Tackling corruption and black money high on agenda of national parties, does not figure in manifestos of Dravidian parties

With exposing of multi-crore scams by anti-corruption activists being one of the most persistent highlights of UPA-II government, the topic obviously figures prominently in the poll manifesto of both the BJP and Congress parties for Lok Sabha 2014.

While the BJP lists tackling corruption and proliferation of black money as one its top agenda to be handled immediately, a concrete plan for preventing corruption is absent in the party’s manifesto.

The party claims that it will establish a system which eliminates scope for corruption through public awareness, technology enabled e-governmance, system-based, policy driven governance making it transparent and through simplication of processes and procedures at all levels, thereby bestowing faith among citizens in government institutions.

The BJP manifesto states that it is committed to initiate the process of tracking down and bringing back black money stashed in foreign banks and offshore accounts, which is a direct lift from the AAP manifesto. “We will set up a Task Force for this purpose and to recommend amendments to existing laws or enact new laws. The process of bringing back black money to India what belongs to India, will be put in motion on priority. We will also proactively engage with foreign Governments to facilitate information sharing on black money,” the party manifesto states.

The Congress party claims that it will be handling corruption through the enactment of various legislations that are expected to empower the common citizen.

If voted to power again, the party vows to enact the Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011, Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organizations Bill 2011 to criminalise bribes offered by foreign officials and organizations, the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, and even the Public Procurement Bill, 2012 that will regulate public procurement by all Ministries and Departments of the Central government, Central Public Sector Enterprises and bodies controlled by the Central government to ensure transparency.

While tackling corruption does not figure in the manifestos of the AIADMK or DMK, the AIADMK claims that action will be taken to bring back to India many lakh crores of rupees which are lying in banks in foreign countries.