Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday that a "mindless atmosphere of negativity" over corruption was damaging the country and he feared for the morale of civil servants. Corruption has become a hot issue since Singh was re-elected in 2009, and his government has been rocked by scandals over mobile phone licences, coalfields and the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
"The mindless atmosphere of negativity and pessimism that is sought to be created over the issue of corruption can do us no good," Singh told a conference in the capital. "It can only damage our nation's image and hit at the morale of the executive," he said.
With graft allegations erupting in many government departments, officials have been increasingly reluctant to sign documents that might mean they are named in investigations and accused of links to malpractice.
"We need to ensure that even while the corrupt are relentlessly pursued and brought to book, the innocent are not harassed," Singh said, adding that honest mistakes had to be separated from criminal activity. Many Indians complain that corruption is a part of daily life for transactions ranging from getting a driving licence to property sales. Graft is also seen as a major deterrent to international investment in India.
The Congress-led government was shaken by a nation-wide mass movement against corruption last year when activist Anna Hazare brought millions of people onto the streets during his 12-day hunger strike in Delhi. The issue has continued to dog Singh, whose previously impeccable image has been tarnished by the scandals, and it is likely to remain high on the agenda with general elections due in 2014.
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