World awaits India to get its act together

At the end of 2010, there has to be some sort of quick stocktaking before going forward. The UPA government’s record has turned out to be dismal in the year.

The man who lost his sheen is prime minister Manmohan Singh. His personal integrity remains intact, but that’s about it. But even his most ardent admirers are asking themselves whether being a good man is enough to make someone a good leader.

Singh seemed helpless in tackling corruption all round him, whether it was the Commonwealth Games or the 2G spectrum scam, two of the biggest to rock the country in recent times.

The government, the ruling coalition, especially the Congress, and the political class, in general, cannot anymore make corruption an issue and point fingers at others.

The Congress accused the BJP of corruption in Karnataka, and the BJP has done the same to the Congress at the Centre. Political parties have to realise that people are not willing to tolerate corruption any more, and they cannot handle the issue with rhetorical gestures.

Corruption is not just about the credibility of the political class. It is also closely connected to the health of the economy and its growth. The involvement of corporate players in the 2G scam has deepened the crisis over corruption.

Captains of industry can certainly blame politicians for dragging them into the cesspool, but now that they have been dragged into it they have to get themselves out. India cannot remain the economic powerhouse it is if corruption corrodes governance. The private sector will have to join the efforts of civil society to clean up the system.

This is just the debit side of the story. The credit side looks bright. Singh, who appears so weak on the domestic front, commands huge respect in the global arena. And this was evident from the high regard in which US president Barack Obama, French president Nicolas Sarkozy and others hold Singh. Not since the time of Nehru has India enjoyed such goodwill and confidence in the world.

There is also the fact that a recession-battered world is looking to India along with China to revive the global economy. Indian entrepreneurs, our skilled and educated middle class workforce, and the cultured and catholic ethos of the people are prized civilisational assets in the 21st century. India has much that is going for it but all this will be lost unless the canker of corruption is contained.