UPA’s ostrich attitude towards corruption is not working

I write this in anguish. A national newspaper carried a front page report on 28 November accusing a key Central intelligence organisation of squandering public money in the guise of secret operational expenditure. The report said that 30 Maruti Alto cars were purchased from secret funds to provide conveyance to officers not entitled to staff cars. Other allegations related to purchase of secret surveillance equipment without testing. A few months ago a Central technical organisation was accused of illegal telephone tapping including of those belonging to Congress politicians. A few years ago, repeated allegations against the first organisation in Indian and foreign media referred to misuse of secret funds to purchase air tickets for senior officers' spouses. Some other reports referred to gender discrimination. Not a single allegation was officially denied after enquiry by government spokespersons, although these sensitive departments work directly under the National Security Adviser, who is part of the Prime Minister's Office.

The public tends to believe such allegations if flung repeatedly at them without any official rejoinder.

The UPA government's ostrich type attitude of ignoring uncomfortable allegations has not paid off. For nearly two years they ignored repeated media alerts on the 2G scam, which has now blown up on their face. It is true that the purchase of equipment for secret intelligence work cannot be subjected to normal procedure like inviting open tenders. However, government had established a procedure long ago on such secret purchases by involving technical experts from other departments and getting high level Ministry of Finance clearance through top secret files. There should have been no such complaints if this had been done. The UPA government also lost credibility because of their Kafkaesque selections for top posts that were not entirely based on merit even in sensitive organisations. This resulted in the devaluation of such institutions. Allegations against the leadership in secret organisations tend to lower public credibility in such institutions, besides demoralising their staff who render silent service to the nation. A demoralised staff is fertile ground for subversion. The UPA government does not think that such secret organisations are as vital for the country's security and integrity as the armed forces. They feel that no notice should be taken of media exposures, forgetting that we are not living in colonial days.

On 19 January 2010 our Vice-President recommended a Parliament Standing Committee to oversee the working of the intelligence agencies, emphasising the need for more transparency, better oversight and public accountability. The UPA government's inaction on such allegations would indicate that this will only be a slogan.

History teaches us that mighty governments were brought to their knees by media exposure on secret organisations. In 1970s-1980s Great Britain, Canada and the US had to change their traditional attitude of not commenting on such allegations in view of public storm and Parliament criticism. The Nixon era abuses and Iran-Contra scandal in the Reagan presidency led to the US Congress wresting control over intelligence budget and senior appointments. In Britain, "Iron Lady" Margaret Thatcher was forced to change the traditional British "No Comments" policy within 10 days of the publication of The Climate of Treason by Andrew Boyle on 5 November 1979. The book accused Sir Anthony Blunt, Queen's "Surveyor of Art" of being a spy. The ensuing public and Parliament storm forced her to reveal a secret 1964 agreement granting immunity from prosecution when Blunt confessed. This caused severe embarrassment to the British government since Blunt had worked for the Queen even after his confession. In 1981, Mrs Thatcher was again forced to act after Chapman Pincher published Their Trade is Treachery, accusing Sir Roger Hollis, the MI-5 chief from 1956 to 1965 of being a Soviet spy. Although Hollis had died in 1973, the PM had to tell Parliament that these allegations were enquired into by competent authorities and he was cleared.

Britain relaxed its ironclad silence on intelligence services after these incidents. Now even their annual intelligence performance reports to Parliament are on internet. Canadian journalist John Sawatsky's 1983 book For Services Rendered on the controversial life of counter intelligence official Leslie Bennet set in motion the process of divesting their Police RCMP of intelligence work and creating a new service. These will indicate that ignoring repeated allegations in the media against our intelligence services can only be at our peril.

V. Bala chandran,
Former Special Secretary,
Cabinet Secretariat

http://www.sunday-guardian.com/a/1112