Political Diary
New Delhi,
24 September 2019
Poor India’s Rich
Ministers!
ENOUGH, SAY TAXPAYERS
By Poonam I Kaushish
Politics
is the conduct of public affairs for private advantage. This adage rang true
last week when news exploded that the State Exchequer of seven States has been
bearing the income tax burden of the Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers
beside their salaries and perks for over 40 years. Sic. Why? Because they are
“poor”. Really, you could have fooled me!
An
abhorrent practice started by “Rajasahib”
VP Singh in UP in 1981 on the fallacious ground that his Ministers were too “poor
and had meagre incomes” to pay taxes. Till date 19 Chief Ministers and about
1,000 Ministers have saved on their taxes. Last year’s the Ministerial tax bill
totaled Rs 86 lakhs.
Predictably,
six other States Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Himachal and
Chhattisgarh followed. Never mind that Madhya Pradesh Congress Chief Minister
Kamal Nath has assets worth Rs206 crores, his BJP predecessor Shivraj Chauhan
Rs 6 crores, Congress Punjab’Amrinder Singh Rs 48 crores and Chhattisgarh’s
Baghel Rs 23 crores, BJP’s Himachal Jairam Thakur Rs 3 crores and UP’s Adityanath
Rs 1 crore. His predecessors BSP’s Mayawati
Rs 111 crores and SP’s Akhilesh Yadav Rs 37 crores.
Worse,
some States have abrogated palatial plush bungalows and pensions for former
Chief Ministers for life. Despite 25 Chief Ministers have declared wealth of
over Rs 1 crore. Andhra’s Jagan Reddy is worth Rs 375 crores while two others have
declared assets of over Rs 100 crores, six have wealth between Rs 10 crores and
Rs 50 crores, 17 between Rs 1 crore to Rs 10 crores and six below Rs 6 crores according
to the Association for Democratic Reforms.
At
the Centre 51 Ministers in Prime Minister Modi’s ministerial council are crorepatis
with the average assets of all accounting for Rs 21.7 crores. Four ministers
have declared more than Rs 40 crores worth of assets. SAD’s Harsimrat Badal Rs
217 crores, BJP’s Piyush Goyal Rs 95 crores, Rao Inderjit Singh Rs 42 crores
and Amit Shah Rs 40 crores.
Undeniably,
this has left a bitter taste in the aam
aadmi’s mouth. Already grappling with sky-rocketing prices, shrinking
budgets and rising unemployment, it raises several questions: Why can’t our janata ke sevaks pay their own taxes?
Given that a majority of them are crorepatis.
Importantly,
do our Ministers know the reality of Asli
Bharat which they ad nauseum vow to protect? Do they care a damn? Whatever
happened to democracy by the people, of the people, for the people?
Besides,
their income declarations are an eyewash. Gone are the days when the country
had selfless leaders like Lal Bahadur Shastri or Gulzari Lal Nanda who died
penniless. It’s another matter how our present netagan acquired their wealth and black money stashed abroad in
safe havens. Ex Union Home and Finance Minister Chidambaram a case in point.
School-teacher-turned-Dalit
messiah Mayawati brazenly justfies her vast wealth including prime real estate
holdings by asserting that if a Thakur and Brahmin could be crorepatis why not a Dalit.. Why not indeed! Mum’s the word
when it comes to her dazzling diamonds she flaunts ‘affectionately’ given by
her garib bhakhts.
Ditto
the case of TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu worth Rs 177 crores, Muslim saviour Mulayam
Singh and Lalu Yadav of Chara ghotala
both has moveable assets worth crores. Bluntly, it pays rich dividends to be a
politician.
While
some would dismiss the Orwellian syndrome I-am-more-equal-than-you nee VIP culture as a fallout of the
colonial mindset and feudal intent, all concur this in-your-face boorishness of
our VIPs is omnipresent. Juxtaposed with the Oliver disorder of
always-asking-for-more alongside the high octane decibels of Saada Haq whereby, just about everybody,
who’s anybody abuses power and public resources topped by being protected, all
at our expense. No matter each costs the tax payer over Rs 3.12 lakhs per month.
The
list of our neo-Maharajas replete with the power trappings that go with it is
impressive: Lavish seven-star bungalows with manicured lawns, growing wheat and
vegetables, furniture, air-conditioners, fridges, internet and maintenance to
boot, down to a Rs 10 tube-light all for free. So what if it cost the tax payer
an extra Rs 60 crores annually.
It doesn’t end there.
They get free all expenses paid junkets across the globe, treated to freebie
refreshments in first-class or priority lounges and assigned an airline
representative to handle all their needs and escort them to the plane, official
transport, travelling allowances for himself and his family along-with daily allowance,
medical treatment, advances purchase of motorcars. Free water upto 4000 kl per
annum and electricity upto 50,000 units.
Also, Rs 30,000 of
furniture, 1,50,000 local calls for 3 telephones and 50,000 free local calls
during a year. Down to washing of sofa covers and curtains every three months!
And a guard. Do our jan sevaks need a
sepoy to protect them from their janata they profess to serve? All paid
by the aam aadmi who continue to
grovel outside soliciting a favour from their undata.
There
can be no argument that leaders deserve special treatment. However, a
fundamental precept of democratic governance is egalitarianism of all citizens
whereby if the hoi polloi pays taxes so do the mantris. They cannot enjoy freebies as their birthright which
results in a wide chasm between the aam
aadmi and our khaas aadmis.
Leading to increasing frustration, disconnect and contempt for the rulers which
results in defiance by people at large.
The
tragedy is that even as the country saunters into the 21st century for our
ruling neo maharajas the vestige of
19th century India still lingers on. Of which ‘follow-no-rules’ is a
fundamental part instead rule by law.
No IDs’, no frisking and long queues, cars jumping red lights etc to exhibit
their ‘power’ might. God forbid, if anyone questions their misdemeanor be
prepared for open fury.
Clearly,
the don’t-you-know-who-I-am’ VIP term is outdated in a democracy. That over one
billion people should be beholden and subservient to their undaata is anathema and does not hold.
High time our netas wake up from their deep slumber of
self conceit and deception and minutely read the writing is on the wall that
India is not their personal jagir where
the aam aadmi not only pays them
salary but also their taxes. They need to stop being parasites, dismantle their
privileged fortresses, drastic pruning and crying a halt to all the financial
pampering and perks, make their incomes and salaries taxable and stop pensions
to former legislators which they don’t deserve. They need to set an example and
be accountable if we have to survive as a nation.
This would force them
to experience the pathetic state of affairs in Mera Bharat Mahan and understand how democracy is undermined when
VVIPs accept frrebies, break all rules, usurp flights and train seats and how
unsafe public transport is for women.
As a new generation
comes of age our rulers need to remember a home-truth: Democracy is based on
the fundamental premise of equality for all. Gone are the days when leaders
were revered, today they symbolise everything that plagues India, warts and all.
Time now for our leaders to introspect and cleanse the system before the rot
overpowers them. Punjab and UP have shown the way. Our netagan need to undergo a catharsis. Poor India cannot afford its
rich Ministers and their taxes! ----- INFA
(Copyright, India News & Feature Alliance)
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