Political Diary
New Delhi, 4 July 2015
Dil Mange More
END VIP RACISM, PRADHAN SEVAK
By Poonam I Kaushish
Political Delhi
is in the throes of VIP aka Very
Important Person tremors once again. Three incidents which showcase the ugly,
uglier and the ugliest of our aaj ke
rajneetas. Main VIP hoon, tum kaun?
Which translates in to boorish behaviour, shrilling lal batti sirens, posy of mean-looking gun-wielding security,
retinue of chamchaas et al. The kind
that spells bad news for the poor aam
aadmi. Toh kya?
First, the Maharashtra Chief Minister Fadnavis delayed an
Air India flight to US with 250 passengers by one hour as his Principal
Secretary forgot to get his passport which had the valid visa. Shockingly, the
missing visa was discovered only at the boarding gate by a vigilant officer.
How and why was the official allowed to go through by the immigration and
customs authorities? Why should our law makers be exempt from security checks? Obviously,
all were busy in jee huzooring
instead of doing their duty!
Worse, Fadnavis threw a tantrum and refused to travel
without his Secretary, who could jolly well have taken the next flight instead
of delaying and inconveniencing passengers. Of course, VIPs don’t believe in
extending basic courtesies. Power is always right.
Second, the Union Minister of
State for Home Kiren Rijiju did one better. He not only delayed the Leh-Delhi
flight by around an hour but also three passengers were deboarded to accommodate
him and two others. Okay, to be fair he was only informed on boarding, but nothing
prevented our Mantri from deplaning
and insisting the family be reallocated their seats.
Three, film star-MP Hema Malani’s Mercedes
collided with an Alto near Jaipur injuring her and four in the other car. While
our Right Honourable with minor injuries was taken post haste to the nearby
Fortis hospital in Jaipur, the critically injured family had to wait for an
ambulance and then driven to a Sarkari hospital
one-and-a-half hours away in Dausa. The delay resulted in the death of the two-year
old girl.
Questionably, wasn’t it our jan seveka’s duty to ensure the
critically injured were attended too immediately? Why didn’t she take them
along with her to the hospital? Simply,
because the aam aadmi is just aam.
The crowning glory is that while our valiant ex-servicemen
staged an unprecedented dharna in
Delhi demanding the implementation of the promised one-rank-one-pension scheme,
our MPs demand a 100 per cent pay hike from Rs 50,000 per month to Rs one lakh,
doubling of constituency allowance from Rs 45,000 to Rs 80,000, increase in
personal staff salary from Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000, pension from Rs 20,000 to Rs
35,000.
This is not all. Enhancement of daily
allowance from Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000, official vehicle for MPs, 48 air tickets
up from 34, canteen facilities for grocery items, 10 air tickets to ex-MPs,
CGHS facilities for their dependents including grand children etc.
Why do they need a raise? Everything is paid
by us, taxpayers anyway. Think. Our netagan live in
tony Lutyens’ Delhi
replete with seven-star bungalows with manicured lawns, growing wheat and
vegetables. They get free furniture, air-conditioners, fridges and maintenance
to boot, down to a tube-light, aggregating over Rs 60 crore annually.
It doesn’t end just there. Each MP is entitled to free water
upto 4000 kl per annum and electricity upto 50,000 units. Beside, 1,50,000
local calls for 3 telephones and 50,000 free local calls for internet annually.
Down to washing of sofa covers and curtains every three months!
As also a guard. Do our jan
sevaks need a sepoy to protect
them from their janata they profess
to serve? Even as their constituents continue to grovel outside soliciting a
favour from their undata. Isn’t it
absurd that they self-decide when and how much raise they want!
Raising a moot point: Can our poor country afford expensive
legislators? Haven’t we had enough? Why
should our post-Independence ruling mai-baaps
nurse a feudal mindset and demand differential treatment? Do they actually
deserve this extra importance? Are these people the representatives of the
common man or are they peers of a new realm they have created?
Considering, most netas
barely discharge their responsibilities honestly and honourably? Why should the
ever-ballooning list of VIPs feel their selfhoods are at stake when asked to
follow the rules? Whatever happened to democracy by the people, of the
people, for the people?
Alas, we seem to live in an India where only VVIPs matter.
Wherein there is a wide chasm between the aam
aadmi and our khaas aadmis. Leading
to increasing frustration, disconnect and contempt for the leaders which
results in defiance by people at large.
Moreover, they are afflicted by two diseases: Acute
Orwellian disorder of “some are more equal than others” and Oliver’s disease,
“always asking for more”. They are two sets of laws: rule of law for us where innocents are jailed for trivial crimes and
rule by law for them whereby the
‘more equals’ play havoc with the people and get away with it. No IDs’, no
frisking and long queues, cars jumping red lights to exhibit their ‘power’
might. God forbid, if anyone questions their misdemeanor, be prepared for open
fury.
But it doesn’t end just there. Recently, Lok Sabha witnessed
an ugly scramble for VIP status. Livid MPs yelled blue murder over the
down-grading of their security cover. “We are vital for the country… you will
have blood on your hands…,” they yelled. Really?
The tragedy is that in 21st century India our
ruling neo maharajas hang on to the vestige of 19th century. Bruised by a
feudal oligarchy, colonial hangover and pummeled self-esteem our leaders have
combined the power of democracy, vote-bank politics and populism to become a
force to reckon with for acquiring and retaining power. Barricading themselves
from growing public anger with more security and erecting metal nets at
rallies.
Clearly, Modi needs to cry a halt to this VIP racism. Stop
all unnecessary privileges, financial pampering and perks to our legislators,
make their incomes and salaries taxable and stop pensions to ex-MPS. Our polity
to realize that any increase in privileges is co-terminus with an increase in
accountability.
Time to adopt the American model where the US House and
Senate members salary $174,000 per year, lower than private mid-level
executives. Or the Japanese and French form where MPs salaries are fixed to the
highest paid bureaucrats. In Germany,
MPs get remuneration adequate to ensure their independence.
In UK
the Review Body on Senior Salaries advises the Prime Minister on the pay and
pension of MPs and Ministers. In Switzerland MPs do not get any salary or
allowance; they just get paid leave from their employers on the days of
Parliament’s session.
Importantly, our Right Honourables need to recognize that
they must deserve before they can desire. It remains to be seen whether our
polity will continue to live life Maharaja-size and reduce hum-toh-janata-ke-sevak-hain to mere tokenism? Prime Minister Modi
calls himself Pradhan Sevak. Will his
MPs practice what he preaches? Truly and urgently? ----- INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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