The real story behind “Adarsh”
Excerpts from “The media has misled us on the Adarsh scam” by Carl H. Gomes, courtesy VigilOnline:
The “housing for widows of the “martyrs” of Kargil” is a media creation because the scheme was never meant for them nor was the plot reserved in their name.
..The project was never promoted as a housing project for the widows of Kargil..the Kargil conflict itself was used as a ploy to get the land transferred to the society with the active connivance of the Defence Estate Officers..
…The Navy had no role to play in giving clearances at that time but top naval brass were offered flats all the same as one of the promoters was a naval officer…The Adarsh plot is not located in far away Yeotmal or Aurangabad but in tony South Bombay (So Bo, as it is called) where property prices are the highest in the world and there is little vacant land left. It is just a stone’s throw away from and in full view of the headquarters of the Maharashtra government, “Mantralaya”, the BMC Headquarters and the Headquarters of the GOC, M&G Area. The building did not come up surreptitiously but grew in stature under the benign gaze of the worthies who occupy these hallowed premises and had their blessings.
The problems really started when the Revenue Minister (now Chief Minister) Ashok Chavan demanded 40% of the flats for civilians (read politicians and bureaucrats). A modest housing project of 6 floors slowly expanded to 31 floors to accommodate the swelling demand…
…This project never had any link to ‘war veterans and/or widows of Kargil’ who were the invisible pawns in the game. We have only been compelled by the media to think that way. In fact, membership was restricted to Maharashtrians and those who could prove domicile in Maharashtra – so much so even the two former Army Chiefs did not just walk in – they had to get exemption from the highest levels of the government, even though this is not a government project.
Image: Collage created from images courtesy NDTV and IBNLive
A few interesting points to consider:
…Heroes and widows of Kargil war number more than one thousand. Most of them have already been allotted flats in Dwarka in Delhi or in their own home states…Besides, it is unthinkable that the Army would think of a welfare activity which could benefit just a small fraction of deserving personnel.
The Navy did not participate in the Kargil conflict yet there are several naval personnel amongst the members. The Air Force did participate but not one AF person is a member…
In conclusion, Carl Gomes ask (emphasis added):
…but will the politician and the bureaucrat be touched?
I can safely say – they won’t…since the rot goes deep – and all the way to the top…What do you think? Pl share your views and thoughts below…and as Sh Gomes’ says:
55% of Mumbai?s population of 15 million live in slums or on the streets while 13 % live in ownership flats. 70% of the rest live in one-room tenements, some of which are crumbling. In a scenario of such abject deprivation, Adarsh is a monument of shame. Let us not drag the names of Kargil heroes into this filth even by association…
Read it in full here.
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It truly rankles as to how we have come to believe that the corrupt executive and administration would prosecute themselves in courts of law.
As long as the investigative agencies are under executive control the furthest action against a case of alleged corruption would be to merely shift the individual from one post to another.
The only real safeguard against corrupt is to convict, and to convict we require agencies that are independent of the executive!
While we are grateful to the media for exposing the scam.
If what is claimed is true, then media has done a great disservice to the men in Uniform by dragging their names so prominently.
On the face of it is a clear nexus between the Politician and the babu who wanted to reward themselves for holding offices of influence.
Let us question the media about the facts, this is a dangerous trend and must not go unpunished.
Can not we have one single government project without the stench of politician whores and media pimps?
It is incorrect to say Air force and Navy did not participate in Kargil defense.
thanks for the real eye opening update .
Thanks for sharing such a important piece of news Shantanu, you are right no body will get punished. This scam already claimed its victim (poor Ashok Chavan lost his CM chair) so people will feel happy and live under false belief that justice has been delivered by removing him. New CM will set up some committees and they will submit their report (say after 10 years or so) by that time many more scams and people even wont remember this…so life goes on…
Is corruption the only issue here? The CM of an important state like Maharashtra has been summarily removed in this case. Was the process to remove the CM a proper process? What were the criteria that were applied for the decision?
I guess I will be the only one wondering about other things. The cosmetic bloggers will be happy with a cosmetic surgery!
As we all know the REAL power of this Government and the Country wrests with the bueaurecrats.
Do we have the the collective courage of our convictions to bring about a change that can prosecute the babus for any acts of inappropriate conduct.It needs an act of legislation.
The Service has act Act that prosecutes one for Good Order and Service discipline.
The babudom perhaps has something similar,but since it is constantly singing to its hand maiden “survival” that we NEVER see whistleblowers in the deep reaches of babudom.
Once legislation is enacted the voter can expect to see the power of democracy.
Till then hope springs eternal.
The optimist.
Reuben Jadhav
Along the same lines: Where is the outrage? http://on.fb.me/a9lIqG
I am planning to organise an online Skype call-in/Conference call on this topic soon.
Read the article by John Maclithon
“And now there is the Adarsh housing society scam in which the army officers, at the worst, were innocently dragged into it. We know now that it was the politicians of the Congress who benefited the most out of it.
http://expressbuzz.com/opinion/op-ed/an-empress-of-india-in-new-clothes/222331.html
Please pdf the article by John M . It may vanish.
From ‘Kargil heroes’ on Adarsh list turn out to be fake:
…Did any Kargil hero actually get a flat in Adarsh? In 2002, the society had listed two members — out of a total of 71 — as Kargil heroes. But it now turns out that the army has no record of even these two having seen action in the 1999 conflict. Worse, the two — a major and a subedar — are now missing from the new list of 103 that the Adarsh promoters released on October 26 to the media…
…
The army top brass is now considering ”firm” initiatives to ensure that names of war heroes and military widows are not misused by vested interests…