Political Accountability

COST TO COMPANY

Cost to company is a terminology which is well understood in the private sector. ‘Canons of financial propriety’ was a terminology which was equally drilled into those vested with the onerous responsibility of spending tax payer’s money. Audits and reviews were carefully crafted into organisations that dealt with public money. The bottom line was that the tax payer’s money was not to be splurged or casually handled. What has happened over the years is that institutions which were nurtured and built have been destroyed by ignorant, self serving, greedy and unenlightened leadership.. More and more criminals were elected by default because you and I did not vote. We said that we have no worthwhile candidate to vote for and hence why vote?

We got the parliamentarians we deserve and consequently the govt we deserve. Here in full public gaze, we had our MPs justifying the generous pay and perks that they granted to themselves. Should there not be an independent authority/commission with no conflict of interest that decides such matters? Look at the timing of their demand. Political unrest in the North, north west and parts of south, thousands of war veterans resorting to desperate measures of returning their medals even as the Supreme court ruled in their favour for One –rank-one pay and the Govt continued to deny them their constitutional rights. High inflation and cost of living which affects all middle class citizens and below. Floods ravaging northern parts of India and farmers unable to make both ends meet. How can we expect our MPs to be so sensitive to the needs of the citizens when the elections are not imminent? What about the ever increasing number of Crorepatis in our parliament. Will they voluntarily forfeit the new salary-some have said so!

Ironically, a recent report in the media states that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has decided to reward all the past Secretaries with perks that would make a very successful airline blush. It is Air India that we are talking about which is surviving on bailout packages offered by the Govt.Whose money is it? Yours and mine of course. What if the railways and shipping ministries follow suit? Are secretaries to the Govt of India the only civil servants serving the nation?  They have taken a cue from our enlightened parliamentarians who were willing to stop all proceedings if their demands were not met. Don’t you think we need to put the right people in the parliament so that a top- down cleaning up process can commence at least in 2014. Vote for professionals-vote PPI.