How Corrupt Was UPA Government?

The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government, which ruled India from 2004 to 2014 under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, faced several major corruption scandals that severely impacted its credibility. While economic growth was high during its first term (2004-2009), its second term (2009-2014) was marred by large-scale corruption allegations. Here are some of the biggest scams linked to the UPA government:

Major Corruption Scandals Under UPA

  1. 2G Spectrum Scam (₹1.76 lakh crore)
    • The biggest scandal of the UPA era, where telecom licenses were allocated in 2008 at throwaway prices without an auction, causing a massive loss to the exchequer.
    • Then-Telecom Minister A. Raja was accused and later arrested.
    • The Supreme Court canceled 122 telecom licenses in 2012.
  2. Coal Scam (₹1.86 lakh crore)
    • The UPA government allocated coal blocks to private companies without competitive bidding, leading to a huge revenue loss.
    • Former PM Manmohan Singh, who was also the coal minister for some time, was questioned over the allocations.
    • The Supreme Court canceled 214 coal block allocations in 2014.
  3. Commonwealth Games Scam (₹70,000 crore)
    • Large-scale corruption in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, involving inflated contracts, ghost payments, and substandard work.
    • Suresh Kalmadi, the head of the organizing committee, was arrested.
  4. AugustaWestland VVIP Chopper Scam (₹3,600 crore)
    • Allegations that bribes were paid to Congress-linked politicians and officials to secure a deal for 12 luxury helicopters from an Italian company.
    • The deal was canceled in 2014 after corruption allegations surfaced.
  5. Adarsh Housing Scam
    • A high-profile scam where a housing society in Mumbai, meant for war veterans, was illegally allotted to politicians, bureaucrats, and army officers.
  6. National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) Scam (₹10,000 crore)
    • Funds meant for rural healthcare in Uttar Pradesh were misused, leading to multiple murders of whistleblowers.
  7. Tatra Truck Scam
    • Bribes were allegedly paid to supply overpriced and outdated Tatra trucks to the Indian Army.
  8. Air India Scam
    • Allegations that UPA ministers forced Air India to purchase overpriced aircraft and sell profitable routes, causing financial distress.

Impact of Corruption on UPA

  • The series of scams created a perception of a “policy paralysis” in governance.
  • Investor confidence declined, and India’s GDP growth slowed down in the second term.
  • Public anger over corruption played a major role in the rise of anti-corruption movements like Anna Hazare’s agitation in 2011.
  • The Congress-led UPA suffered a massive defeat in the 2014 general elections, with BJP riding on the “Na Khaunga, Na Khane Dunga” (I won’t take bribes, nor let others) slogan of Narendra Modi.

Was UPA the Most Corrupt Government?

While no government in India has been free from corruption, UPA-II is often considered one of the most corrupt due to the sheer scale of scams and financial losses involved. However, some Congress supporters argue that no top leader from the UPA was convicted in these scams. But the fact remains that multiple Supreme Court judgments confirmed irregularities in these cases.

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