Friday, September 14, 2018

Naveen has destroyed all anti-corruption mechanisms in Odisha


Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister has not only patronized and promoted corruption but groomed, nourished and nurtured corrupt political leaders and bureaucrats in Odisha

He has also destroyed  all anti-corruption mechanisms  in the state.

Propaganda about “ Naveen Patnaik is transparent and intolerant to corruption” is a paid media induced campaign floated  by  corrupt bureaucrats  to keep his image  clean in the public domain. So that they can keep unhesitatingly continue  their loot of   state resources  and State exchequer which is going on , exposed  under RTI and Dr. Damodar Rout. 

Dear friends
Let me cite two examples to justify my above allegations against Chief Minister.
1. Directorate of Vigilance functioning under direct control of Chief Minister is one of the agencies having mandate to investigate into allegation of corruption, irregularities   against Govt. officials.  But investigation into any corruption by the state vigilance requires prior sanction of the Chief Minister.  Within last 10 years, a number of   cases of  corruption and scams has been filed in the State  Vigilance which are pending  for investigation , as  Chief Minister has refused  to give sanction.  For example, Dal Scam which is one of the mega scams involving loot of Rs. 700 crores by top IAS officers including Mr. V. Pandian was suppressed at the direction of Chief Minister. Similarly, complaint cases on OSCB Scam, OMFED Scam has been suppressed by the State Vigilance.

While filling complaints of corruption and irregularities, the complainants were  filling RTI applications to the office of Director, Vigilance  to track  their  complaints  and action taken   by the  State Vigilance. When the inaction and failure of office of Vigilance  to enquire into allegation of corruption  was exposed under RTI,  the  Chief Minister  took  overnight  decision  to keep directorate of Vigilance out of purview of RTI Act in 2015.  Since then, the people who are filling  corruption cases  are in dark  whether any inquiry  is going on or not. This was one of biggest strategies of Naveen Patnaik to suppress  the  corruption.

2.       Institution of Lokpal and lokayukta is farce
 The office of lokpal constituted under the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 1995   is another body empowered to enquire into allegation of corruption and irregularities in State Government. A retired Judge of High Court is appointed as Lokpal of the State.  Though it is a toothless body,  but  the Lokpal acts upon and conducts inquiry  into allegation of  corruption made  by anybody  in the state. The Lokpal  has done outstanding work in terms of submitting fantastic inquiry report on Vedant University  and Sanjeeb Marik case.  In 2013, after   death of the sitting Lokpal,   Chief Minister did not appoint anybody in this post which is still vacant.  The office of Lokpal is defunct  in the state.

Similarly, after enactment of the Lokpal & Lokayukta Act in the centre,  Chief Minister  took much credit  as first state   in the country passing  Odisha Lokayukta Bill  in Feb. 2014  reinforcing his  commitment to fight out corruption  through constitution of the Lokayukta in the state.  Though  the president of India  gave assent  to the Bill  in January , 2015,  Chief Minister  did not take any steps to  notify  the implementation of the Act nor constitute the  Lokayukta. After intervention of the Supreme Court, the State Government  on 7th July, 2018 has notified the enforcement of the Lokayukta in official gazette, but not yet made any Rules  for  constitution of Search Committee and Selection committee ( information obtained under RTI).

These are the examples how Naveen Patnaik does  not want any inquiry of  corruption. Naveen patnaik  has made all anti-corruption mechanism defunct in our state.
 
Pradip Pradhan
M-9937843482
Date- 14.9.18

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