When the motives are suspect, the actions lose legitimacy. In conducting raids at the residences of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leaders M.K. Stalin and M.K. Alagiri within days of the DMK leaving the UPA government, the Central Bureau of Investigation showed what ill-timing could do to even honest investigations. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath were all quick to distance the government from the search operation, but the damage had already been done. With the heat turned on him, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, V. Narayanasamy, who is in charge of the Ministry of Personnel that handles the CBI, insisted that the agency was an independent body and that politics had no role in the raids. The issue relates to evasion of customs duty on imported cars, including those being used by the sons of Mr. Stalin and Mr. Alagiri, and is a couple of years old, but it seems to have gotten a second wind in the last couple of days with the registration of a case against an official of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence. Whether or not the Congress leadership or senior ministers in the government were directly involved in the decision to search the houses of Mr. Karunanidhi’s sons, the CBI did its own investigations no favour by timing it so soon after the withdrawal of support by the DMK to the government at the Centre. If the CBI did not act thus to please its political masters, then it must have done so to embarrass them. Indeed, the most charitable explanation for this tactless operation would have to be that the agency’s top bosses were either too naïve or thoroughly inefficient. The duty evasion case will now be politically coloured, and difficult to pursue with the necessary rigour and righteousness.
For the Congress, the political damage is at various levels. The general impression that the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party were threatened with CBI cases to ensure that they extended outside support to the government will now gather strength. Worse, the SP and the BSP will now be under greater pressure to prove to the world that they do not back the UPA in their selfish interest, but as part of their larger stated strategy to keep “communal forces at bay.” Already weakened by the exit of the DMK, the UPA will now have to deal with the doubly emboldened SP and BSP. Over the long term, the Congress risks aiding the perception that it is using the CBI to further petty political ends. When it needs allies the most, when it needs to be seen by them as accommodative, the party appears to have given them enough reasons to run away. If ill-timing could be perfect, then this is it.
Keywords: CBI raids, Stalin house raid, DMK pullout, DMK strategy, M.K. Stalin, UPA government
Its so ironical that the CBI has been in the news for all the wrong
reasons, time and again it has been maligned ,criticized and accused
of being prejudiced. In the light of present political scenario it
wouldn’t take much time and wisdom to comprehend that the raid
conducted on Mr Stalin house could be a political move by ruling
party to settle scores. It’s an eye-opener that as soon as the DMK
decided to part ways with the UPA, CBI swung into action. Why did CBI
choose this timing to carry out a raid? Was the decision taken by the
high command of congress? or CBI did It on its own or the least: it
is nothing but coincidence. Even a naïve will understand It well that
in the wake of political uncertainties no one would like to act in
such a way by which its own credibility and veracity as an independent
agency would be tarred and who knows better than CBI to time its
actions. Hence it’s for the CBI and congress to answer, though some
congress veterans have come out and condemned
It appears from your editorial that the decision to raid and withdraw the same immediately thereafter was a political decision. Otherwise, where is the question of ill-timing ? CBI is not bothered about the politically suitable timming, if there is a fit case. Congress has unwittingly admitted its hand behind CBI action by ordering its withdrawal rather than by the original decision to raid. Indirectly it amounts to a formal admission of its frequent arm-twisting of SP and BSP through CBI to coerce them to support UPA II at critical junctures.
If CBI is supposedly an independent agency, why were raids cancelled
once the furore from Delhi? What the Government was worried if they had
not ordered the raid?
Though you have taken these much efforts to explain in length and breath of this "Raid Episode" conducted by CBI.In a single stroke our cartoonist Mr.Kesav explained thoroughly by put up a cartoon
today.Well done Kesav
Well said. I will just add one more item to this: "agency’s top bosses were either too naive or thoroughly inefficient" - or they were politically savvy. Most probably CBI planned and executed this using the autonomy they had. And when finance minister and ruling party leader expressed their displeasure, they withdrew. So, CBI is playing a wonderful game and trying to listen to their conscience as much as that is possible within politics of the politicians. These CBI officers should be commended. But as the editorial points out, the only danger is "The duty evasion case will now be...difficult to pursue with the necessary rigour and righteousness."
I am surprised at The Hindu's views. Before conducting raids should the CBI or police study
the political climate? What if crucial evidence is lost in the meanwhile?
A wonderful editorial that makes for excellent(and amusing)reading.
The only way for the government to escape the charge of vendetta is to continue the raids,this time on homes of other Political personalities,which will blunt any talk of considerations and bias.But then,this administration is well known for its getting into the muck without thinking and then looking like foolish.But It is behaving as if it couldn't care less,so long as it is satisfied that Maya and Mullu have got the message.
One could hardly buy the claim of centre's pleading innocence of CBI's
raid in Stalin's house as reliable. The celerity with which our PM and
FM have pressed the button of damage control by reprimanding CBI which
recorded its worst ever rhythm smacks of centre's knee jerk reaction.
The demand of the opposition to bring CBI out of the shackles of the
government through effective amendments in Lokpal gets validated now.
The remote to activate CBI is a sword which the centre, earlier had
swayed menacingly just to tame SP, BSP,RJD and the likes, to save the
boat.That the defiance of the allies,or even of the opposition parties,
continues to carry the reward of CBI raid reminds us the cinematic
villain seen with a roaring lion besides him, just to subjugate his
rivals. The age old ugly tactics of the centuries old national party
has again been exposed. The scams plaguing UPA government had earlier
taken the wind from its sails. Now it is its vindictive posturing which
has failed.
CBI Director, who is head of this central agency, is not a
constitutional post and doesn't enjoys any protection to its tenure or
condition of services unlike ECI or UPSC chairman.
Therefore, its futile at the government's part to keep claiming about
the "Independence" of the agency.
This "ill-timing" seems to stems from mis-communication happened
internally in govt. managers. The very smart govt. managers would
defintely have decided on raid but may be mis-communicated the dates to
more-than-eager to serve agency officials, who promptly executed orders
without given another thougth !
I am really sorry, but I don't buy a word. You failed to justify how you are so sure that this was just a case of mistiming. One can always issue an order or register a case, and stamp it as some previous date. Also there are suspicions on the identity of the person who had made the complaint to C.B.I. This article makes a weak assumption and draws all sorts of conclusions thereafter.
Does the duty evasion case not come under customs department. What is the role of
CBI here??
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