This took us -- my two colleagues Swapnil Ghose, Saras Jaiswal & I -- months of connecting the dots across thousands of pages in more than 100 reports and govt documents, policies. Its records from 55 ministries over the 5 year period.
We reviewed thousands of pages to deliver 23 stories packaged in eight distinct investigations. The full database we are putting in public domain is a treasure-trove of many such stories that we have not worked on. We are sharing it in public interest.
Unfortunately, the records were largely neglected over the years. And, as we found in the docs, this neglect is by design! (PS: will get to this later in the thread)
They tell a story about how we citizens are being conned even in the supposed 'temple of democracy' -- grand promises followed by backroom talks to kill those commitments. The temple is being treated as a fortress to defend the govt against accountability towards citizens.
Remember the concerns and worries about the Indian Constitution being amended? This series tells you that the Constitution can be gutted without amending a word in it. It has been moth-eaten one broken promise at a time. So do read the series (the links are in this thread below).
But first, I have a request to make: The Reporters' Collective team was able to publish this series only thanks to generous donations from our readers that keep us afloat. If you think our work is valuable, I request you to consider donating to us. Here.
Back to the story.
We are used to politicians backtracking on promises. But unlike speeches in rallies, statements made in parliament carry a sacred weight.
To ensure govts don't heap false promises, Parliament has an accountability watchdog - one that is rarely acknowledged.
There are teams in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha that carefully go through every answer and statement made in Parliament by ministers. There's a list of phrases they're looking for: "inquiry is ongoing", "data is being gathered" etc.
Each such remark is an assurance.
The gov't has to fulfil the assurance in three months.
To ensure it does its job, committees are set up in both houses that regularly meet govt officials and ask them about progress on the assurance.
The gov't can even negotiate: ask for extensions or for promises to be dropped.
It's this bureaucratic back and forth that we analysed.
Promises dropped a decade after first being made, indefinite delays, ridiculous arguments and the govt getting caught lying on record are just some things we found.
Here's a run down of them:
First, on the Adani Group:
Over the last 9 years, Modi govt assured Parliament at least 7 times that it was probing alleged scams involving Adani Group. But when public attention faded, Centre quietly worked to kill the thorny assurances.
Assure probe, backpedal later: Government's Parliament tactic when questions rise on Adani
Then, on national security:
After assuring Parliament it would “very seriously” help states prevent police suicides, govt dropped its commitment. Despite identifying poor police housing as a factor, Centre halted funding to states for housing projects.
Home Minister promised to help states in addressing police suicides, but quietly flipped
Justice for farmers?
Under CM Shivraj Chouhan, MP cops killed protesting farmers. Then Union Agri Minister promised a report on the incident. The report is still pending, 7 years later. And Chouhan is now the new Union Agri Minister.
Centre assured Parliament a report on farmer killings in MP, but stalled it indefinitely
Caution! Big Brother is watching:
Modi gov't gave in to intelligence agencies’ demands and killed a decade-old assurance to bring in a law to protect citizens from illegal surveillance. Agencies demanded a free hand to snoop on citizens.
Union gov't shredded Right to Privacy Bill at the behest of intelligence agencies
The economic ruin that wasn't:
Modi gov't and RBI resorted to lies and half-truths before the assurances committee that demonetisation and GST had not wreaked havoc on the country's small and medium-sized industries. The committee fact-checked its claims.
When Modi Gov't, RBI told half truths and lies to downplay damage to small businesses
🤷Defence Ministry's elite military research lab used its resources to build a chariot for a temple. Modi govt promised a probe and a scapegoat was found. But when the buck stopped at senior officials of the Ministry, all proceedings were dropped.
Defence lab builds temple chariot; Modi gov't buries scandal
Who cares about environment anyway?
Modi gov't took over 3 years to merely confirm critical pollution levels in Kashmir's cement-manufacturing belt. But govt had first neglected the issue entirely and then got its assurance to study pollution dropped.
Lastly, govt's poverty guesstimates:
Gov't quietly dropped 6 assurances on defining a new poverty line. Its own officials said a line is needed to count the poor. Without one, the govt has conveniently made dubious claims on poverty decline.
Modi Gov't Quietly Backtracks on Decade-Old Promise of Measuring Poverty in India
If you've made it this far into the thread, you might be wondering why you never heard about assurances committees to begin with. Especially considering the fact that parliamentary assurances are considered an 'Indian innovation'.
There's a simple answer: you weren't supposed to.
Historical records show that it was made a "convention" to never discuss assurance committee reports in parliament. Worse, govts do not publicly release implementation reports (which detail how an assurance has been implemented).
With no discussion, there was no media attention.
That meant govt's could keep making assurances and a committee would scrutinise it but there would be no public discourse on it.
A watchdog existed on paper. But did not generate the noise it should have.
But that's not all. There's no penalty for not fullfiling assurances.
So govt's have been able to take their sweet time, let issues linger for a decade or even more and then quietly have the promise itself dropped altogether.
The Indian innovation has been getting the uniquely Indian sarkaari treatment.
The Collective hopes to change this trend with this series. It wouldn't have been possible without the dogged pursuit by my colleagues
Swapnil Ghose, Saras Jaiswal & Tapasya, or without our editors Anoop George, Furquan Ameen, guidance by Nitin Sethi and illustrations by Saloni Thakur!
You can find the database here.
It has been designed by Somen Jaiswal. My colleague was key in coordinating throughout.
If you think the stories (or other investigations by us) are of value, then I once again request you to consider donating to The Reporters' Collective. We are able to hold the powerful to account only because our readers choose to keep us afloat. To support us click here.
