A group of prominent personalities of India wrote an open letter addressed to Indian politicians urging to address governance deficit and corruption. The group includes big industrialists and businessmen like Deepak Parekh, Azim Premji, Jamshyd Godrej, Keshub Mahindra to erudite people like former central bank governor Bimal Jalan and few others.
In the letter, they introduced themselves as “a small group of like-minded citizens who are concerned with the general deterioration in the overall value system of the nation, but have abiding belief and commitment in India’s potential and prospects as a successful democracy.”
The background for the letter seems to be the 5-day World Economic Forum annual meet to be held at Davos, Switzerland the next week, starting on January 26. Apart from 125 Indian CEOs, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister P Chidambaram, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, Transport Minister Kamal Nath and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia will participate.
According to CII President Hari Bhartia, the Indian delegation, is expected to face unsavory questions about corruption and “governance deficit” in India.
Few highlights from the letter:
- … widespread GOVERNANCE DEFICIT almost in every sphere of national activity covering government, business and institutions… creation of genuinely independent and constitutionally constituted regulatory bodies, manned by persons who are judicially trained in the concerned field, would be one of the first and important steps to restore public confidence.
- …the biggest issue corroding the fabric of our nation is ‘CORRUPTION’. This malaise needs to be tackled with a sense of urgency, determination and on a war footing. There is a need for every State to have effective and fully empowered Lok Ayuktas… for the purpose of highlighting, pursuing and dealing with corruption issues and corrupt individuals…
- Time is overdue for India’s elected representatives to DISTINGUISH BETWEEN DISSENT AND DISRUPTION…
- It is widely acknowledged that the benefits of growth are not reaching the poor and marginalised sections adequately… This is because of some critical issues like ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS and differences in perspectives between central and state governments.
- … Dealing determinedly with GOVERNANCE and aggressively against CORRUPTION, while openly debating these issues by elected legislators is the only means left to reassure our citizens.
- We believe that through urgent, concerted action in which we are ready to lend a hand, positive change can be achieved.
- We believe that through urgent, concerted action in which we are ready to lend a hand, positive change can be achieved.
Signatured by:
- Mr N Vaghul, Chairman – ICICI Knowledge Park
- Mr Deepak Parekh, Chairman – HDFC
- Dr Ashok Ganguly, member of The Prime Minister’s Council on Trade and Industry
- Mr Jamshyd Godrej, Chairman – Board of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd
- Justice Sam Variava, former Chief Justice – Delhi High Court
- Prof M Narasimham, former Governor – RBI
- Mr Yezdi Malegam, RBI central board director
- Ms Anu Aga, Ex-Chairman – Thermax Ltd.
- Dr A Vaidyanathan, RBI central board director
- Dr Bimal Jalan, former Governor – RBI
- Mr Keshub Mahindra, Chairman – Mahindra Group
- Mr Azim Premji, Chairman – Wipro
- Mr Nachiket Mor, Chairman – ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth
- Justice B N Srikrishna, retired Judge – Supreme Court of India
For full letter please click here.
Source: Hindustan Times