Though it comes belated, we welcome the resignation of the railway minister in light of the recent scandal concerning his ministry and some of its high-ranking officials. The dramatic episode has brought into sharp focus the blatant nature of corruption and has corroded the credibility of the government. The detachment of the minister, therefore, from not only the process but also the concerned ministry at this time was expected in the interests of a fair investigation.
However, we would like to stress that the resignation is not the main problem at hand. The key issue is a thorough and impartial investigation which will get to the truth of the matter. While the testimony of three individuals claiming that they were headed for the minister's residence with the car carrying a large and unaccounted for amount of money puts him in the spotlight, his involvement remains subject to proof. That an incident of corruption has taken place is evident; but it remains to be revealed who the culprits are and what the extent of the nexus is. May we add, the APS and the driver yet remain out of the law's grip. This may be a good opportunity to scrutinise the level of corruption in the railway ministry overall as well as in other ministries, against which allegations of corruption are rife.
Regarding the investigation at hand, it is our hope that it will be a thorough and unbiased effort at unveiling the facts of a very serious case of corruption which reflects most negatively on the integrity of the government. We urge the ACC to energetically pursue the case.
We expect that government and party concerns will not shield and excuse those responsible, overriding the huge public concern that is at issue. The truth must not be prevaricated. In the past, allegations of graft against ministers and other high-ranking government officials have often been swept under the rug and, with time, faded from public discussion without any consequences, not only encouraging widespread corruption but creating a most dangerous culture of impunity for the corrupt. We hope that this case will prove different, where the truth will be revealed and those responsible held to account. The entire government's credibility is at stake here.
Risking self-eulogy, we cannot help saying had the media not kept its focus right on the unfolding scenario the present turn in the event might have eluded us.