Editorial

No witch hunt of our bankers, please

The compulsion(दबाव/मजबूरी) on the government to act tough and to be seen to be acting tough in thewake(जागृत करना.जागना) of large cases of bank fraud is real and understandable. So far, the summons to and examination of senior bankers have been civil and respectful. These things should stay this way.

The authorities should firmly(दृढ़ता से/मजबूती से) guard against fraud investigations degenerating into an ever-expanding witch(डायन/जादू करना) hunt against the banking fraternity(बन्धुत्व/भाईचारा) that ends up paralyzing banking in the country at a time when credit growth is picking up and some green shoots of investment recovery are visible. While discussing misconduct(क़सूर/अवगुण) in banking, especially in the public sector, it has to be borne in mind that there are both structural distortions(विकृतियों) that affect everyone and individual culpability(दोषी/दण्ड्यता) in the case of those who succumb to thetemptation(प्रलोभन/लोभ) to make personal gains at the expense of the institution in which they work.

Government ownership facilitates the presence of board members who owe their position topatronage(संरक्षण/सहायता) rather than professional expertise(विशेषज्ञता/निपुणता). Personnel of the department of financial services and politicians occupying(अधिकार करना/क़ब्ज़ा करना) the finance ministry or those closely associated with them could have undue influence on decision-making. Public sector bankers, at the senior level, are seriously underpaid, compared to their private sectorcounterparts(समकक्षों/प्रतिवस्तु). The bond market plays a fraction of the financing role it should ideally perform, leaving even medium-term infrastructure to bank loans. When infrastructure financing decisions are taken by a clutch(पंजा/चंगुल) of bankers, it is not uncommon for inflated(हवा भरा हुआ) project costs to get sanctioned(स्वीकृत/अधिकृत करना), and for a portion of the ensuing loans to end up lining the pockets of project developers and their political backers. Absence of a transparent system of political funding makes it imperative(अनिवार्य/आदेशात्मक) for politicians to mobilise(गतिशील बनाया)resources through such means. It is imperative to address these structural defects, if banking is to be rid of a systemic bias towards fraud. That is a tough task. It is easier to pretend that deficient moral fibre is a general trait(सामान्य विशेषता) of Indian bankers. Bending(झुकाव) to convenience would be unfortunate.

Important Vocabulary

1.Compulsion(दबाव/मजबूरी)
Synonyms: coercion, obsession, preoccupation, urgency, constraint
Antonyms: free will, freedom, independence, liberty, license

2.Firmly(दृढ़ता से)
Synonyms: rigidly, securely, solidly, soundly, strongly
Antonyms: changeably, flexibly, indefinitely, movably, waveringly

3.Misconduct(क़सूर/अवगुण)
Synonyms: dereliction, immorality, impropriety, malfeasance, malpractice
Antonyms: behavior, obedience, manners

4.Temptation(प्रलोभन/लोभ
Synonyms: allurement, appeal, attractiveness, bait, blandishment
Antonyms: dislike, hate, hatred, prevention, discouragement

5.Culpability(दोषी/दण्ड्यता)
Synonyms: accountability, guilt, blameworthiness, culpableness, fault

6.Occupying(अधिकार करना
Synonyms: obtaining, owning, permeating, pervading, placed
Antonyms: gone, leaving, removing

7.Clutch(पंजा/चंगुल)
Synonyms: clamp, clasp, clench, clinch, connection
Antonyms: misconception, misunderstanding, release

8.Bending(झुकाव)
Synonyms: arching, bowing, curving, spiraling, twining
Antonyms: straight, unbent, unbowed

9.patronage(संरक्षण/सहायता)
Synonyms: aegis, auspices, backing, encouragement, financing
Antonyms: attack, blockage, disapproval, discouragement, harm