The country voted in 2014 to replace the erstwhile corrupt Sonia-led UPA  by the Modi-led NDA. The voting pattern was repeated in 2019 elections in the hope of getting Good governance.

Hopes were dashed after initial euphoria. A new narrative was created to deflect people’s attention from the promised dreams. An impression started gaining the ground that the ruling dispensation  is trying to outsmart its predecessor in the game of competitive corruption.

The public feels that decisions are being taken by  present government to help top business houses. Specific cases are in  public domain. Deals, it is alleged, carry quid pro quo tags. Crony capitalism . Illegal funds are collected illegally by all political parties either for staying in power or for coming to power. The allegations are very serious and must be taken note of by PM Modi for corrective steps.

The scandles of the so-called "Lutynes media" during UPA are not forgotten. The infamous tapes of Niira Radia- Barkha Dutt- Tata , keep haunting us . Open secret. Doubling as corporate lobbysts for top business houses, the media persons could pose serious threat to national security besides blackmailing the VVIPs within .

If , lessons are not learnt from history, it would repeat itself . Consider specifics.

WhatsApp chats leaks?

The alleged leaks of  WhatsApp chats between the  Republic TV Editor-in-chief and some VVIPs are disturbing. If  allegations are proved, this may cause considerable embarassment to the bigwigs including some cabinet ministers. The CEO is fighting back. He must. It is his right.

 One wonder how some TV editors, anchors manage to get tapes of classified information /documents  for their TV channels. Game of one-up-manship for TRP for more revenue through advertisements. Who is helping them in procuring propaganda material?

 It is noteworthy that Whispersinthecorridors.com, has avoided unethical practices. I do not recall any  unsavoury controversy having erupted  during the past twenty years, since inception.

Chinese incursion?

May I take the opportunity of raising the issue of China creating a  village in the Union Territory of Arunachal Pradesh  by constructing 101 pucca houses? Was this case of intelligence failure, suppression of facts or both?H igh resolution pictures are available in public domain. Honeytrap is common. The matter is very serious warranting consideration by the Cabinet Committee on Security. The culprits must be booked under the Official Secrets Act 1923 for espionage, sedition.

Consider UPA era. Why, no action was taken against Rahul Gandhi, when he tore off a copy of the draft cabinet note, A classified document. It was more than a mistake, A blunder by the UPA. Rahul’s arrogant and impulsive act attracted  the OSA 1923.

The moot point is : Who supplied such high resolution pictures of the ‘Chinese’ village to the prominent TV channel ? Could be the Congis and Commies in cahoots with China and ISI, their paymasters. The culprits must be tried under OSA 1923.

 A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

Delhi High Court in its latest judgement  intends to stop all non-essential, discretionary expenses of the three municipal corporations here, including the perks of councillors and senior officers, "living like lords".

 A city’s health is measured by the quality of  civic services provided by local bodies. Sadly, India's national capital  suffers  from acute municipal decay.

 The three Municipal commissioners of Delhi, chief engineers and their subordinates, must be publicly indicted for dereliction of duties. MCDs corrupt top officers , engineers in cahoots with the local police, perpetuate encroachments on public land by illegally charging hefty bribes ( haftas). There is no practice of responding to public complaints, let alone, redressing public  grievances.

 This is the scenario in the national capital. Position in States is far more appalling. Nothing moves without  coercive or collusive bribes. Absence of raids by anti-corruption agencies  on  illegal wealth of officers, further embolden the defaulters.

 Office of LG, Delhi is powerless , toothless, even gumless. A burden on public exchequer. He merely follows instructions of MHA- passively watching, looking at,or listening to things rather than doing things.

The Delhiites continue to suffer stoically, in silence. PM’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan takes a hit!

Agriculture is a state subject but, the union of India enacted with incredible speed the three farm laws 2020, based on brutal majority in Lok Sabha and the “ Voice Vote” in Rajya Sabha. All  without discussions and  without consulting the stakeholders ( States and farmers unions) naturally raised suspicions in the minds of the aggrieved.

Was there a national emergency during which the Union of India could have legislated on States’ subjects? Was ratification of any international treaty involved. None of these. Then, why undue haste?

How to break the impasse? Extraordinary situation demands extraordinary solutions such as : Suo moto  withdrawal of Presidential assent to the bills for abrogating the farm laws. At least, he could make his intentions clear to the ruling dispensation. In the alternative, the President could invoke the advisory jurisdiction of the Apex court. Political parties including the defunct opposition, must be exposed.

For how long, could the nation be expected to mutely watch the political drama?

A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

PM has huge passion for inauguration and foundation stones  laying ceremonies. He laid the stone of permanent campus of IIM Sambalpur, Odisha on Jan 2. Then, in quick succession, GAIL’s much-delayed Kochi-Mangaluru natural gas pipeline project was inaugurated on Jan 4, 2021.

Fair enough. But, trumpeting achievements through long speeches is like addressing  a political rally. Public apathy. I do not blame  PM Modi ,but, his chatukaars. These  insidious enemies  include his ghost speech writers who takes pride in producing long speeches. More quantitative than qualitative.

I have always stood against PM’s detractors who have failed to advise him appropriately. Modi is irreplaceable.  As his fan , I consider it my duty  to be upfront.

Reverting to PM’s speech at IIM Sambhalpur, one is not sure  whether PM had the clear idea of what the Management schools are supposed to teach? What did he want to convey by his favourite expression : “ Innovation, integrity and inclusive ?” Are these subjects taught in IIMs? Or, was it just a south indian Saambhar-like phraseology that can be used on any occasions : political, scientific or religious. Why is PM fond of giving a stick to the wayward Opposition to beat his party with?

Does the country need more management schools? Absolutely not. For most  management aspirants , the objective of  getting  management  diploma or degree  from low grade schools, is not enterprise but a good job with attractive salary. A vast majority of them do not get anything like that because of  poor quality of intake and worse, teaching. The bitter truth is that  the top management schools  admit only the best students with exceptional academic records. Here is a revelation based on my decade long experience as a Mentor for  civil services aspirants. My long experience holding  a critical position in UPSC at senior level ,comes in handy.

Of late, the management aspirants are not getting attracted to new IIMs. The latest  trend is that  even managers  trained in top IIMs are now keen to join the  Civil Services  after appearing in  UPSC civil services examination.

The little known fact is   that students ,no longer, wish to compete  in the admission process for IIMs like Vizag, Bodh Gaya, Nagpur or Sambhalpur. The new IIMs are being mentored by old IIMs which are known by their alumni rather than competent faculties. The private management schools are money-making machines. Poor infrastructures and incompetent faculties.

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) as the  national-level Apex Advisory Body under Min of HRD ,is mandated  to conduct  surveys of facilities available for technical education and  promote development. A big farce. A den of corruption. No recognitions / No clean chits  without  money power.

Same opinion  is held  by me for opening new medical  colleges across the country. Bribes running  into crores of rupees. PM may  hold a judicial  and transparent enquiry as to how teams of  fake teachers and  medical doctors  are created with hired buildings infrastructures for getting NOC for opening  private managements institutes and universities . Congress-led UPA and its supreme, were specialists in games of corruption.

Flawed recruitment models  continue to produce accidental  bureaucrats. Too many  job seekers in the country.

Game-changing reforms are needed to grapple with India’s increasing responsibilities and bring about  Good governance, PM’s favourite dream, still remains a far cry.

Pakistani avaam trusts anti-corona  vaccine made in India, more than  Chinese product. So cheap and effective. But, the vicious, backstabber Pakistan, has no face to seek  assistance from India.

Let WIC surfers from Pakistan ponder over this and de-throne Imran Khan. These Pak citizens are India’s ambassadors in Vaccinationalism.

A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

Shri P C Hota’s passing away on Dec 31, 2020, is a sad loss . I served  under him  as Joint Secretary while he was Secretary, DOP&T. He later became Chairperson ,UPSC in 1996. He had been under acute depression for about  three  years.

A highly regarded IAS officer, 1962  batch.  Hota committee report  is a well known document on reforms in UPSC

May his soul rest in peace.

A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

All CJIs, past and present, have  been  regularly expressing  concerns about massive judicial backlog due to non-availibility of judges. Out of total pendency of  3 crores cases , 2.7 crores  are reportedly pending in subordinate courts; 40 lakh in 24 High Courts; 40,000 or so  in Supreme Court? The situation is going  from bad to worse  due to non-functioning courts during  Covid-19  pendemic.

Delivery of timely judicial verdicts is  part of  Fundamental Right to Justice. The Indian society has grown highly litigious. Appeals are filed on frivolous grounds in the hope of getting favourable judgments. The courts must curb such tendencies. Justice M C Chagla in his autobiography (Roses in December) dealt with solutions to the problem. A must read for judges and lawyers.

The PILs are filed not to help the poor. The ulterior motive is to benefit the political heavy weights, top corporate houses , builders mafia etc. The lawyers charge hefty fees, getting free publicity with the help of  electronic media.

Following steps are suggested for consideration of  M/Law &Justice and the Judiciary :--

(a) Union of India as the largest litigant, must exercise restraints in filing appeals in High courts. Out-of-court  settlements must be encouraged.

(b) Strengthen judicial infrastructure; Use information technology; Taking help of  artificial intelligence could do wonders.

(c)Courts must club cases of same nature and treat them at par;

(d) Promote Gram-Nyayaalay with effective regulation through delegation of powers ;

(e) Conducting  Lok Adalats more frequently ;

(f)Fast- track administration of  justice to seekers of sexually assaulted victims, SC, ST and the minorities;

(g) Practising judicial activism by junior judges should be the new normal. Make judges accountable to deliver time-bound , well-reasoned judgements. Reasons for giving frequent adjournments must be probed by committees  set up by different High courts. The defaulters  must be reprimanded, wherever considered necessary. The SC may lay down guidelines;

(h)  Social issues should not be mixed with legal issues. The job of  judiciary is to interpret the law and deliver judgements and leave the job of creating laws to Law makers, the Legislatures;

(i) The Min of Law &Justice should consider appointing retired judicial officers as ad hoc judges by invoking Art 224 (A) of the Constitution of India ;

(j) Judiciary must review lists of pendencies and delete cases that have become in-fructuous and time-barred;

(k)The centre must fast track constitution of All India Judicial Services to fill vacancies in Subordinate  judiciary.

Let  PM Modi adopt it as country's  New Year’s  resolution.

A K Saxena (A former civil servant)