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8 EASTERN EYE April 29, 2011 www.easterneye.eu COMMENT [email protected] SATHYA SAI BABA may be dead but his message of love, kindness and generosity to all should endure. He was a remarkable figure in many ways for the sheer range of his following – there are few countries that do not have Sai Baba devotees. While many of these may contain com- munities who are connected in some way to India, there are many who found him without family or cultural connections. In that way, he had a way of reaching out to people, of touching them, often sup- porting them and encouraging them in their hour of need. He was a giant spiritual figure within In- dia – his picture can be seen hanging in countless homes, offices and public places. It was a simple message and philosophy that went far – Love All, Serve All. He did not see a religion or a faith or a set of rules – he saw human beings first and asked simple questions of them. This in some ways throws light on his enduring appeal and why millions are mourning him – including the prime min- ister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, a Sikh, and Sonia Gandhi, born a Christian. Sai Baba did not recognise labels, he rec- ognised the peace and brotherhood that can exist between us all if we reach out and make that effort. His body may be no more but his spirit lives on and it will be hugely challenging for his charity trust to maintain the rich legacy that he has left. THERE’S a chance we could change the way we vote next Thursday (5). While there are good arguments on both sides, don’t sit on the fence or cite apathy, confusion or sheer boredom. Our political system deserves proper scrutiny and we can hardly complain about the politicians we get if we do not take the issue seriously now. Every person’s vote counts and you could make all the difference. So listen to the arguments and make up your own mind – it’s highly unlikely we are going to get asked again in the near future. Tell us what you think Want to say something about the news or sport or entertainment in Eastern Eye or simply got a viewpoint you think should be heard? We want to hear from you. You can write to us and we will consider publishing your response, if it is topical. Email [email protected] The views expressed in this editorial do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper LIVING MESSAGE GET OUT AND VOTE INDIA often prides itself as being ‘the world’s fastest gro- wing democracy’. That may well be justified in economic terms but the growth of democracy is a moot point. Ancient Indian traditions were built upon certain basic demo- cratic norms. That motivated the political leadership of the country to opt for the system of parliamen- tary democracy when the country gained independence in 1947. But this is now being undermi- ned by the level and extent of cor- ruption in India. Is it any wonder that foreign investment has fallen over the last year? Gandhian and social activist Anna Hazare recently brought this to the attention of the nation with his hunger strike. He was calling for a citizen’s ombudsman, which is badly needed if India is to re- store its reputation as a country where business can be done. Just recently, Germany blew open another troubling area – it has con- veyed to the government of India several names of Indians who have stashed pots of black money in secret bank accounts abroad. The supreme court of India is hot on the tail of the government to disclose these names, but again a game of hide and seek is being played adroitly under the cover of legal niceties. According to certain estimates, the secret deposits of Indians in the banks located in tax havens like Switzerland, the Virgin Islands, Mauritius and Cyprus, could be to the tune of thousands of bil- lion dollars – many times India’s national debt. But who will make earnest ef- forts to retrieve that money? It is the life-blood of politicians in In- dia who spend vast amounts of unaccounted money to win elec- tions and remain in power, with- out which they cannot survive. Sporadically, various political par- ties and successive governments have raised feeble voices to bring about some reforms in the politi- cal and administrative systems in India. State funding of elections at various levels has been mooted half heartedly. But nothing sub- stantive has been done owing to the stark reality of the astronomi- cal costs of elections. This clearly implies that the role of black money cannot be wished away. Besides, muscle power plays a significant part during elections, particularly in rural areas. These factors have bonded criminal ele- ments with politicians and the un- holy nexus cannot be easily broken because many criminals are now established leaders, or lackeys of several regional and national po- litical parties. Not to be left out, several senior bureaucrats have been caught af- ter their illegal wealth was un- earthed, mostly accidentally. Even the members of the judici- ary have succumbed to the temp- tations of underhand deals. One high court judge is facing impeach- ment. Several lower court judges are under scrutiny for various al- leged illegal acts. Newspaper owners and editors are known to strike deals with cor- porate bosses to give them favour- able coverage through ‘paid news’. A few high-ranking officers of the armed forces have proved that even the knights in shining armour can succumb to the lure of money. But that holds good for any part of the world. In terms of ease of doing busi- ness, India ranks a lowly 133 among 183 countries. It was also ranked 70 in the corruption index of 2006 and the Worst Performer out of 30 countries in the Bribe Payer Index. Government approvals involve red-tape at almost every level, and it hardly comes as a sur- prise that most small businesses don’t survive in the ruthless land- scape of bribery and slush money. It is not that corruption in India is limited only to the high and mighty. In fact, for the ordinary man, it has become a way of life, an bitter reality. It is common knowledge that most members of the police force and excise and tax department do not work without taking a bribe. But almost any functionary who is in a position to delay action, or provide information, can extract ‘speed money’ if so inclined. Most of the emerging entrepre- neurs are blinded by their desire to get rich quickly, by hook or crook. Their conscience does not prick them when they resort to falsifica- tion, telling lies, fraudulent prac- tices, cheating and adulteration. Dodging taxes in the name of tax planning is smart business. I have painted a grim picture but I have hope in a new genera- tion of Indians who have backed Hazare and are keen to make the country a place where people can do business and achieve a level of transparency in which people have confidence. At the end of the day, rooting out corruption is in India’s long-term interests. The case against former telecom minister A Raja and his cronies who tried to dupe the In- dian taxpayer out of billions in the sale of 2G licences is a signal that things are changing. But this anti-corruption drive needs to be sustained and only then India can reap the benefits of for- eign investment and claim with sincerity that it is truly, “the world’s fastest-growing democracy”. by Dr Kailash Chand OBE GP and political commentator Corruption and the India story THE MENACE MUST BE STAMPED OUT THERE are many ‘Your guide to success’ books out there, but Foot- prints on the Moon stands out with its timely, honest and sincere approach. The book, which collates interviews with a number of successful people, was carried out by the Footprints Team, a group of 25 students from North London Collegiate School. Their aim was to pro- vide a comprehensive and valuable refer- ence for young people thinking about their future careers. The title of the book comes from the saying: “How can you say that the sky’s the limit when there are Footprints on the Moon?” A note from the Footprints Team said: “It became the foundation upon which we have built our company. We are passionate about achieving the very best, and strongly believe that everyone has the potential to become successful.” The book comes out at a time when young people have a lot to worry about their future. Footprints on the Moon reveals the stories of successful people who have faced the same problems as the youngsters of this generation and how in the end, their dreams and ambitions in life became reality. The book covers a wide range of profes- sions and stories of success and is divid- ed into categories, such as business enter- prise and finance, sports, and the creative arts. Notable people included are James Caan, Hardeep Singh Kohli, Meera Syal MBE, Kirit Pathak and Eastern Eye’s edi- tor-in-chief Ramnikal Solanki CBE. Among the other well-known fig- ures are broadcaster and scientist Lord Robert Winston, Barbara Stocking, director of Oxfam, and Times columnist David Aaronovitch. The unique thing about this book is it asks a lot of the people the same ques- tions and each answer offers a different perspective. It seeks to inspire individuals, which it actually does quite well. Footprints on the Moon, £7.99, available from www.footprints-nlcs.webs.com FOOTPRINTS ON THE MOON: NO LIMITS TO ACHIEVEMENT by IMRAN CHOUDHURY REVIEW OF THE WEEK PROGRESS: Former telecoms minister A Raja being produced in court
