Far from the restful beauties of Arunachal Pradesh, a debate is arising about power. One side of the story shows the state, which mostly focuses on the development of strategic infrastructure, on the other hand, there is a story of public developmental funds that seem to revolve within a close kin of family circles. The rumors about Chief Minister Pema Khandu and the huge contracts being given to the state have now become a legal issue that has come to the limelight of the nation from local gossip. The essential issue that lies within this whole situation is a deep doubt about governance: whether the state’s resources are being used for the progress of the people or are they being diverted to strengthen private powers?
The 1,300 Crore Question: Contracts and Kinship
The police investigation is largely focused on the alleged organized awarding of Public Works Department contracts to companies either owned by or closely related to the Chief Minister’s family members. Ten years have elapsed since the courts have been presented with reports and petitions revealing a shocking figure almost 1,200 to 1,300 crore allocated to projects related to the construction of very basic infrastructural facilities.
The Power Loop
Allegations indicate that the main beneficiaries of the government tenders have been a number of companies, including those associated with the wife and the brothers of the Chief Minister. The signaling to the public that such decisions were final would obscure the fact that the contracts were repeatedly flowing to the same few family-owned businesses.
The Supreme Court and the CBI Signal
When it comes to a democratic setup, corruption allegations can be found all along the way, but when the Supreme Court finds a need to intervene, then it totally changes things. The highest court has been asked to direct a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to look into these assets and contract awards.
A Large and Powerful Message
An approval by the Supreme Court to consider the request for a CBI investigation against a current Chief Minister is not the “next-door” administrative step; on the contrary, it is a very top-level communication that the state’s internal investigative agencies are either compromised or biased.
Legal Scrutiny
The court’s intervention points to a “prima facie” suspicion of misuse of public funds that were supposed to be used for roads, schools, and bridges but instead were used for the building of private fortunes.
Governance as a “Family Enterprise”
The ethical lapse in this case is as serious as the legal one. Government is a holy trust and a duty of managing the resources of the community for the welfare of all. When such trust is exchanged for nepotism, the whole society gets deeply affected. When contracts are “reserved” for those who have the right last name, it strongly discourages local entrepreneurs and honest contractors. It shows the youth of Arunachal that merit will always come after connections and that the “system” is controlled by the top level persons.
Infrastructure at Stake
When work is kept within a family circle, absence of independent monitoring often results in higher costs or poor quality work. The roads that get destroyed after one monsoon or the schools that are left half-finished are the tangible evidences of this wrongdoing.
A Systematic Diversion of Resources
The scale of this alleged corruption is not merely a rounding error; it might constitute a substantial part of the state’s development budget for the past decade. According to the estimates, contracts worth between 1,200 and 1,300 crore are now under investigation, mostly pertaining to the high-budget departments like the Public Works Department and Hydro-power sectors. These charges are a clear breach of public administration ethics, depicting a scenario where public interest seems to have been compromised for private profit. Meanwhile, the issue is now at the stage of the Supreme Courts awaiting a CBI/ED investigation. However, the socio-economic sufferings caused by the use of public funds as a family property are already well known. The phrase “Zero Tolerance for Corruption” often seen on the billboards of the ruling party turns out to be a mere slogan when public money is treated like a family inheritance.
The Legitimacy Gap
The BJP ruling party stands before its reflection. How can it claim to be the leading light of honesty when the leaders of its regional unit are accused of using the state treasury as a private money box?
The defense put forward most commonly is that these are “politically motivated” charges. Political motivation however does not negate the existence of a huge paper trail. This state, Arunachal Pradesh can either be a leading example of Himalayan development or a warning of “crony regionalism.” Public funds are not private property. Unless there is a transparent and independent investigation of the “Khandu Family Contracts,” the suspicion of corruption will be present with every new road and bridge constructed in the state. It’s high time to let those in power know that they are the managers of the people’s wealth, not the owners.