POLITICAL DIARY

New Delhi, 11 April 2009

Parliament Dog Millionaire

BY GOD, RICHES ARE A LIE-ABILITY

By Poonam I Kaushish

Heard this week’s flavour in the ongoing electoral nautanki? Lies, damn lies and statistics. That too in sworn affidavits. Which has trashed Neo-Moralist Laloo’s “road-rollering” Varun Gandhi and Rabri demanding ‘accountability’ from “saala” Nitish Kumar. Any wonder then that our netagan’s greatest asset is his lie-ability.

How else should one react to the declarations made by the candidates of their movable and immovable assets at the time of filing their nominations. A cursory glance at the affidavits filed, one doesn’t know whether to laugh or to cry for my beloved country. Most declarations are hilarious, others tickle, some raise eyebrows and not a few are simply outrageous. Indeed, nothing costs a nation more than a cheap politician.

Let’s start with the Nehru-Gandhi Khandaan. A dynasty that has ruled India for over fiver decades is worth Rs 3. 70 crore between the mother son duo, Sonia and Rahul. The Congress President’s assets (Rs 1.34 crore) include two agricultural plots valued at Rs.2.19 lakh. (Who’s kidding?), a house in Italy worth Rs18.02 lakh. Lucky her, she can’t think of buying a DDA flat in Delhi for that amount. Jewelry worth only Rs 11 lakh. (Is this a joke?)

Her son Rahul’s net worth is pegged at. Rs.2.25 crore including a 4.692 acre farm in Mehrauli, valued at Rs 9.80 lakh. Is that a misprint? More like Rs 4crore. Another 6 acre plot in Faridabad, worth Rs 28 lakh. Only? And two shops in a mall worth Rs 1.58 crore.   Neither owns a car. Why should they? They ‘own’ India. The BJP’s Prime Minister-in-waiting Advani’s too is a ‘sarkari javahi’ (owns no car) and his wealth has gone up almost three times in the last 5 years to Rs 3.55 crore. Explained as increase in value of two flats in Gurgaon and a house in Gandhinagar. It’s a steal?

What to say of our ‘Made in India netas --- school teacher turned Dalit messiah Mayawati and Muslim saviour Mulayam Singh. While the former brazenly explains her vast prime real estate holdings by reportedly asserting that if a Thakur and Brahmin could be crorepatis why not a Dalit ke beti. Why not indeed! Mums the word when it comes to the dazzling diamonds she flaunts on her birthdays. Silly, that’s how the Maya-bhakhts show affection. Mian Mulayam too is an arbopati. A case for misappropriation of assets is pending in the courts. Lalu Yadav of Chara scam has moveable assets worth Rs.12 lakh??

Clearly, the public has to take these declarations with large chunks of salt, treating them with disdain. Think. If one were to check out the assets declared by candidates in this election and compare it to what they declared in 2004 one finds a quantum jump, as much as a mind-numbing 3000 per cent.

Take the case of the richest candidate, Congress’s Vijayawada candidate whose assets in 2004 were a mere Rs 9.6 crore. Today, after 5 years of UPA rule his jaw-dropping wealth is Rs 299 crore, a 3000% jump! Ditto the case of lottery king Congress’s Mani Kumar Subba. In the last election, his assets were worth Rs 18 crore. This time they are Rs 60 crore - a three-fold or a 300% jump. Interestingly, his LIC policies alone are worth Rs 100 crore.

One also comes across ‘disproportionate wealth’ wherein the progenies have more than their fathers. The Andhra Chief Minister Rajasekhara Reddy might have assets worth just Rs 1.35 crore, but his son is way richer - worth Rs 77 crore. As is Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya who is worth Rs 53 crore while her father only Rs 8crore.

Bluntly it pays rich dividends to be a politician. Questionably, how can unemployed jan sevaks amass huge wealth? How did they earn it? Can they run private businesses? If so, what takes precedents? National or selfish interests? Did they pay proper income taxes?  

Besides, these declarations are only an eyewash. What about ‘black’ money? Remember the cash-for-vote scam etc? And the monies stashed in Swiss banks and other safe havens. Is there any law or rule in India that can ask our netagan how they acquired this wealth?

Sadly, no. Forget the electoral legalese and mandatory provision that a candidate’s nomination is liable to be rejected. without an affidavit declaring his or her assets. The truth is that the Election Commission has neither the power nor the wherewithal to summarily or otherwise, verify whether the profile of wealth disclosed by a candidate is true of false.

Asserted a senior EC official: “Our job is to secure information and decimate it to the public under the Right to Information Act. The affidavit is purely informative in nature. Anyone can ask for a candidate’s affidavit; we provide it free.” Adding, “Only when someone files a complaint with the Returning Officer or goes directly to the Court does the Commission come into the picture. Take properties. We know that they are invariably under-valued but it is for the Courts to take cognizance under Section 125 A of the Representation of People Act 1951”.

This Section states: “The penalty for filing a false affidavit is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both.” The other avenue is to file a complaint under Section 165 of the Indian Penal Code. Given the lengthy procedure and the time our courts take in giving a verdict, more often than not a successful candidate who made a false declaration may jolly well complete his term even before the case proceeds beyond the preliminary stage.

Should we then write off these affidavits as not worth the paper they are sworn on? Not at all. Look at the brighter side. For starters, it creates consciousness among the voters and acts as a reference point. Given the lack of probity in public life which has led to a high degree of corruption. Thus, when a candidate declares his/her spouse’s and dependents assets, it could have a sobering effect.

True, this may not be effective in breaking the vicious circle of unaccounted money polluting the vitality and health of our democracy. Still an affidavit would have its own effect as a step-in-aid and help voters not to elect law-breakers. But to make it effective our polity and the Courts will have to devise a mechanism that will make candidates think ten times before filing an inaccurate affidavit. Create a situation in which nobody would dare tell a lie or conceal anything about himself or his “dependants” a term which needs to be strictly defined.

Among many things, Election Commission will need to be strengthened and given more teeth. It should have a special cell to monitor the authenticity of the affidavits filed and be given powers to take strong deterrent action against erring candidates. Realtors could be hired as consultants to verify a property’s market worth. Filing of income tax returns could also be made obligatory.

Alternatively, special courts could be set up with summary powers to give their verdict within, say, three to six months. A candidate pronounced guilty should lose his seat forthwith and also be barred from contesting any poll for six years. The Government could also be empowered to acquire a candidate’s property whose value has been incorrectly stated for the declared amount. The property thus acquired could then be publicly auctioned. Mercifully, this would ensure more ‘honourable ‘and better returns.

Further, the income tax department should tally the affidavits with our netagan’s I-T returns. And if need be hire auditors to ensure that the IT returns and affidavits match to the last digit. One could also consider a restriction on the number of terms a person can hold public office.

In sum, the writing is on the wall. Do we stand for Satyameva Jayete or for the degenerated Asatyameve Jayate? The time has come to stop banking on a candidate’s self-proclaimed morality. Let the people squeeze the last drop of their “safedi ka chamatkar” to rid the polity of its increasing fifty and dirt. Through a sworn affidavit, by God! --- INFA

(Copyright India News & Feature Alliance)