The new carpetbaggers

“They are very important people… see they are comfortable.” A harmless instruction, one would dismiss. Yet, it has exercised and excited political Delhi, thanks to the main protagonist: Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. Underscoring yet again the sordid politician-businessman-journalist nexus, succinctly crony capitalism whereby, self-serving dostis and family ties influence government decisions and deals to enrich each other. Welcome to 21st century desh ki rajniti: The new Carpetbaggers!

All hell broke loose when an Essar Group “whistleblower” went public with internal company communications of how Gadkari and family were flown from Nice to spend two nights on Ruia’s luxury yacht stationed in the French Riviera waters on 7-9 July 2013. Spiced by giving us a peep into the murky world of how the company cultivated Ministers, politicians, bureaucrats and journalists, showered them with gifts and favours to push its business interests. True, Gadkari’s defence is that he was not a “public figure” so “where is the problem?” Adding, “I was on a personal holiday in Norway and all tickets and hotel bills were paid by me….I have known the Ruias for over 25 years…so they invited me. I see no conflict of interest since I was neither the BJP President nor a Minister or MP. I will not do so now since I am a Minister.” Sic

But the moot point is: He was still a very important person in the party hierarchy. More scandalous is Gadkari’s blasé attitude. Nonchalantly, he justifies the boat visit as a “study tour.” Really, who is he trying to kid? Has he forgotten that as a public figure he should have insured that no conflict ever arises between his public duties and private interest?

Why blame Gadkari ? Congress then Coal Minister Jaiswal, senior leaders Digvijay Singh and Motilal Vora, ex-MP Laguri and BJP’s Varun Gandhi referred candidates for jobs in Essar. In fact, one of the emails suggests that 200 slots were earmarked for VIP “referrals” and a separate data bank maintained. Call it plutocracy (rule by wealth) or kleptocracy (rule by theft) either way netas of all shapes and sizes, hues and colours, communal and secular flock together collectively cooing there’s nothing’s wrong. The name of the game is quid-pro-qous and you-scratch-my-back-I-scratch-yours. Alas, today bribing bureaucrats is de rigueur wherein instead of success being determined by the rule of law, a businessman’s success is dependent on the favoritism that is shown to him by the government.

A powerful trickle down effect where the lowliest rural officials and policemen expect their palms greased just to do their jobs. The surfeit of classic illustrations of crony capitalism abound. From the 2G spectrum scam, Adarsh Housing Society scandal, Coalgate wherein coal blocks were given to families and friends of UPA Ministers, Congress and its allies MPs’ or people close to the Party. And the infamous Nira Radia tapes encompassing industrialists, media, netagan, babudom et al. Shockingly, in 2011 92 Rajya Sabha MPs had pecuniary interests including remunerative directorship, shareholding of controlling nature, paid consultancy and professional engagement. Worse, they were members of Standing Committees in which they have business interests. Primarily because, there are no rules of the game. Morality and ethics no longer matter.

Big deal, if this smacks of conflict of interest. Questionably, what is the line between a politician’s public and personal life? Can he be ethical in public if he is unethical in private? Is his private life any concern of the people? Has politics become too personal or should politicians expect intense media scrutiny of their affairs? Do we have unrealistic expectations of our leaders? Undeniably, the issue is not Gadkari’s indiscretion, but it once again underscores our politicians are expected to be a notch above ordinary mortals. To be respected and held in high esteem who don’t easily succumb to human weaknesses and foibles. Moreover, a man’s public life can never be clean if his private life is not. The two are indivisible as a person’s public demeanour is influenced by his character, integrity and values.

Gadkari and his ilk forget that a leader has to pay the price of privacy once he enters public life which demands accountable to the people. The aam aadmi has a right to know everything about his netas as their salaries are paid for by the people who need to make informed judgments about the kind of leaders they want. Alas, not only him but many of our netagan resist accountability and continue to rule by law. Not for them the need to uphold the tenets of good governance. Over the years we have stood witness to the public mask and private face of our netagan. Replete with State-funded narcissism at one end, interspersed with our polity’s experiments in untruth to the unprecedented private-public partnership in our all-powerful Government system. Exposing our fallacious tryst with good governance!

Sadly, the tragedy of the Gadkari saga is that it has not made any iota of difference or guilt among our teflon-coated politicians who continue to be fair game and ply whatever you want: Lay down any law, bend any rule, change any order, transfer any person and fudge figures. All for freebies, holidays, money, entertainment and all the goodies even sexy two-legged sizzlers.

Undoubtedly, constant scrutiny is the price of fame. If our leaders want to enjoy the privileges of power and all the status that goes with it then they should willingly pay the price of absolute integrity and honesty. If a person takes small favours how can one trust him on bigger things?

What next? Time we put in place a clear and transparent regulatory framework and stop crony capitalism riding roughshod over bona fide businessman. Our netagan need to cry a halt to political cronyism wherein it spills over into the business world; self-serving friendships and family ties. Corrupting public-serving economic and political ideals.

The nation demands, its polity to be whiter than white otherwise they are not fit to do the job It is high time to cry a halt to increasing degradation by conducing our own due diligence, else we lay the foundation for a weak and pliable polity. We need an effective vetting process of the real chaal, charitra & chehra of our leaders.

As Modi asserts, a corruption-free India and its democracy come first. We need to expose the private mukhota of the public chehra. Public accountability is indispensable in a democratic set-up. Or else be prepared to face public sting!