Cornell University does not offer a professorship to any Tom, Dick, or Harry. To boot the government of India has chosen him to be the chief Economic advisor. But having said that, are we to believe that the expertise and insight gained in one academic field is transferable to other messier domains of law making, crime and criminality? Shall we take Mr. Basu on trust just for his
PatnaDaily
Author s Note:
This story draws directly upon my experience of investigating the targeted Public Distribution programme in Bihar between 1996- 2002. The cost of lost opportunity to the poor in this grievously miscarried programme may have been to the tune of Rs. 3,500 to 4,000 crores. Midway the government divested me of the investigation and handed it over to the Vigilance. Not much has been heard of it since then. A thumbnail version of a larger project - the parable of the well paid public servant - implementation of poverty alleviation programmes in Bihar. The wise Mr Dang has a counterpart in real life as indeed any one who cares to read my post The Poor Must Prevail.
PatnaDaily
We simply cannot wish away mafia. There are so many of them, active in areas which affect each one of us deeply. The resource mafia, illegally exploiting coal, timber and other forest produce wild life or, sand, depredate our environment. Or the development mafia bagging contracts for roads, bridges, railway lines and other projects takes away from us the fruits of planned growth. Or the land mafia, or the education mafia or the health mafia, the electricity mafia, or the co operative mafia. One could go on and on. And we live with them all the year round, relegating their activities to the basement of our brains.
PatnaDaily
The political parties who have now been made accountable under the RTI will not easily give up and the legal battle may be contested till the bitter end in the higher courts.
In their public postures, however, they have taken the line that they are already furnishing information to other agencies like the election commission and the income tax; they can be inundated by frivolous petitions; the confidentiality of political decision making can be misused etc; it is not possible to maintain records .The legality of the order should better be left to the courts because that is where the legality of the order of the CIC will be decided.