Why it ain't the same old corruption story anymore

Indian public life is currently in the grip of one of its periodic corruption fevers which have in the past determined the outcome of major elections.

Congress governments have been particularly vulnerable to attacks on this score.

While Bofors was the single howitzer that felled Rajv Gandhi, Narasimha Rao fell victim to a spray of bullets - securities (Harshad Mehta), sugar (Kalpnath Rai), urea and Chandraswamy.

But the present outbreak is different in several ways.

Text: Subir Roy, Business Standard

Image: A visitor reads a book as he sits next to a Swedish-made 155 mm Bofors artillery gun during the sixth international land and naval system Defence Expo 2010 in New Delhi February 15, 2010.

Reuters Images