The “70 Years of Loot”: How a Lie Devoured Public Trust and Transformed National Assets
This text is a powerful political critique of the “70 Years of Loot” narrative that has dominated Indian political discourse over the last decade. It argues that this slogan was not a factual discovery, but a calculated psychological operation designed to shift public assets and consolidate power.
Here is the English translation and thematic breakdown of the essay:
The “70 Years of Loot”: How a Lie Devoured Public Trust and Transformed National Assets
The slogan “70 Years of Loot” was not a historical conclusion. It was not a court verdict. It was not a report from an investigative agency.
It was a political campaign—repeated so relentlessly that it began to sound like the truth.
If reading this makes you feel uneasy, it is not because you are wrong; it is because this lie was repeated to you every single day for ten years.
Two Committees: Both Vanished
To lend the claim legitimacy, two major investigative bodies were discussed:
- The Judicial Committee: Formed under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court judges to investigate black money. The nation was promised judicial action.
- The Reality: Where is the final report? Who was prosecuted? How much property was seized? The answer: Nothing.
- The Party Task Force: Simultaneously, the BJP formed its own internal task force, largely identified with S. Gurumurthy. They made grand claims of foreign accounts and specific amounts.
- The Reality: The task force has disappeared. The conclusions have vanished.
Two committees. Zero results. This wasn’t a failure of investigation; it was a design.
The Apology That Ended the Narrative
It is a matter of record that L.K. Advani issued a public apology to Sonia Gandhi. The reason was clear: dragging her name into allegations of corruption and black money was unfounded.
In a democracy, the rule is simple: if there is evidence behind an accusation, you don’t offer an apology—you file a lawsuit. This apology was the death knell for the “70 Years of Loot” claim, yet it was systematically erased from public memory.
Where Did the Movement Go?
Between 2010 and 2014, the “Black Money Movement” was on every channel, every stage, and in every speech. After 2014, the movement ended abruptly. No protests, no demands, no accountability.
There are only two logical conclusions: - The movement was sponsored from the start.
- The movement was sold off once power was achieved.
The Rewards of the Movement: Baba Ramdev
The “moral face” of the movement was Baba Ramdev. Back then, his language was about sacrifice and anti-establishment fervor. After 2014, the scene shifted to: - Open state patronage and policy access.
- Unprecedented business expansion under government silence.
The movement died, but the profits became permanent. This isn’t just a personal allegation; it is political economics. When a movement ends the moment power is seized and its leadership becomes extraordinarily wealthy, it is no longer a movement—it is a deal.
What Happened While You Weren’t Looking
While the public was chasing the “70 years” ghost, the nation’s tangible assets were being handed over: - Infrastructure: Airports, seaports, roads, and electricity.
- Resources: Coal, mining, and defense production.
- Finance: Thousands of crores in bank loans were written off with zero accountability.
- Policy: Massive corporate tax cuts and discretionary PLI schemes.
Even when serious questions were raised—such as in the Hindenburg Research case—investigations were avoided. This was not “privatization”; it was a “Cronies Economy” model.
The Psychological Experiment
This was not a result of public “stupidity.” It was a sophisticated psychological experiment on public trust. The phrase “70 Years of Loot” became a shield against any question. Every current problem had one answer: “Let’s settle the old accounts first.”
The Conclusion
The “crow” never actually flew away with your ears. But while the public was busy chasing the crow: - Employment vanished.
- Public assets were transferred.
- Accountability was kicked out of the system.
By the time people stopped to check, it wasn’t just their “ears” that were missing—the entire system had been transformed.
“70 Years of Loot” was not history, justice, or an investigation. It was a record-less political operation used to gain power, kill dissent, and build a friend-based economy.
History is not written by repetition; it is written by accountability. It is time to dismantle this lie not with slogans, but with the undeniable absence of evidence.