[IAC#RG]

COLVALE JAIL AND NOT IAS – THE ROAD AHEAD FOR ARUN DESAI

By Aires Rodrigues

Arun Desai, the mastermind in the infamous RTO bribery case is no novice to Corruption. Any government servant will recall that as Secretary to Manohar Parrikar in 2000 during his first tenure as Chief Minister of Goa, Arun Desai used to openly collect for all and sundry. How they shared that booty only the two would know.

With all other officers being frequently tossed around Arun Desai managed and manipulated to remain firmly saddled on the treasure throne as the Director of Transport for a record uninterrupted last over five years, only to be transferred out this week after a written note moved by the Anti- corruption Branch.  

The alarming levels of Corruption in Goa is a matter of great concern. Corruption has soared to towering levels over the last three and a half years of the BJP rule. The Director of Vigilance Amarsen Rane and Superintendent of Police Bosco George heading the Anti- Corruption wing in the Vigilance department along with their teams are very competent and conscientious officers but lack the power and freedom to function independently. They need the government approval for everything, even to register a preliminary inquiry against an erring official.  The BJP has infact been misusing the Vigilance department only to target and silence voices of political dissent.

The BJP should be ashamed that it is promoting an awfully rotten officer Arun Desai to the IAS cadre. If Zero Tolerance to Corruption is the mantra, the government should keep Arun Desai in Goa to prosecute and punish him for all his misdeeds.

There can be only one Road Map ahead for the beleaguered Arun Desai. Colvale Jail and not the IAS cadre should be the destination for an officer who has so well excelled and distinguished himself in the art and finesse of Corruption.