Ever since India Against Corruption cited business information in the public domain to allege the existence of a nexus between Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra and real estate giant DLF, Congress leaders have insisted that no probe is needed since the impugned transactions were between “private individuals.” The argument is an absurd one for a seasoned political party to make because perception is everything in politics and the public simply isn’t buying it. The party high command ought to have realised that Mr. Vadra, who is a part of the Congress’s first family, must, like Pompeia, be well and truly above suspicion. Instead of taking measures to reassure the public that the business dealings of Mr. Vadra — who has accumulated assets worth hundreds of crores of rupees in the past five years — were indeed above board, senior ministers and spokespersons said he was a private citizen who had nothing to answer for. Today, that argument makes even less sense in the light of what seems like the punitive transfer of Haryana’s top land official shortly after he initiated an internal probe into Mr. Vadra’s land dealings. The official, Ashok Khemka, discovered irregularities in at least one of the deals struck between Mr. Vadra and DLF. He also ordered an inquiry into the possible undervaluation of properties sold or bought by Mr. Vadra in four districts of the State.
Given the questionable decision to transfer Mr. Khemka, the suspicion that the DLF-Vadra private partnership has official support can no longer be sidestepped or dismissed. Admittedly, nothing in the documents produced by the IAC so far establishes or proves wrongdoing on the part of Mr. Vadra or DLF. But the whiff of impropriety is all around and if the party high command still believes it can brazen things out it is making a serious mistake. The more the Congress and the Central and State governments resist or foreclose the launching of a probe into his dealings, the greater will be the public perception that Mr. Vadra used his friendships and relationships with people in high places to further his own business interests. The Haryana government has offered a most unconvincing explanation for why Mr. Khemka was removed from his post as Director General for Land Consolidation and Inspector General of Registration after serving barely three months of a tenure that is meant to run for a minimum of two years as per the rules of the Department of Personnel and Training. The Haryana government says it will now look into Mr. Vadra’s land deals but any probe it launches is unlikely to have credibility. Instead, Mr. Khemka must be reinstated in his post and allowed to complete the inquiries he initiated.
Keywords: India Against Corruption, Robert Vadra, DLF, Congress
Well, this article aptly projects the things that are happened in the last few days--though the title is not very apt -- and also indirectly hints the Congress party to save itself from the further damage. Better late than never! Congress party still have some good chances if Vadra files a defamation suit against those detractors with all evidence documents provided it is genuine.Otherwise, it is time to pack up!
I 100% agree with Editor "The Hindu"because more you try to suppress the truth it will have more negative effects.
In the Vadra-DLF case the whole congress party came to protect him.
If you are clean and true what ever is the charges against him by
Kejriwal team let it take it as a challenge and go for a fair
investigation and let all the things be clear before the public.
If Robert Vadra is a private citizen and is not a part of government machinery, then why i he provided with the SPG security? Why govt. provides helicopters and luxury cars for his visit?
if ministers are so interested in business and privite stuffs, let them go out of so called politics and lead their life. leader must be a social servents and not an selfish evil taking advantage of this post for his benifits...there are lot of well educated ppl who will be ready to get in social service jobs , declare their assets promptly, and do their JOB better.
its high time to give one chance to Arvind kejriwals team /party...
Although the editorial is commendabel one, do not understand why The Hindu comes to a conclusion that there is no proof in the documents shared by IAC of any wrong doing by Vadra/DLF.
It is a clear cut case where SEBI/Company Law board has to investigate DLF books. Secondly, the way haryana govt handled the land transfer and giving approval for building residential complex soon after Vadra got the land...etc is clearly a case of wrongdoing.
Do not understand what more The Hindu expects to establish Quid Pro Quo.
Hope some TRUE well wishers of the PM brings the contents of this fine
edit to the notice of our PM and shares with the public through The
Hindu, his response in body/ spoken language.
Laws of the land applicabe to ordinary citizens rarely applies to the elite ruling class of our country. This is a grim reality of modern India!
It's absurd to accept the logic that Vadra is a "priviate individual". He is as good as Rahul Gandhi, albeit with a lot more brain to have the ability to hoodwink the country and breaking the law. When he is treated like a Royalty at airports and the security cover, Vadra can't be remotely termed as a private citizen.
I think your title says it all!
As you have suggested in your editorial ‘A public-private partnership’, “Mr.Khemka must be reinstated in his post and allowed to complete the inquiries he initiated”. The transfer of the senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka does not look as simple as the ‘prerogative of the government’ as downplayed by the State Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The labored explanations from the government side by themselves are proof to other conclusions. They appear contradictory and contain lies and half-truths. The government stand that ‘it did not agree with Mr.Khemka’s arguments, but ordered an inquiry into all the issues raised by the officer’ shows prejudice and contradiction. Khemka had actually requested to be ‘relieved of the charge of Special Collector’, but, he was transferred from the post of Director, Consolidation and I.G.Registration in which capacity he had already initiated probe into certain dealings of Robert Vadra or his Companies. While Khemka ordered the probe on 8th October after the Vadra-DLF-Haryana government deal filled the media and many Congress leaders started defending their ‘first family’, he was suddenly served with the transfer order on 11th. The history of Khemka’s more than forty transfers in a span to twenty years speaks for itself and the transfers have no High Court connection. Though Mr.Hooda’s helplessness and agenda are evident, the Haryana government action needs to be condemned.
No doubt, right to privacy is a feature of our constitution and so are the directive principles of state policy which aims to prevent the concentration of resources in a few hands. The IAC has only accused Mr. Vadra; if there is nothing fishy in the entire matter alongwith the whimsical transfer of Mr. Khemka, why cannot the party leaders allow an independent probe to falsify IAC allegations? if the govt. can snoop into e-mail and call data of private individuals, opposing this issue is a mere exhibition of hypocrisy.
Only the Public Private partnership with transparency through media can
help blow the whistle.
Private- Government nexus steals not only the profit but also keep the
laws and regulations twisted and porous from the real masters which is
Public.
If the alleged transactions between private individuals, then people at large, fail to understand why towering public figures are rushing in to protect private individuals?
its ridiculous for anybody to give the statement, "Because the
suspicious deal was stuck between two 'private' individuals so it needs
no probe." This is same as saying, "Everybody who is not the part of
the government can do any loot and get away with it because only
'government looters' are probed here."
In the case of DLF-Vadra 'privatized and customized' deal if the
Congress party believes that it was 'private-private' deal then what
was the need for their spokes person and even the otherwise 'non-
speaking' persons coming before the camera and crying in the defence of
'Damadji'. It is very rightly pointed out in the editorial that if
there was no hanky-panky on the part of Vadra then inquiry must be
initiated. It will serve Vadra a purpose if he come out clean through
the tests.
The biggest fault line in congress party's current structure is getting exposed. Any bruise on the family will have far reaching consequence on the party's prospects and also on the countries future
It is high time congress as a party develops confidence to come out of dependence on the dynasty. It is not good for the party, not good for the nation
It's really silly to keep on harping on "image" of things. Clearly there is plenty of evidence to be found. But who will bell the cat? Perception and image aside the truth is in front of us. It is only a matter of making all those involved in such institutionalised wrongdoing accountable. Naturally, this will take time for the fight is against corruption and not against individuals. Personally, I have plenty of patience and I am sure the reward will be sweet.
Since when ethics has become relevant in Indian politics?
Same can be said of all sections of the society-media included.
Mahatma Gandhi is revered by people all over the world for his honesty
and simplicity.
Present Gandhi family is also revered by all congressmen and are head
over heels in defending a private citizen for his personal deeds. Alas
I also wish they defend common man in the same vein.
All political parties have lost their creditibity in the eyes of Public
and honest citizens have become cynical in democracy in general and
politicians in particular.
People had great expectation from ANNA and now circus by Kejrival has
lost its steam.
When PORIBARTHAN shall come?
(1) Citizens’ view is that any enquiry by the Haryana government will
be only a cover-up attempt rather than a fact finding effort. (2)
Unfortunately, there is little chance that today’s politicians will
learn any lesson from impact of such scams as they believe and believe
with full conviction that public memory is short and people will
forget the scams after a few months. (3) Honest IAS officers have
apparently no place in today’s bureaucracy, as we find that Mr. Ashok
Khemka has been transferred so frequently during his tenure of about
two decades. (4) All along the Congress leaders are claiming that the
deals between Mr. Robert Vadra and DLF are private deals and are not
open to public scrutiny. This view has been rejected by all those who
know how influential individuals get favours from companies. (5) The
Congress will pay a heavy price for all that has come out during last
few years of UPA II. Is Mrs. Sonai Gandhi still thinking that she can
contain damage?
Political party robing us through our back doors, they will find a way to numb great work of Khemka also. When we were ruled by a king, people were able to prosper after demise of bad king. With democracy we are chained permanently with bad guys.
Bravo, The Hindu.
The Congress has been caught behind the wicket for Vadra's 'nexus with
DLF, exposed by IAC and endorsed more so by honest bureacrats like
Ashok Khamke who valiantly faces the administrative axe. The revelation,
unlike the others, assumes serious implications. Can anybody silence the tottering skeleton in Congress cup board, of course a few "defense" ministers do it comically? Prime
Minister would press replay button, in sullen voice pleading ignorance.
However, the crores of juries will refuse to buy the theory of
ignorance any more, when they start writing their ultimate judgement in
2014, or earlier. Who knows?
Well, I don't understand why people aren't responding. Is this mute of Anna, Bedi and all those who were shouting slogans against corruption(public)earlier show that nothing can be done against corruption in this country. The public opinion has become why should I try ??
It is for sure nothing will happen to the First son in law of the nation.Court cases will go on for ever and ever and today 's heat will be lost by efflux of time and finally go out of our mind as many cases in the past.
It always happens with the Govt.at the Central Ministry to NOT TO SUPPORT its own Senior Executives who are straightforward, duty bound and has considerable amount of honesty and integrity while functioning.!
It is no wonder that Mr.Khemka was transferred. There are more than dozens of examples where sincere officers were shunted to other departments without giving convincing reasons. So long as the Congress rule our Country, where Corruption goes sky-rocketing in all areas, the people of India will never see the light of the Day.!
Well written. Politicians, whether in the Congress or in the Opposition, and their kith and kin are looting crores of rupees and getting away with it because almost everyone is involved. The public is aware of this to a certain extent but no one dares to raise this for fear of being "taken care" of by goondas. Even the media prefers to remain silent. So one must credit Mr. Kejriwal for having the guts to bring some of the corrupuptio that is going on to the notice of the public. One prominent cabinet minister against whom allegations of corruption were made even threatened Mr. Kejriwal. This is not democracy. This is goonda raj.
The editorial headlined "A public-private partnership" is bold and out-and-out factual. It reflects the views of every right-thinking person. When there is a serious public allegation of mal-practice in the numerous land dealings between Vadra and DLF and the former, a memebr of the Nehru family, is reported to have amassed huge wealth in a very short period, the right option for Vadra was to refute it and file a defamation suit against the person who made the false allegation,to establish that there was nothing unfair in the deals. The party leaders' contention that they were private transactions, not warranting any probe, does not carry weight, as the Haryana government has abruptly taken the step of transferring a senior, honest IAS officr, who ordered enquiry into one of the suspected deals. Quite unwittingly,by this act, it has lent support to the prevailing suspicion that there is the distinct possibility of the government's involvement in this matter.
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