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India’s top ombudsman, the Lokpal, has stirred controversy by issuing a tender for BMWs, ironically inviting suspicions of the very corruption the body was created to prevent.On 16 October, the anti-corruption authority issued a tender stating that “The Lokpal of India invites open tender enquiries on a PAC basis through an online two-bid system (Technical and Financial Bid) in the prescribed form for the purchase of the following item: seven white BMW 330Li M Sport (Long Wheel Base) cars, as detailed in the tender schedule.”The request quickly drew reactions from both the opposition and citizens. The Congress hit out sharply, with AICC spokesperson Dr Shama Mohamed attacking the BJP government and Prime Minister Modi, alleging that the body formed to bring down the Congress government exists only on paper and wastes taxpayers’ money.“This is the same institution that was supposed to fight corruption after the so-called ‘India Against Corruption’ movement, a movement backed by the RSS and designed only to bring down the Congress government. That movement made Narendra Modi the Prime Minister, and he delivered a Lokpal that exists only on paper and is now filled with corrupt officers enjoying taxpayers’ money,” she wrote. Activist and former IAC movement leader Prashant Bhushan wrote, “The institution of Lokpal has been ground to dust by the Modi government, by keeping it vacant for many years and then appointing servile members who are not bothered by graft and are happy with their luxuries. They are now buying 70L BMW cars for themselves!
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Social media users questioned the irony of an anti-corruption body opting for luxury cars. “ The Lokpal was born out of a movement screaming against corruption, now it’s cruising around in Rs 5 crore BMWs, chauffeured by hypocrisy. From watchdog to lapdog. Integrity didn’t just die; it was run over,” one user commented. Another wrote, “Corruption and nepotism are so deeply rooted in our system that everyone behaves the same way once they get power.”