Our Politicians and Corruption
If sex is synonymous with glamour, then corruption too is synonymous with politics in India today. Politics is no more a virtuous profession that it once was, but an easy means towards money, power and position. Our politicians will spend any amount of money to get a ticket and then win an election by any means, fair or foul. Once elected the money spent, is recovered in record time. Even as Cricket, which was supposed to be a gentleman's game has acquired the viability and commerciality of a race course, politics has acquired the viability and the thrills of a casino, wherein "jackpots" are hit as per the ministries they are affiliated to, which in fact lubricate the silent wheels of fortune even further. No etiquette codes are followed or for that matter none required. Even the global economic melt down fails to stop the inflating fortunes of our politicians. With the acquired riches, starts the change in their life styles, sometimes very much evident but mostly camouflaged, prosperity covered under the blanket of professed austerity, frugality is no more of the essence, It is this changed life style, hidden or otherwise which often leads to health break down, but the beauty of it is, it is never evident and only surfaces when they are not well prepared or well equipped to answer the required related questions, faced with the dilemma of explaining the source of all their inflated bank accounts, assets or cash found stashed around. Then they get five star treatment in top hospitals at the cost of the exchequer rather than experience the discomforts of incarceration. Mr. Koda, the former Jharkhand CM, is a stunning example of our political cynicism. As per reports more than 60% of our present MP's have criminal records, some have even won elections sitting in prison cells, can we complain ? It's democracy sweetheart ! If we take a close look at Goan politicians, apart from the few entrepreneurs of the likes of Babu Naik, Dr. Jack Saquira, Anil Salgoankar and may be a few others who were really rich before they joined politics, most of the others were, lowly paid school teachers, two bit lawyers, cooks, tailors, junior engineers, there is a guy who sold milk for a living, who then turned to "matka", headmasters, union leaders, two bit contractors and some social workers, all these guys, who just survived or struggled to survive earlier, have hit the "jackpots" in politics. The wheels of fortune have certainly been moving at a very fast pace. Struggling people like you and me, not just become millionaires but multi millionaires, in just a couple of years in politics, the secret of their success is pretty obvious and one does not have to be a brilliant thinker or a scholar to assimilate the causes of these riches but it is the quick transition from rags to riches that is the strange, inexplicable aberration that baffles everyone the most. How can our anti corruption agencies be so blind to the facts that are so obvious even to a layman ? Or do the agencies too have a share in the pie ? If so many politicians can get away with so much corruption then there is certainly something very much wrong within our system. If our corrupt politicians claim to have a heart problem or a stomach problem, so that they can have five star treatment at the best hospitals at the cost of the exchequer rather then the hardships of a prison cell, then our Indian democracy most certainly has an incurable cancer. Freddy Agnelo Fernandes -------------------------------------------------------- The content of this electronic communication is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and any others who are specifically authorized to receive it. It may contain confidential or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or otherwise placing reliance on the contents of this information is prohibited and may be unlawful in certain legal jurisdictions. If you have received this communication in error please notify the sender immediately by responding to this email and then delete it from your system. -------------------------------------------------------- ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________
