People's Democracy

THE LDF government of Kerala is soon to complete its tenure. It has been a period of uncompromising struggle against corruption that has been wiped out from the government level. Besides, strong and efficient measures have been taken to eradicate corruption in the service sector. The LDF government also converted the quite toothless vigilance portfolio into an efficient and effective one. This made the government to pursue its struggle against corruption with correct perspective and monitoring. This effective anti-corruption driveis one of the most valuable achievements of the LDF government.

R Balakrishna Pillai, a former minister, has been imprisoned on charge of corruption along with his aide, a former civil servant. It is for the first time in the history of Kerala that a former minister has been sent to prison on corruption charge. The charge was proved beyond doubt; the court found him to be guilty.

Six ministers of the former UDF cabinet and a number of bureaucrats including a chief secretary were facing trials in the Vigilance Court on charges of corruption. The former ministers are K Karunakaran, T H Musthafa, T M Jacob, C V Padmarajan, M R Raghuchandrapal, and R Balakrishna Pillai. The former chief secretary is R Ramachandran Nair. The UDF described even the court verdict as politically motivated, thus inviting charge of the contempt of court. What remains to be decided is as to who will file the contempt of court suit.

On the other side of Kerala politics, the LDF ministers are free of any such charge. The opposition UDF has time and again raised a hue and cry about supposed LDF corruption. But they have so far not made use of the Lokayukta. It is only a malicious campaign against the LDF, without anything that can be substantiated in a court of law. It is to be noted that the LDF government is completing its tenure without ever facing a no-confidence motion during the last five years.

During the last five years, 230 officials were caught red-handed while accepting bribes. The former UDF’s record in this case is very poor.

The office of Lokayukta was established by law to try and dispose of corruption cases. The opposition leader’s approval was solicited and received when a Lokayukta was appointed. Ombudsmen were appointed to examine corruption cases in the local self-governing bodies.

Though charges, with sufficient evidence, were leveled against the former UDF ministers even during their regime, no case was registered at that time. Cases were filed only after the LDF took over in 1996. The palmolin case, in which K Karunakaran is the chief accused, pertains to a corrupt deal in palmolin import. Congress leader and former minister T H Musthafa is the other accused in the case. Chargesheets were served to the accused by the Vigilance Court with permission from the Supreme court. Since K Karunakaran is a member of the Lok Sabha, special permission from the Lok Sabha speaker was sought to try him.

Padmakumar, a former chief secretary, is also in the dock on the charge of selling out 80,560 shares of the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation without any authority whatsoever. The enquiry is now complete. Necessary permission to try him and others involved in the case has already been acquired. Many other IAS officers under the former UDF government are also facing trial. Some among them are Somasundaram, B Chandrasekharan Nair and N V Madhavan.

The case against M R Reghuchandrapal pertains to the appointment of an excise guard in Kannur. The enquiry has been completed. Permission to try J Sudhakaran, IAS, has been sought from the union government.

T M Jacob, a former minister, is under trial on charge of irregularity in the implementation of the Kuriarkutty-Karappara irrigation project. Former irrigation secretary N V Madhavan is the co-accused. The enquiry is partly complete. Chargesheets have been issued to the concerned. Permission for prosecution has been sought.

Another former chief secretary, R Ramachandran Nair, is facing trial in many courts on charges of irregularity in the purchase of land, appointment of employees and teachers, building works, etc. On the charge of irregularity in the purchase of land, Thiruvananthapuram special court has sentenced him with imprisonment. He is an accused in two cases in Kozhikode. Enquiry in two other cases is on.

There are nine cases of irregularities in implementing the Muvattupuzha irrigation project. T M Jacob and N V Madhavan are among the accused in these cases. Fifty-three vigilance cases have been registered about irregularities in the Kallada irrigation project. In one case the accused have been punished. Enquiry in 17 cases has been completed. In 11 cases, chargesheets have been submitted to the courts.

In the first phase of the graphite case, R Balakrishna Pillai and his accomplice, Kesava Pillai, have been punished. Work on the two other phases of the case is on.

C V Padmarajan is facing trial on irregularities in the Brahmapuram diesel project. Cases were registered on the basis of Justice Bhaskaran Nair commission’s findings.

The LDF government has initiated steps to identify corrupt officials and observe their activities. Vigilance is empowered to maintain secret files about them and take necessary steps as and when required.

The Lokayukta and Uplokayukta have already disposed of a number of cases. Thus the LDF has set a precedent that no corrupt official can go scot-free. That is why the people of Kerala are most likely to re-elect the LDF for yet another term. The UDF bandwagon is fully aware of it. That is why they are trying to malign the LDF and its leadership. They have theorised that Kerala always elects alternative fronts to power. But the people know that corruption is corruption, and should be punished. Convicts like R Balakrishna Pillai boast that they will go to the court of the people. But the people of Kerala are sure to teach them a lesson.