Political Diary

New Delhi, 25 October 2014

Poor Modi’s Rich Ministers

HEY RAM, RICHES ARE A LIE-ABILITY

By Poonam I Kaushish

As political Delhi recovers from a post Diwali hangover over a lazy weekend interspersed with Govardhan Puja, Bhai Duj and Chathh Puja trust our workaholic Prime Minister to create media frenzy by addressing the press over a Diwali Milan organized at the Party headquarters. But lost in the din of Modi’s lauding the media for converting its pen into broom, was calamite news of his crorepatis ministerial brood’s assets spectacularly increasing in just five months which has trashed his safedi ke chamkaan swatchh image. Any wonder then that our netagan’s greatest asset is his lie-ability!

Scandalously, a cursory glance at the Union Council of Ministers assets, one doesn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. Most declarations are hilarious, others tickle, some raise eyebrows and not a few are simply outrageous. Think. While Prime Minister Modi assets are worth a mere Rs 1.26 crore, his richest Minister Arun Jaitley’s wealth is Rs 114.03 crores, up 1% from Rs 113.02 crores in May. He is followed by Power’s Piyush Goyal whose affluence increased 212% from Rs 30.34 crores to Rs 64.31 crores.

Most shocking, there is a 323% rise, from Rs 86.12 lakh to Rs 3.64 crores in Social Justice and Empowerment Mantri Thaawar Chand Gehlot’s riches. While Petroleum Dharmendra Pradhan's assets grew by 61% from Rs 1.54 crore to Rs 2.48 crore, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's by 27% and Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda's wealth increased by over Rs 10.46 crores from Rs 9.99 crores in May to Rs 20.35 crores in October alongside assets over Rs 10 crores being acquired. Notwithstanding, his tweet they were bought earlier with a loan. Sic.

This is not all. According to Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) 41 out of 45 Ministers (91%) are crorepatis with average assets totaling Rs 14.32 crores. Women Minister Maneka Gandhi has Rs 37.68 crores chattels, closely followed by Minorities Minister Najma Heptulla with Rs 29.70 crores wealth, Manoj Sinha has assets worth Rs 29.82 crores and Minister of State for Heavy Industry Radhakrishnan’s shows an increase of Rs 2.98 crores from Rs 4.09 crores to Rs 7.07 crores.

Absurdly, the assets declaration format is neither standardized and nor does it reflect the current market value of our rulers wealth thereby resulting in discrepancies and defeating the exercise towards transparency. Moreover, Fertilizer Minister Ananth Kumar, PMO’s Jitendra Singh, V K Singh and Sripad Naik have not given their moveable assets value and Health’s Harsh Vardhan, Urban’s Venkaiah Naidu and Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj have not disclosed their immoveable assets.

Asserted a senior tax official: “We know that the properties, jewelry and other movables are invariably under-valued but how do we put our mai baaps on the mat? So we simply look the other way”. Underscoring the paradox, added an Election Commissioner, “We know an MP and MLA election cannot be fought in a measly Rs 70 and 28 lakhs. It takes at least Rs 10 to 25 crores, which is all unaccounted black money.”

Clearly, the public has to take these declarations with large chunks of salt, treating them with disdain. Raising a moot point: How do our janata ke sevaks amass huge wealth? How do they earn it? Is there any law or rule in India that can ask our netagan how they acquired this wealth? Do they pay proper income taxes?  What about their ‘black’ money? Reports suggest only two former UPA Ministers had Swiss bank accounts, only two? Mr Jaitley. What about the other safe havens?

Besides, these declarations are only eyewash, Jayalalithha or no Jayalalithha. School-teacher-turned-Dalit messiah Mayawati 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, ‘affectionately’ given by her garib bhakhts.

Ditto the case of Muslim saviour Mulayam Singh who too is an arbopati and Lalu Yadav of Chara ghotala has moveable assets worth Rs.12 lakh? Bluntly, it pays rich dividends to be a politician.

Arguably, what good are these affidavits?  Purely informative in nature it is only when a complaint is filed under Section 125 A of the Representation of People Act 1951 or under Section 165 of the Indian Penal Code with the Returning Officer and a case is filed in court does the Election Commission come into the picture take note. Alas, the penalty for a false affidavit is imprisonment for up to six months, fine or both. But given the lengthy procedure and time taken by courts, more often than not a successful candidate who made a false declaration might complete his term even before the case proceeds beyond the preliminary stage.

Should these affidavits be written of as not worth the paper they are sworn on? Not at all. Look at the brighter side. For starters, it creates consciousness among the people and acts as a reference point given the lack of probity in public life which has led to a high degree of corruption.

True, Modi appears serious about his pledge of a corruption Mukt Bharat and getting back all the black wealth. But this may not be effective in breaking the vicious circle of unaccounted money polluting the vitality and health of our democracy, as the increase in his Ministerial Council shows. He is has to cleanse the rot in his backyard.

Notably, the Courts will have to devise a mechanism that will make netas think ten times before they take ghoos, dare tell a lie or conceal anything about himself or his “dependants” a term which needs to be strictly defined. The Government should be empowered to acquire any ill-gotten, under-valued property. Realtors could be hired as consultants to verify a property’s market worth and 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. Our leaders like Caesar’s wife need to be above suspicion and lead by example.

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 our leaders’ self-proclaimed honesty and 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 and Feature Alliance)