MENON AND JEEP SCANDAL

SARASIJ MAJUMDER

From time to time, Congress has been strongly accused of being involved in major scams. They are accused of doing self-development in the name of public development. Indian National Congress as a result of scams are convicted against loss of Rs 48,20,69,00,00,000 /-  as updated by the Zee Media on Aug 22, 2019, 23:59 PM IST. I THINK THE ACTUAL AMOUNT WILL BE MORE.

THE FIRST SCAM OF INDEPENDENT INDIA WAS “JEEP SCAM” OF 1947-48. THE BACKGROOUND WAS ARMY REQUIREMENT TO FIGHT PAKISTANIS IN FIRST INDO-PAK WAR ON KASHMIR.

THE MAN INVOLVED:

1. V.K. Krishna Menon: Serving as the Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Menon played a central role.
2. The Indian Army: Amid the ongoing Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948, the army urgently needed more jeeps to DEPLOY IN THE WAR  to counter the advancing Pakistani forces.

THE DEAL & THE CONTROVERSY:

1. Menon bypassed systems and procedures and signed a contract worth Rs 80 lakh (a significant amount at that time—on today’s valuation, it will be Rs. 5,000/- Crore.) with a foreign firm for the purchase of refurbished  army jeeps used in Second World War.
2. He placed an order for 2,000 refurbished Jeeps from a little-known company called Anti-Mistantes.
3. The company Anti-Mistantes, had a  working capital of only £605, as reported. Krishna Menon agreed to pay $172,000, with 65% of the total payment upfront without any inspection certificate. He also agreed that only 10% of the Jeeps would be inspected.
4. The deal raised  many eyebrows: Why pay the same price for refurbished Jeeps when new ones were available from the United States or Canada?
5. Anti-Mistantes, as expected,  failed to deliver the ZEEPS as promised.
6. Of the 155 Jeeps received, none could be placed into service.
7. The then Defence Ministry rejected them as not OPERABLE &WORKABLE..
8. Menon's subsequent dealings with another company, S.C.K. Agencies, further fuelled suspicion. The same procedural lapse was there as well. Simply—he refused to learn any lesson.

9.       The controversy lies in the fact that for the same price of new Jeeps could be purchased from the rising super-power USA, or CANADA.

INVESTIGATION AND CLOSURE

Apparently, Menon misused his influence in the deal. When the information about the deal reached India, there was a big uproar in the country including the Parliament here. The country had just got independence, people were unaware, media wasn’t popular enough, Gandhi-Nehru duo was considered as angels from heaven and the constitution was yet in preparation phase so not much was disclosed to the common men about the scam.

1. An inquiry committee led by Ananthsayanam Ayyangar probed the scandal.
2. After much hue and cry, Ayyangar Sub-Committee investigated the case and came with the data mentioned above in its report, which was submitted to Nehru on 9th April 1951. The Public Account Committee took the cognizance and advised formal investigation in the matter by Two High-Court Judges. On 18th December 1954, Government (READ NEHRU) asked the Committee to reconsider its decision. When the PAC refused to agree, Government informed the committee on 30th September 1955, that the case was officially closed by clearly ignoring the reports given by the Ayyangar Committee. The shutting down of the Committee midway puts Nehru, his ministers and VK Krishna Menon and his government under questions, and DOUBT???.
3. Govind Ballabh Pant, the former Home Minister, out of sheer ignorance announced in parliament  that the case is closed. When the opposition insisted on the demand for further inquiry, Pant said that the opposition parties can make it an election issue if they are not satisfied by the Government’s decision. This was the official statement issued by a Congress leader which brought the discussion of scams in elections. This statement amounts to white washing the SCAM by Peoples’ verdict! Election Result  replaces JUDICIARY!!
4. The investigation was abruptly closed. No evidence was disclosed against anyone, including Menon.
5. Menon, despite controversy, went on to become a trusted ally of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Later, on 3rd February 1956, Menon was introduced into the Nehru cabinet as a minister without portfolio and as a trusted ally to the Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.  He even rose to be the important position of  Defence Minister in his Cabinet in 1959. The sheer bad decision of NEHRU, and bad luck of INDIA.
6. Mr. Jay Ram Ramesh wrote a big BIOGRAPHICAL book on him.
7. Menon had to resign after Chinese debacle, discussed in other BLOG of mine.

The Jeep Scandal left an indelible mark on India's Political  history. It highlighted the need for transparency, accountability, and adherence to SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES,  always compromised by Congress, and NEHRU-GANDHI dynasty. It is not difficult to guess who was Menon’s primary accomplice.

REFERENCES:-

1.0 https://scamsofindia.com/jeep-scandal/

2.0 https://www.thestatesman.com/tag/jeep-scandal

3.0 https://vedaitharaju.medium.com/the-first-corruption-scandal-of-india-1e2b0478a9a9

IMAGE:-  Courtesy -Resonant News