‘Integrity overlooked in governance’

Shalini Narayan : Indian Express : Thu Sep 02 2010 : New Delhi :

Noting that corruption is deeply rooted in India, Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra said 90 per cent of the problems faced by the country relate to failures of governance. He was speaking during the Hukumat-e-hind 5th Governance lecture 2010.

Gopal Gandhi, former Governor of West Bengal, said: “It is ironical that the term ‘governance’ appears only once in the Indian Constitution and that too in the non-justiciable Directive Principles of State Policy.”

He noted that while India has become prosperous, the importance of integrity is still overlooked in governance.

“With the introduction of the RTI Act there exists hope for us,” said Gandhi reminiscing about his batchmate Aruna Roy, who made the RTI Act a possibility. “But,” he said, “when the RTI activist has to pay for his perseverance with his life, democracy is brazenly assaulted.”

Gandhi’s wit had the audience in splits when he said: “Jiska danda uski bhains. Jiska mushtanda, uski Mercedes Benz.”

He concluded by saying that his ideal India would be one where “no tribal is presumed to be a Maoist and when no visit by the Income Tax officer would make the chaiwalah run to serve him a cup of tea”.