PM's Independence Day speech

With corruption cases and Gandhian Anna Hazare’s threat to go on an indefinite fast from 16th August casting a dark shadow on the government, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promised the “strictest possible action” against those involved in graft. He, however, opposed hunger strikes as a means of protest. The immediate crises engaging the government seemed to influence the tenor of Singh’s Independence Day speech from the Red Fort-—his seventh in succession—as he argued that only Parliament could decide on the Lokpal Bill. At odds with Team Anna’s insistence that Parliament consider its version of the anti-corruption ombudsman, the PM said, “Those who don’t agree with the bill can put their views to Parliament, political parties and even the press.” With corruption cropping up no less than 16 times in his speech, the PM’s preoccupation with the crisis of credibility confronting his government seemed clear enough even as he indicated that reaching a middle ground over Hazare’s demands was unlikely. PM Manmohan Singh seemed to be taking charge of the Congress’s counter-attack against Anna Hazare, holding a meeting with leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Pranab Mukherjee. With the UPA-II in a firefighting mode over corruption cases since mid-2010, the dilemma of acting against a transparency movement while apprehending Anna Hazare’s capacity to garner 24x7 media coverage saw PM Manmohan Singh underlining his determination to prevent graft in high places in his Independence Day speech on Monday. The PM even put corruption ahead of price rise—an issue that would resonate most widely—admitting that government functionaries had been held on graft charges. “There is no single big step which we can take to eradicate corruption. We will have to act simultaneously on many fronts,” he said. “I have said so much on corruption because I know that this problem is a matter of deep concern for all of us,” he said, but reiterated that no government had a “magic wand” to tackle the menace. Apart from elaborating on anti-corruption measures, the PM spoke of his focus on health, agriculture, inflation control, economic and social inclusiveness, outlining what government sources said was an “integrative agenda”. Speaking of the need to deliver justice, he said, “Everyone should know that quick action will be taken against the corrupt and punishment meted out to them…government officials will think twice before committing a wrong act out of greed or under political pressure.” Singh did not refer to the demand to place the PM under Lokpal’s ambit but opposed including of the judiciary, saying it would undercut the independence of the courts. The need to regulate the courts would be addressed by the judicial accountability bill, he said. Given the intense public dissatisfaction over poor governance and political privileges, the PM said discretionary powers that allowed those in office to misallocate resources would be pruned. “We should also have a public procurement legislation that lays down principles and practice with regard to government purchases. We will introduce a bill by end of this year,” he said.