ED had recently seized ₹3 crore cash from an associate of a Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA. Instead, it has only brought the shroud of scrutiny on top the state’s ruling coalition and by extension evoked issues of corruption. How will this affect the state’s political landscape? Let’s dive into the details.
The ED’s action was a part of its ongoing probe into money laundering and corruption. The cash, he claimed, was purportedly seized from supporters of the JMM and its allies. The cash might be linked to unlawful activity, but police want to conduct more inquiries before connecting it. The agency said it was ‘tracing documents’ and calling in people for questioning to find out how the cash had been revealed, but its purpose has not yet been disclosed.
Holding the reputation of being one of the most corrupt states in India although geographically rich in natural resources and tribal treasure, Jharkhand has witnessed heap of corruption scandals every year. This has once again opened up the debate about transparency in governance. To we the people, such exercising of public funds into private interests rings alarm bells about misappropriation. Does that, then, make it sound like this development fund was deployed elsewhere?
The state ruling coalition, led by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), has denied wrong-doing. Members of the party have alleged that these allegations against the ruling dispensation are politically motivated and an unsavory attempt to tarnish its image. That has allowed opposition parties to take turns beating up the government, and calls for an investigation and heads to roll. The representatives maintain that such incidents damage goodwill of the government which in turn delays developmental work in state.
Common read news thus comes as a relief — albeit an uneasy one. Some see this as a good news — Period! ED or any other government sleuths will start probing now and hopefully catch the corrupt. A sense of frustration: If there are repeated instances of scandal, the trust in the top level leadership can go away. This incident raises broader issues on how public money is administered and whether there is a need for it to strengthen systems to ensure transparency.
The JD ED action in Jharkhand serves as its chief reminder that the fight against corruption rages on in India. The probe will be significant however it goes, but we’re just going to have to see if it produces anything real or if this is all a bunch of political theater. For the moment, Jharkhand, India will be watching and if nothing else it a beacon of hope for a system that would not often see such sordid events.
