A simple alleged cheating case involving a acquisiton of Associated Journals Ltd by Young India Pvt. Ltd. would have gone un-noticed, and the respondents would have duly appeared in Court, taken bail, and the due process of the Law would have commenced and proceeded at it’s snail like pace.
Except that this matter has literally stalled and held the Nation’s Parliament hostage. Why? Because the respondents are the Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, and it’s Vice President Mr. Rahul Gandhi. This is reason enough. That is if one looks at things from their perspective.
According to them, they have been targetted by the ruling Government. Merits be damned! How dare the Court summon their majesties to appear before it like ordinary citizens. So, the parliament must come to a complete standstill.
Interestingly, while so many crimes and atrocities are comitted against women and children, there is a lack of basic aminites for a bulk of citizens, who still have to go open air for toilet, lack of shelter, food, education, healthcare, jobs, security…the list goes on. Never has any political party or government raised a major concern, nor have politicians demonstrated a genuine incliniation to assuage the situation, other than the photo ops to ‘show that they care’. However, with the Parliament, the whole nation is held ransom, because some Member of Parliament’s ego is hurt.
One cannot blame them alone. We have been an independent for more than 6 decades, yet have not left the ‘Mai Baap’ culture, prevelent from times gone by. This culture has led the politicians and bureaucrats, who are in reality servants of the public feel and behave like their masters instead.
The recent blockage of activities in the Parliament are symptoms of this culture. With a blatent dis-regard to public welfare, the elected servants of the nation are wasting billions of rupees arguing something which should be left to the courts to decide.
With complete lack of transparencey or liability for non-performance, or criminal neglect (for this is what this action amounts to), the elected representatives of the Nation will continue to take the public for a ride.
Maybe it is time for the nation as a whole to take stock of the situation, and come up with alternate systems, or assignment of responsibility and appropriate liability on the part of the elected representatives, and public servants of the nation.
The exercise of course would have to be conducted in a civilized manner, with inputs from all strata of society, debates, referendum, etc. to come up with a meaningful solution for the growth of the nation.
