BJP is as Steeped in Corruption as the Congress

Date: 
October 22, 2017
Author: 
Savera

BJP has always claimed that it was not corrupt, that it was a party with a difference. In the campaign for the 2014 general elections, Narendra Modi campaigned vociferously against the Congress for its multiple scams. Many people believed him when he said that "na khaunga, na khane doonga" (I will neither make money, nor let others do so). They were fed up of the Congress’s record of corruption and failure of its economic policies.

Three and a half years down the line, Modi sarkar has betrayed this trust on all counts. At the central govt. level and at the state level where the BJP is in power in many states, charges of corruption are flying thick and fast. It is almost as if the clock has been turned back: the same economic distress, the same joblessness, the same price rise – and the same corruption.

The Modi govt. has also not yet appointed a Lokpal, the over-arching ombudsman who would look at allegations of corruption against public servants at the national level. This is bizarre considering Modi and BJP were so vocally supportive of the anti-corruption movement of Anna Hazare in 2013 and vowed to fulfil its demand for such an authority.

Far from fighting corruption in govt., the BJP govt. in Rajasthan has issued an ordinance that prevents any probe against judges and public servants, and even prohibits the media from writing about it! This is the shape of things to come.

Ordinance protects corrupt in a novel way. Govt. has six months to decide whether to give permission for prosecution of the accused. If anyone reveals the name of the accused before the time is over they will be punished for a specified jail term!
Below is a summary of various scams (collated from media reports) in which BJP leaders are alleged to be involved. In some cases, official investigations have been started. In others, such investigations have been slowed down. In many cases, honest investigation officials have been harassed and cowed into submission or removed from their duties. In others, pliant officers have been put in charge to effectively scuttle any search for truth.

A reading of the list below will show that BJP leaders have been reportedly involved in taking bribes to:
• Sell off national resources like land, natural gas, minerals etc.
• Arrange food distribution to poor people, women and children
• Provide govt. jobs
• Provide water to farmers

In other words, what was rightfully due to people of the country was turned into a money-making machine by the BJP rulers.
Another feature of these scams is that the BJP always favours their own cronies. The case of the Adani group is an example. The closeness of Mr.Adani to the highest echelons of BJP has resulted in largesse being bestowed on his enterprises, at a huge cost to taxpayers.

Adani Group

The Adani Group’s revenue increased 20 times in 12 years: from Rs.3741 cr in 2002-03 to Rs.75659 cr in 2014-15. Some of the reported scams are:

 

Scams in various BJP ruled states

Below is a summary of scams in various states ruled by the BJP. This includes some states like Gujarat, MP, Chhattisgarh which have seen BJP rule for over 15 years. So their scams go back that much in time.

 

 

 

 

Some other scandals

Besides these state level scams, there have been some revelations not confined to a state, where names of BJP leaders are believed to have cropped up.

 

Note: All the information collated and presented above is derived from documents and reports appearing in the media over the years.