By Tanaya Singh:
People of Uttar Pradesh will soon start searching for the Chief Minister they voted for. That charming guy spreading hopes of unleashing development in the state. But now, the youngest chief minister of the country seems to have turned into just another extravagant young man, unrealistic about his demands, and high-handed towards his responsibilities.
When Akhilesh Yadav announced that strict action will be taken against his party men who try to bend the law or break any regulations, he was applauded by the people of UP. When he promised free medical treatment to poor suffering from serious diseases, people were hopeful. Just after a month of his appointment as the chief minister, when he talked to the PM about issues related to MNREGA, Ganga cleaning project, road problems etc., people were convinced. And then when he announced that his government shall not waste the public money on building statues and memorials, but shall instead concentrate on saving that money and use it for the welfare of the poor, the labourers, the female students and the needy of his state, people were proud of their leader and their votes; they felt as they should have felt.
But then, one fine day, the charmer made a ridiculous demand. Throwing all the welfare claims into the Ganga, Akhilesh Kumar wants a car worth rupees 20 lakh for each one of his MLAs, the expenses for which shall be coming from the Constituency Development Fund of the legislators. Now with this, all the public emotions got merged into one, “an inevitable doubt”. The CM’s claim is simple. When all the MLA’s dedicate their lives to public welfare, they can use 20 lac from their 5 crore fund given to develop their constituencies to buy a car and use it while working. The public’s doubt is even simpler; WHOSE MONEY IS IT AFTER ALL?
Why is a sleek, smooth and shiny four-wheeler required to bring about welfare in the state? Irrespective of what the Samajwadi Party might have done, or plans to do in the future to bring about the wave of development they promised, the question still remains; who gave them the right to claim public money and use it to purchase luxuries? While some MLA’s pointed out that they are poor and don’t even have cycles, thus they deserve this, others are very flimsy regarding the whole issue and are concerned about how the public shall react.
No public worker needs a 20 lac vehicle to work for the masses if “general good” is the real motive in his heart. I don’t think many narrow lanes and broken streets in UP, that need the most development; will be suitable for these cars. What will the MLAs do then? Park outside and work from their air conditioned endowments?
“If you vote for me and I become the Chief Minister of UP, I promise you all, that my legislators shall pass by your streets in long, wonderful cars and you shall ogle at those from your broken windows or the footpaths where you usually sleep, and then you will think, wow! my money is doing some good thing after all.” If I was given a chance to write Akhilesh Yadav’s speech before elections, this would have surely been one of its lines.