The Oil Mafia

In the wake of Manjunath’s cold blooded murder, I happened to chance through this article in Indian Express. It relates a similar experience, but the author managed to come to terms with the reality, and unable to cope with the corruption resigns to pursue further studies.

According to author, Sanjay Jha, nothing has changed over the 21 years period from the time he resigned to the time Manjunath was murdered. The last paragraph in his article summarizes everything.

Twenty-one years later, oil companies have the biggest advertising budgets on TV networks. They sponsor cricket tournaments, entertainment events and Formula 1 race drivers. Marketing whiz-kids talk of the end of commodity positioning and the rise of product branding in the petroleum sector. Mani Shankar Aiyar is working assiduously to lay transnational pipelines and negotiate oil barrel price deals for India. Oil price hikes are anxiously tracked. But as Manjunath’s death tells us, deep down nothing has changed. Nothing.

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It needs to be seen whether Manjunath’s murder stems the growing mafia in the oil industry or whether it would just be another unsolved murder case, with the culprits walking out free.

From the depth of my heart, I believe that nothing is going to happen to this case. The petrol pump owner might get a life term, but the real problem would still remain unsolved. Oil will still be sold adulterated in majority of outlets in the country, and any remaining Manjunaths in the oil industry would mould in with the system, fearing for their lives.

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Updated: 9th Dec 2005 9:30am

Looks like my gut feelings are proving to be wrong. Manjunath's life will not be wasted. Our Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh has called for a special meeting which would be attended by Chief Secretaries and NSA's. They would be discussing various options to prevent the adultration which is prevalent in the Diesel. Read more about the news here.