After weeding out scam-tainted politicians, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Friday raised the pitch against corruption.
“Prosperity has increased but so has social conflict. Graft and greed are on the rise. The issue of fairness is important in any democratic society. The broad mass of people must believe in the fairness of the system,” she told a gathering at the Indira Gandhi Conference, inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“Our economy may increasingly be dynamic, but our moral universe seems to be shrinking. The principles on which independent India was founded are in danger of being negated,” Gandhi observed in her opening remarks.
The PM stopped short on talking about recent developments, but stressed on the importance of tackling corruption. “Unless development administration is strengthened, is made more representative, more accountable and transparent, allocating more financial resources from New Delhi will only contribute to higher levels of corruption and leakage of funds.”
Gandhi’s address comes at a time when the UPA government is grappling with opposition pressure over the 2G spectrum scam. Gandhi took the opportunity to back the Prime Minister and aired her views on “greater probity and more transparency” in public life.
The Congress had recently removed Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan for his alleged involvement in the Adarsh housing scam and its parliamentary body secretary CWG “tainted” Suresh Kalmadi before forcing UPA’s Communications Minister A Raja, a DMK nominee in the coalition, to resign.
While the allegations of corporate-policy maker nexus has put the Congress under pressure, Gandhi on Friday emphasised on encouraging “the new spirit of entrepreneurship”. “No social democracy is possible without a thriving and dynamic business sector generating wealth. Some corporate leaders stand out for their dedicated engagement in purposeful and meaningful philanthropy. It is my hope that the swelling ranks of India’s wealthy will be inspired to follow their example,” said Gandhi.
Gandhi also harped on the need of inclusive growth and equality of opportunity to all. “It is a known fact that unequal societies cannot achieve their full potential or even sustain a high level of growth indefinitely. We have more millionaires than ever before, alongside millions who struggle for two square meals a day.”
The Prime Minister echoed similar sentiments and emphasised that search for growth and the search for social justice have to go hand in hand. “But higher growth has also been associated with higher inequalities and simultaneously increased expectations of the people at large. There is a revolution of rising expectations underway in India which any government has to take note of.”
