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Whistleblowers must be hailed, not jailed: Advani
Describing the cash-for-vote scandal to save the Manmohan Singh Government during a trust vote in 2008 as “most shameful”, senior BJP leader LK Advani on Saturday said whistleblowers must be hailed and not jailed.
Two ex-MPs of BJP, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Bhagor who had exposed the scandal by bringing the bribe money to Parliament, have been sent to jail. Ashok Argal, another MP, who refused to switch sides under influence of bribe money, is a sitting MP and his case of arrest has been referred by Lok Sabha Speaker to Attorney General.
“The three MPs who exposed the Government’s dark deed have rendered a signal service to democracy. And Government, whose official ARC report has emphasised that this kind of whistleblowing merits not only statutory protection but is an ethical act as well. Statutory protection may be necessary for Government employees. But for Members of Parliament ethical conduct is a justification by itself,” Advani wrote on his blog on Saturday.
He quoted from the recommendations made by M Veerappa Moily (Congress) headed Administrative Reforms Commission, which asked for protection of whistleblowers. Advani pointed out that Laws providing such protection to whistleblowers also exist in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand.
Advani maintained that the scandal was a black spot not only for the UPA Government, but it has also besmirched Indian democracy as well. “When on September 6 evening, I heard that two of the three MPs who had acted as whistleblowers had been sent to jail, I did feel extremely upset,” said Advani, who had recently demanded in the Lok Sabha that if these MPs were guilty so was he being the Leader of the Opposition at that point of time.
“If, however, the Government thinks that what it has done is wrong and so has put them behind bars I would like to tell the Treasury Benches, I am even more guilty because I did not restrain them. Send me also to Tihar,” he added.
Two ex-MPs of BJP, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Bhagor who had exposed the scandal by bringing the bribe money to Parliament, have been sent to jail. Ashok Argal, another MP, who refused to switch sides under influence of bribe money, is a sitting MP and his case of arrest has been referred by Lok Sabha Speaker to Attorney General.
“The three MPs who exposed the Government’s dark deed have rendered a signal service to democracy. And Government, whose official ARC report has emphasised that this kind of whistleblowing merits not only statutory protection but is an ethical act as well. Statutory protection may be necessary for Government employees. But for Members of Parliament ethical conduct is a justification by itself,” Advani wrote on his blog on Saturday.
He quoted from the recommendations made by M Veerappa Moily (Congress) headed Administrative Reforms Commission, which asked for protection of whistleblowers. Advani pointed out that Laws providing such protection to whistleblowers also exist in the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand.
Advani maintained that the scandal was a black spot not only for the UPA Government, but it has also besmirched Indian democracy as well. “When on September 6 evening, I heard that two of the three MPs who had acted as whistleblowers had been sent to jail, I did feel extremely upset,” said Advani, who had recently demanded in the Lok Sabha that if these MPs were guilty so was he being the Leader of the Opposition at that point of time.
“If, however, the Government thinks that what it has done is wrong and so has put them behind bars I would like to tell the Treasury Benches, I am even more guilty because I did not restrain them. Send me also to Tihar,” he added.
