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Dr Manmohan Singh,Honorable Prime Minster,

Government of India,

New Delhi.

Subject: Implementing the October 31, 2003, United Nation resolution againstcorruption of which India is a signatory.

Warm Greeting,In 2003, the then Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi A. Annan, during the UNConvention Against Corruption noted: Corruption is an insidious plague that has a

wide range of corrosive effects on societies. It undermines democracy and the rule oflaw, leads to violations of human rights, distorts markets, erodes the quality of life andallows organized crime, terrorism and other threats to human security to flourish. He

further observed corruption is the major bottleneck in the way of development and

eradication of poverty.In this convention the Government of India became the signatory after understanding

the nuances and need to end the corruption menace in the country. It is commonknowledge that corruption is much like plague which infects democracy, judiciary andday-to-day functioning and in the longer run mars the functioning of the government. It

has been nine years since India signed this important convention against corruption,but it is unfortunate that on ground the situation remains unchanged as no action hasbeen taken.

In 1993 AN Vohra committee, which was constituted to study the problem of the

criminalisation of politics and of the nexus among criminals, politicians and bureaucratsin India, submitted its report. The report contained several observations made by

official agencies on the criminal network which was virtually running a parallelgovernment. It also discussed criminal gangs who enjoyed the patronage of politicians,

of all parties, and the protection of government functionaries. It revealed that there was

a nexus between gangs, police, bureaucrats and politicians.Our Judiciary which was established to look into individual crimes is unable to look in tosuch organized criminal nexuses. These nexus have muscle and money and are very

well connected with the politicians. Corruption has reached enormous scale and all themechanisms established to fight the menace have proved futile. It is necessary that weconfront this plague which has made the mechanisms and anti-corruptions laws

defunct. It has been almost two decades since Vohra Report was submitted but we are

yet to act on the report.The Article 6(2) of UNCAC notes: Each State Party shall grant the body or bodies

referred to in paragraph 1 of this article the necessary independence, in accordancewith the fundamental principles of its legal system, to enable the body or bodies to carry

out its or their functions effectively and free from any undue influence. The necessary

material resources and specialized staff, as well as the training that such staff mayrequire to carry out their functions, should be provided.

Despite being a signatory our government is not letting the institutions established tofight corruption function independently. What was the need to sign the UN Convention?

Is it not prudent to assume that the government doesnt want to strengthen such

institutions? Till rampant corruption is not nipped at the bud the future of our country

would be bleak. Both the UN Convention and the Vohra Committee report in unisonraise concerns and fears but there is no action. It is matter of grave concern.

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I request your good self and your cabinet to read the UN Convection document whichwas signed by our government and also the 1993 Vohra Report again. It is possible

that due to your busy schedule you may have forgotten the details of the convention and

the findings of the report. I request you to implement the recommendation of the VohraReport.

In the service of Nation

Anna Hazare