India is a democratic country where the citizens of country select individuals and put them in the government. Democracy entails a country that is run by the members elected by its citizens and stands to serve the people of the nation. The current scenario of the sad standards of Indian politics has cursed the democratic rule. The Indian Constitution says that our government is “For the People, By the People and Of the People”. This seems to have changed and the word people can easily be replaced by money.
The centre and the opposition parties are all corrupt. It’s a very common saying in Hindi, “Jaisa Raja, Vaisi Praja” (inhabitants of the state are akin to its ruler). The Congress is heading the ship of Indian Politics by being at the Centre and attaining the title of being responsible for the maximum number of scams the Centre can commit in a period of eight years. The Congress fears the opposition from the BJP which itself is neck-deep in corruption after the recent BJP Chief Nitin Gadkari’s allegation case. The worst part is that we can find both the Congress and the BJP are expecting votes from people. After the series of scams and allegations been proven and investigated, these parties are still all geared up for the upcoming elections of 2014 and the December state elections (Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat).
As the Congress suffered losses as far as its reputation is concerned, after the 2G, CAG, CWG scams and allegations of irresponsibility being proven true, what was left was a ray of hope from the 2014 elections with the BJP at the centre. However, thoughts can never be pre-planned. The BJP Chief Mr. Nitin Gadkari is under scrutiny. He stands allegations of amassing a lot of wealth under the IRB (Ideal Road Builders) and the Purti Power and Sugar Ltd. The IRB, which had been given a lot of contracts when Mr. Gadkari headed the Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) during the period 1995 to 1999 is now accused of buying a stake of 1.85 crore in the Purti Power and Sugar Ltd in which Mr. Gadkari owns an unreasonable stake. Purti Power and Sugar Ltd is a Nagpur based firm which has around 18 stake holders holding 80% of the equity. The ruckus aggravated when Mr. Gadkari, after acquisition by IAC Activists stating that he had acquired the farmers’ land in the Vidharbha Region at a negotiable price from the government and has used the water meant for irrigation for his own sugar mill. This was seconded by investigations for Purti Group which used the water. Among the 18 stake holders of Purti, some of them are drivers and accountants of Mr. Gadkari and rest employees are of Purti itself. An Income tax Inquiry has been done of at least 12 of 18 stake holding companies and they are found to be dubious and shell companies. The addresses of the stake holding companies stand wrong. The question stands clear, either drivers of Mr. Gadkari were paid big bucks to own companies which further own equities or Mr. Gadkari has simply been acting smart.
Furthermore, Purti seemed to have gotten a loan of 165 crore from a company named Global Safety Vision. Purti claims to have cleared the debt, however, Global Safety Vision shows that it has paid an annual capital of Rupees 1 Lakh. The allegations revolve around the loan of 165 crore and its repayment. The Purti Group is blamed for providing false information about its stake holders. Two of the companies which have a stake of 17 crore in Purti did not seem to exist on their notified addresses. Mr. Gadkari, who claims to be the Chairman of Purti seems to have only 200 shares in his basket.
In the meantime, the Congress could catch up on its breath as the cannons of allegations were turned away from them. However, their days of happiness were short lived. Soon after Mr. Gadkari had faced the storm, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, the President of the Congress party and her son Mr. Rahul Gandhi, the General Secretary of the Congress found themselves in a similar position. The President of the Janata Party, Mr. Subramanian Swamy accused the mother-son duo of converting a public firm into a private firm. He also blamed them for amassing property worth Rupees 1600 crore. The mother-son duo seemed to have floated a private company by the name of Young Indians with a 76% stake in the firm. Young Indians had then purchased Associated Journals Limited (AJL) which is a public limited company. AJL has the National Herald and Quami Awaaz Newspapers under its banner. The purpose of the takeover has been thought to be the acquisition of the National Herald House which is centrally located in New Delhi and has a valuation of around Rupees 1600 crore. The Congress chief has reportedly paid only 50 lakh for the same. There also have various issues like the usage of 10 Janpath, the official residence of Mrs. Gandhi for commercial business meetings, which is illegal.
What are the members of a family expected to do when the head of the family stands acquitted for personal monetary gains? A similar image of our leaders can be seen in our society. A policy of attaining personal benefits by hook or by crook is being practiced in today’s times. The economic condition of our country still stands neglected. Rating agencies (Standard and Poor) have started conferring upon us the position of being a country full of junk. They don’t seem to realize that the politics of this nation has already earned itself the ‘junk’ status. Malign practices of politics can never be eliminated until there is a strong judiciary. The country certainly needs people like the prior Supreme Court Judge, Mr. Krishna Iyer and Chief Justice G.B Patnaik. We need people like Dr. Verghesee Kurien who can think about the people of this country and not their personal interests.
In a democratic country, politics will always play a central role. Apart from politics within the government, we have representatives in it which are elected by us. We as citizens of the nation need to think before exercising our voting rights. Do cast your vote and cast it wisely. Let your opinions show in the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections.
Note: The article is featured on Bhaskar’s personal blog