It is not illegal to have friends. It is not illegal to help a friend either. Indian culture encourages that. Help can be transactional, where both sides simultaneously do things for each other. It can also be one-sided, with only one party doing the other a favour. That isn’t illegal and is common amongst friends.
Why then has the country come up in arms against Robert Vadra? Why does it give people a sick-in-the-gut feeling when hearing about his 600-fold increase in wealth in the last couple of years? Why are so many people angry over him buying luxury apartments, hotel stakes and land, offered as sweet deals from a friend called DLF?
The India Against Corruption (IAC) has done a gutsy and commendable job in bringing these findings to the forefront. Vadra’s shady dealings were common gossip in banking circles for years. The media knew it well too. However, it is the IAC that crystallized the outrage, presented some documents and made it a topic of household discussion.
IAC’s next move, however, demanding an independent investigation into Vadra, is probably going to disappoint them. Firstly, a fair and independent investigation is nearly impossible in India against the Gandhi family, especially when they are in power. Second, and more important, is even if a fair investigation is conducted, there may not be much illegality in what Vadra did (ignoring the charges of fraudulent financial statement, as alleged in some news reports). After all, Vadra made a friend in DLF, and DLF helped Vadra out. That’s all the paper trail may reveal, despite exhaustive investigations. In fact, when powerful people help each other, they are smart enough to keep the paper trail sacrosanct. Expensive lawyers and CAs work hard to ensure the deals have a semblance of legality, whatever the intent.
Proving quid-pro-quo is going to be even more difficult. A company like DLF has a vast presence. It needs the government to cooperate with it in hundreds of places. DLF does not need to do a quid pro quo or transactional help. It would rather do favors and make friends in the government. Favours, as the eponymous character in the novel The Godfather would say, that could be utilized at a later date in the form of return favours.
In fact, proximity and access to the family are of huge value. If DLF seniors are seen hanging out with the Gandhis, would not the Congress CM in Haryana view DLF’s requests, well, a little differently? Neither DLF, nor the family, nor the Haryana government may ever sit down and spell out how each will help the other. They don’t need to, for they are friends. There’s nothing illegal about it, right?
In fact, this lack of, or hard to prove illegality is the cornerstone of the defence put forward by the Congress’ army of spokespersons and eager-beaver sycophants. ‘It’s a private matter’ or ‘prove give and take’ are often the arguments given. It is hard to fault them completely, for the legal bases are probably well covered, or at least very difficult to prove otherwise.
And yet, what happened is ethically wrong. Politicians work for the benefit of common people, not for their friends, business partners and relatives. At least that is the assumption people had about the Gandhi family. People also assumed that they believed in simplicity and were above personal greed, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. After all, what use is wearing simple cotton sarees and kurtas, implying simplicity, when your family members are accumulating hundreds of crores by exploiting political power?
There will be a huge price the Gandhis and Congress will pay for this. Ethics may not matter in courts, but do matter in the hearts of people. A family that betrays trust will pay the price in the next election. It may even lose that trust forever.
However, the Gandhis are by no means alone in this. Nor is this just a Congress issue. A large number of politicians have lost track of the idea that every profession in this world has ethics – it may not be illegal to break them but still is definitely wrong. A doctor must treat his patient as soon as possible, it is assumed, under ethical medical practice. But if he delays treatment, it would be hard to prove it illegal. A teacher must try to teach her students well, though if she doesn’t, it won’t be illegal. Society needs ethics as much as laws to function well.
A politician should think a hundred times before forging friendships with people with whom there might be a future conflict of interest, and a million times before they accept any substantial favors. Favours usually oblige one to return them, and if that means hurting the interests of people that put you in that position, the effects can be devastating. Vadra’s foolish greed and love for DLF, and the other family members’ tacit approval, will cost the Gandhis. The cost will be in terms of reputation and esteem. Wise people know these are priceless and far more valuable than anything quoted in rupees per square feet.