Yet it hints that a conspiracy of silence

Singh's statement has come in for flak, and deservedly. For
one thing, it doesn't address the substantive issue of
whether or not VIPs exploit their proximity to power-wielders
for personal gain. Yet it hints that a conspiracy of silence
should be maintained either way. For another, the comment
suggests that politicians scratch one another's backs on
graft: one who blinks at another's misconduct expects the
favour to be returned. This can only bolster public
perceptions that politicians are less serious about fighting
corruption than getting away with it, with one another's
help.

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Throwing the rulebook at critics is another political stock-
in-trade. The Congress-ruled Haryana government has defended
the ill-timed transfer of Ashok Khemka, an IAS officer
looking into the Vadra-DLF real estate deals, saying removal
of officials is its "prerogative". Surely a better
explanation is warranted since the bureaucrat shunted out had
ordered a probe into Vadra's land dealings. Playing down
calls for such investigation, the Congress's contention that
Vadra is a private citizen isn't credible. It's unlikely he'd
have the ruling establishment's backing had he not belonged
to the Congress's first family. If anything, controversies
involving close relatives of powerful leaders occur across
the political board, highlighting the need for clear norms on
disclosures of their incomes and assets.