Political Diary

New Delhi, 23 April 2011

Aaj Ke Brhasht Netas

OUCH, THE TRUTH HURTS!

By Poonam I Kaushish

It’s the season of rip-offs. The juicier and spicier, the better. Loads of accusations and garhbarh ghotalas tumbling out, peppered with mirch-masala. Indian rajneeti has it all. That entails using, misusing and abusing power through political weapons at one’s command to fix rivals, making allegations to get the better of adversaries, create mayhem to get one’s way and say et al. All employing individual meanness for the public good! Bluntly, when all else fails, complicate matters. Sic.

Welcome, our latest truth sayer, vilifier is more like it, Samajwadi’s erstwhile Amar Singh.  After  four years, he let out sleazy stories about famous legal eagles father-son Shanti and Prashant Bhushan’s ‘discretionary farmhouses allotments’ and ‘fixing a judge for Rs 4 crores’. Chipped in Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh, “the Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hedge has failed to stop corruption”. Succinctly, all to scuttle the drafting of the Jan Lokpal Bill to nail our bhrasht polity by a 10-member Government- civil society panel. Ouch, the truth does hurt!

The issue is not whether the Bhushan’s audio CD purportedly carrying the voice of Shanti Bhushan in conversation with Mulayam and Amar Singh about his son’s ability to buy a judge is doctored or not and nor is it about unraveling the truth. It is about setting the saachai juggernaut in motion.

Especially against the backdrop of India’s downslide being rapid. Notwithstanding, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assertion that “there is little public tolerance now for the prevailing state of affairs. People expect swift action and rightly so”. Big Deal. What did he say that we don’t already know? Of how he is heading the most corrupt Government since Independence? Has the PM realized this after eight years in power? From CWG, 2G Spectrum Scam, Adarsh et al, all indictments against the State.

This is not all. The spoils of office in this corruption supply chain have distorted the prism of equality to an extent that power coupled with criminalization has become the lakshman rekha between the haves and have-nots. A tale of vagabonds turning carpet baggers.

Ever wonder why poverty has not been eradicated in the last over 60 years of Independence? Why 87% of the population is still living below the poverty line?  Earning less than Rs 20 a day? Of how Asli Bharat is in the grip of the Bolangir-Kalahandi syndrome – hunger, poverty and suicides. Where 30m have joined the ranks of hungry since mid-1990s, the study revealed. Does anyone care?

Why are hunger deaths still happening in India? Obviously, because it suits those in power to keep the aam janata poor. Arguably if the garib aam aadmi is empowered who will vote for them? The poor, like the educated youth people,  Thus, to win elections, make money and keep themselves firmly ensconced in the saddle, the polity leaves no stone unturned to keep the aangootha chaaps  in penury.  For the polity issues like garibi hatoa, providing roti, kapada aur maakan and bijli, sadak, paani are mere slogans to ride the crest of the popularity wave during polls. Not serious matters

The forebodings are in the air: rising prices, over-population, urban decay and proliferating of slums. Killings take place. Property is destroyed. Work and economic activity is brought to a grinding halt. Normal life is disrupted at the outbreak of any festering conflict.

Splashes of social schism gore into news headlines. Even the most gruesome violence shocks no more. Law is largely disorder in many parts. People charge-sheeted by the Courts are at large because a dysfunctional legal system takes an eternity to dispose of the cases.

Evidently, the administrative system and practically collapsed long ago --- not only in New Delhi but almost everywhere. A life-style of Maruti Yuppieism only brings forth the macro consequences of the neglect of socio-political environment. Never mind, the show goes one.

In an era where the medium is the massage everything is branded, followed by an advertising blitzkrieg. Right from slogans to netas are packaged like a much prized and publicized toothpaste.

The tragedy is that the private face of our netas is ugly. It wins hands down over their public mask. True, the rules of the game have got changed recklessly without a thought to the future and a premium put on criminality and immorality. Will profligacy be allowed to become the bedrocks of our Parliamentary democracy?

Basically, is it good for democracy to have such scoundrels represent the voters? When those who are supposed to become saboteurs, it is time to call a spade a spade. Above all, we need politicians who are men of conscience, integrity and credibility. Not comrade in crime.

Importantly, India is today at the moral crossroads. More so, in our present all pervasive decadence interspersed with growing public distaste, cynicism and despair. If not stopped now it could result in a total breakdown of institutions, society, culture and ethical values. Which, in turn, could be the cause of a socio-political revolution.

Predictably Anna Hazare’s fast unleashed a cataclysm on the political firmament. Will things change? Only time will tell. True the Lokpal Bill is not a magic wand which will erase corruption. It is merely a tentative stepping stone, the beginning of a long battle. Given that money and bribes have replaced blood running through our polity’s veins. Today are power-brokers have reduced politics to a zerosum game of money and muscle, encouraging shameless harlotry.

At the present reckoning, India might remain indefinitely trapped in its divisive rhetoric. It is now imperative for the country to rethink its strategies and approach to the future. No short cuts are possible. The nation’s image cannot be made or made by imagery alone of a secular Bharat. How does the Prime Minister intend to stem the rot? Given that good governance is all about making good his promise of accountability and transparency. And the ability of the people to be able to participate in governance.

One needs neither a bleeding heart nor blindness to corruption to know what must be done. All crises are surmountable. Provided you have the will and want to do it. The writing is on the wall. What is it that our people want? They wish to be assured that all men are equal in a true democracy. Governed by a common law of liberty and fraternity and assured of probity and morality in administration. Are we asking for too much? Will our leaders continue to say good bye to truth?

Time for are leaders to face the moment of truth and reckoning. And read what former US President John Kennedy said, ``When at some future date the High Court of history sits in judgment on each one of us... our success or failure in whatever office we hold will be measured by our answers to four questions: Were we truly men of courage? Were we truly men of integrity? Were we truly men of judgment? Were we truly men of dedication? ----- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)