Hyderabad: Three decades ago, the city of Mumbai became well-known as the cradle of notorious underworld criminals. Arun Gawli (also known as Arun Gulab Ahir), is one of those who rocked the financial capital with murders, kidnappings and extortion, who suddenly got enlightened under the Bodhisattva tree of Indian democracy two decades ago.
No matter to what extent he spread his criminal empire and threatened those who used his name to extort money, Gawli knew well that he may collapse any time in the police crossfire. In 1997, he formed a party named 'Akhil Bharatiya Sena' and has been playing political chess successfully, since then, even making the police his bodyguards in spite of more than three dozen criminal cases against him. All the risks and dangers were nullified when he transformed himself from a ‘Dan’ to a leading 'Politician'!
No wonder that subsequently politicians have sharpened and fine-tuned their professional skills without getting their hands dirty! In Brihan Mumbai, the eighth-largest city of rich men in the world, the Home Minister of the state has been accused by the police that he has involved himself in capitalist Dadagiri. The crime story that started with the parking of an explosive-laden vehicle in front of Mukesh Ambani's residence has unfolded the curious state of criminal politics in the state of Maharashtra that cost the Home Minister his position. Going into details.....
Also read: CBI summons Anil Deshmukh in connection alleged corruption case
The assassination of Mansukh Hiren, the owner of a vehicle laden with heavy explosives parked outside Mukesh Ambani's residence, has shocked the entire country. The arrest of NIA-Mumbai Police Assistant Inspector Sachin Vaze, who has been digging deep into the case for six weeks, is the darkest aspect of the conspiracy!
The Maharashtra government has transferred Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh for failing to deal effectively against such a grave crime. The letter written by Singh to the Chief Minister after receiving transfer orders has created a sensation. He alleged that the Home Minister Anil Deshmukh had set targets of forced monthly collection for his subordinates. The allegations of extortion levelled by Sachin Vaze who is now in NIA custody, against Anil Deshmukh and another minister, Anil Parab had created a major political turmoil. A day before the Public Interest Litigation in the Mumbai High Court came up for hearing, the Uddhav Thackeray government had ordered a judicial inquiry into the whole affair but to no avail.
Given the seriousness of the allegations against the Home Minister, the Mumbai High Court had ordered a CBI inquiry into the need for an impartial probe to uncover the facts. The Home Minister had to resign and step down. With the Supreme Court refusing to stop the High Court orders, the CBI has set forth immediately to conclude the preliminary inquiry within a fortnight. The sum and substance of the allegations are that the Home Minister had ordered a collection of Rs 3-3.50 lakh each from about 1,650 bars and restaurants in Mumbai.
In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling that the police are a group of organized criminals, the minister might have felt justifiable in expecting their service as a token of their duty to him! The prophecy of the BJP bosses that the tremors created by the investigation will not stop with Anil Deshmukh and will unsettle some more seats....is sure to intensify Maharashtra politics even further!
Also read: ACB raids Ajmer's IRS officer's residence; recovered Rs 80 lakh cash
It is difficult for us to comprehend and appreciate the unbiased duty-consciousness of the Norwegian police who slapped a fine of $2,352 on their Prime Minister Erna Solberg for having violated Covid regulations. The root cause of all forms of corruption domestically is political corruption. Thanks to the political parties who invite criminals with open hands into politics, we are a well-organized country with an environment in which criminals can come to the forefront as legislators and lawmakers.
Until recently, there were 42 ministers in the Maharashtra cabinet, of which 27 have criminal cases against them, while 18 of them are facing charges of heinous crimes. Is it any wonder that a minister who was an integral part of such a setup instigated extortion, while another minister lost his position as an accused in a Tik-Tok star suicide case? Is it possible anywhere that those who are facing serious criminal charges can turn the wheel of power as ministers and chief ministers, except in India? Vijay Hansaria, an aide to the court (amicus curiae), reported to the Supreme Court last September that domestically, 2,556 MLAs and MPs from 22 states are facing criminal charges; if the ex-members are taken into account, the number would reach 4,442. Despite the good intentions to purge the sinful from the system by setting up special courts, there is no trace of the guilty being punished!
Also read: Congress alleges 'massive corruption' in Rafale deal, seeks reply from govt
If the leaders of yesteryears gave up everything and brought freedom, today's leaders are sacrificing all values and faithfully working in amassing wealth by all possible immoral and illegal means! India is losing all its credibility by having slid six positions in the list of corrupt countries! While the strategy of turning the police personnel into illegal money collectors to meet the selfish interests of political leaders has failed in Maharashtra, we cannot confidently say that it is not being implemented anywhere else!
Where the philosophy of 'why beg when there is plenty to loot' is flourishing, who can say that hundreds of billions of settlements are not going smoothly and amicably? As Bharat Ratna Vajpayee said, power is promoting corruption. The whole system is being poisoned by corruption. In these circumstances, the shining of our democracy compares well with a colourful and shining fruit swallowed and hollowed inside by pests and worms!
