"Ease of business" is turning out to be "business with grease"
No surprise that govt officials have been "pleased" to get the business going
PATNA: Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Subodh Kant Sahai sought an inquiry by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court into an alleged payoff worth ₹8,500 crore to the officials and representatives of the Central government by e-retail giant Amazon for relaxing the regulations of e-businesses.
While speaking on Amazons purported bribery matter, Mr. Sahai alleged here today that local traders were running out of business as a result of the enormous freedom given to the multinational companies.
Mr Sahai who was here in connection with partys by-election campaign in the Kusheshwarsthan and Tarapur assembly constituencies to be held on October 30 told media persons at the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) office, that Amazon had made a statement in its latest annual financial report that it has spent the amount (₹8,500 crore) in the legal process in India during the years 2017-20. “The e-retail giants like Amazon and Flipkart have managed to run smooth operations in India despite legal restraints,” alleged the Congress leader.
Mr Sahai justified his demand for an inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge by stating that he was doing so in view of the Chief Justice of Indias remarks in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. "The CJI was sceptical of the CBIs ability to conduct a fair investigation into the case. Furthermore, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has made numerous requests to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal for a CBI investigation into the alleged kickback, but has received no response," added the Congress leader.
Speaking on Amazons purported bribery matter he said that it was a serious issue with wider implications. The "ease of business" is turning out to be "business with grease". No surprise that govt officials have been "pleased" to get the business going.
Mr Sahay said that Modi Governments loud claim about probity notwithstanding, information about heavily leaking administrative edifice is now pouring in from all directions. He alleged that BJP ruled state governments are extremely porous, is an open secret as those dealing with them confess about "a million holes" in every official business through which the legendary "chai-paani demands" fill the official coffers. The lid, one feels, will be blown off if an independent agency investigates the Amazon matter.
According to the former Union Minister, due to the unrestricted business regime granted to international e-commerce companies, roughly 14 crore individuals working in micro, medium, and small businesses, merchants, and agricultural marketing were left to fend for themselves.
Mr. Sahai remarked that the Modi Governments flip-flop commerce policy is equally tormenting and does not t protect the interests of small and medium Indian traders/retailers. Occasional arm-twisting of Multinational Giants (MG) like Amazon is blatant exhibitionism. That its officials are MG pocket boroughs has been shown by the Amazon "Whistle Blower".
Describing Modi Government arrogantly as anti-kisan he said that it is also treacherously anti-small-medium-trader-retailer. This is the disaster this government has inflicted on the poor, marginalized, downtrodden of India, he alleged and cautioned the people not to live under the illusion that millions of rupees of public money thrown on a blitzkrieg of full-page advertisements will bring electoral rewards.
He further stated that the Government Employees can never forget the freeze on their DA and absolutely illegitimate denial of DA arrears when Modi Government is unabashedly throwing so much money in advertisements?.
Dubbing Amazon issue as just the tip of the iceberg, the Congress leader said that fair investigation will ignite the fire that will once again bring issues of the general public languishing under the twin burdens of poverty and inflation in the focus and will eventually bring the fall of the authoritarian and tormenting Modi Government.
In response to a question about the state of the Congress in Bihar and Jharkhand, Sahai stated that the 135-year-old party will be able to resurrect its great history once the transitional period, driven by polarisation and rhetoric, was through. "Congress has always fought for matters of public concern and national pride, he claimed.
People will eventually realise that emotive problems laced with communal intent and grandiose ambitions of Great Bharat are leading them astray," remarked the Congress leader.
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