DHIRAJ comments on the resignation of Arvind Kejriwal from the post of Chief Minister of Delhi and shares the popular belief that it marks the new beginning of war against corruption, including that in the corporate sector.
When the whole world was either going wayward in the name of love or helping the fellow beings realise the futility of this fuss, there was a chaos in the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Some 25 MLAs and their leader were struggling to table a bill in the assembly against corruption. But they could not succeed and the just 49 days old government finally fell, unfortunately. And the leader of Aam Aadmi Party Arvind Kejriwal kept his word and tendered resignation from his post. But it is not the end but the new beginning in the war against corruption.
It was 49 days ago when Delhi’s newly elected Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal declared war against corruption at historical Ramleela Maidan. He challenged the corrupt officials and politicians who were involved in corruption to the neck. He motivated poor and needy people not to give bribe but to grill corrupt officials. Kejriwal and his words became a formidable wall against corruption.
From the very first day he fought against corruption. Some days after taking oath as Chief Minister he launched anti-corruption helpline. Response on this helpline was quite overwhelming. People filed hundreds of complaints on the very first day. Earlier he had declared subsidy on electricity bills.
People of Delhi took a sigh of relief when Kejriwal ordered for CAG audit of power discoms. His decision was criticised and challenged by the power distribution companies. The LG also gave his consent to CAG audit of power discoms. Power discoms moved the Delhi High Court but were not granted any relief against the order.
Political corridors in the national capital had become hot and were simmering with the decisions taken by Kejriwal. Kejriwal once again took a mega decision when he decided to expose gas scam. He received a criminal complaint by lawyer Kamini Jaiswal and others regarding the four time price hike of domestic gas by Reliance Industries.
Kejriwal issued orders to lodge FIRs against Union Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily, former Petroleum Minister Milind Deora, former Director General of Hydrocarbons V K Sibal and Reliance Industries boss Mukesh Ambani on corruption charges. He accused them of corruption of Rs. 54 thousand crores.
This was a very crucial point for Kejriwal Government. On the one hand, Kejriwal ordered CAG audit of power distribution companies, out of which two are owned by the Reliance. On the other, he ordered registration of FIRs under corruption charges. He accused Ambani of corruption and making huge losses to the Government exchequer.
He was attacking corruption both ways. First, he was trying to introduce the stricter Janlokpal Bill and then he issued orders to lodge criminal cases against business tycoon Mukesh Ambani. At this point of time the nexus between politicians and businessmen felt under real threat, and politicians of all parties realised the pain of failure in safeguarding the interest of their biggest donor.
Corruption was the core issue on which Kejriwal fought election and till the end of his proactive government he tried to keep his word. He introduced the much-talked-about Janlokpal Bill in the Delhi cabinet and got it passed. He declared that the Bill will be tabled in the assembly session going to be started from February 13.
At this point of time other political parties targeted him by saying that tabling of the Bill in the assembly was not proper because it had not got the assent of the Governor. On the second day of the assembly session a letter from LG was received, in which the LG told the assembly to conduct voting on the said bill. Before it Kejriwal and Sisodia tried to get a discussion on the bill but MLAs belonging to Congress and the BJP were not ready for it. Even after this Kejriwal tried hard to table the Bill in the assembly but did not succeed.
Even after the fall of the government of Aam Aadmi Party, many people think and believe it is not the end of the war against corruption. They feel it is the new beginning against corruption and corrupt officials and politicians.