Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption: India Inc treads cautiously

Social activist Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption may have struck a chord with a majority of Indians, but corporate India has been measured in its response. While some top business honchos steered clear of voicing their opinions on the social activist’s indefinite fast, others preferred to remain non-committal.

The head of a large construction company not only refused to comment, but did not want to be named either. Mahindra & Mahindra vice-chairman and managing director (MD) Anand Mahindra tweeted, saying this is a movement whose heart and voice cannot be ignored.

“We’re ‘argumentative Indians’ so (it’s) no surprise that civil rights NGOs differ on Anna’s demands. This shouldn’t deflect us from his core purpose,” he wrote. Godrej group chairperson Adi Godrej said any step that helps reduce corruption and improve transparency is good for the country. “It’s good for development and inclusive growth,” he said.

There were others, however, who threw their weight behind Hazare.    

Larsen and Toubro (L&T) MD AM Naik asked which individual won’t support Hazare.

“When somebody is fasting and standing up for a cause of cleansing the system and removing corruption, every single individual will support it. I am not speaking on behalf of L&T, but I am saying this because I know he is right,” he explained. His views were echoed by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation chief E Sreedharan. In his capacity as president of the Foundation for Restoration of National Values, Sreedharan wrote: “We will stand with you (Hazare) till the government in India becomes totally ethical, transparent and accountable to the citizens of India.”

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, CMD, Biocon, said she backs any measure that eradicates or “at least minimises the growth of this cancer called corruption”. She stressed that the movement needs to be sustained. Hero Honda MD Pawan Munjal was of the opinion that “we need to try to find solutions that are not just short term, but address this (problem) permanently”.