Netas and the art of lie-ability

Lies, damn lies and statistics! And that too in sworn affidavits that trash Modi’s war against corruption. Any wonder then that our netagan’s greatest asset is his lie-ability.

How else should one react when a PIL by NGO Lok Prahari in the Supreme Court makes one do a double take and underscores for the umpteenth time that politics is a profitable business. The petition zeroed on 26 Lok Sabha and 11 Rajya Sabha MPs alongside 257 MLAs whose income and assets grew over 500% to 1200% between two polls 2009-2014 as reflected in their election affidavits.

Consequently, it wants the election law amended for a candidate to disclose his and family’s sources of income at the time of filing nomination form. Presently, he discloses only his, spouse, children and dependents assets but not sources of their income through which they came to possess these.

Throwing down the gauntlet to the Modi Sarkar to practise what it preaches to the aam aadmi, the Court asked it to prove its anti-black-money credentials by listing the action against lawmakers. “Tell us what the growth rate of income of MLAs and MPs over the years is.... Don't make vague statements... when you say you believe in action, demonstrate it by telling us as to what action you have taken, that will show your bona fides…This affidavit is not worth the piece of paper it’s written on,” added the Bench.

Correct. Absurdly, the assets declaration format is neither standardized and nor does it reflect the current market value of our rulers.
Notwithstanding, tax authorities claim of discrepancies in income disclosures by only seven Lok Sabha MPs and 98 MLAs, the Court dared the Centre to come clean.

Undeniably, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The assets of 165 MPs re-elected to the 16th Lok Sabha rose on an average by a whopping 137% from Rs5.38 crore in 2009 to Rs 12.78 crores in 2014. That too when the average economic growth was slower at 4.7%and a slump in real estate prices! Worse, 113 of the 542 MPs described their profession as housewife, social worker and politics. Sic.

Clearly our Right Honourables declarations are only eyewash. While an average Congress MP is worth over Rs 16 crore, his BJP colleague has assets over Rs. 11 crore. Uma Saren is the poorest MP with assets under Rs five lakh.

The highest increase is BJP's Bollywood star Shatrughan Sinha whose wealth grew by a whopping 778% from Rs 15 crore to Rs 131.74 crore in five years. The regional satraps are not far behind.

Given that corruption is such an old song that our netas all sing along in harmony Modi appears serious about his pledge of a sleaze Mukt Bharat and eliminating black money. But this might not be effective in breaking the vicious circle of unaccounted money polluting the vitality and health of our democracy.

Notably, the Courts will have to devise a mechanism that will make netas think ten times before they take ghoos, tell a lie or conceal anything about himself or his “dependants” a term which needs to be strictly defined.

The Centre should acquire all ill-gotten, under-valued property. Realtors could be hired as consultants to verify a property’s market worth and the property thus acquired could be publicly auctioned. Mercifully, this would ensure more ‘honourable ‘and better returns.

Further, the income tax department should tally the affidavits with our leaders I-T returns. One could also consider a restriction on the number of terms a person can hold public office. Our leaders like Caesar’s wife need to be above suspicion and lead by example. Clearly, Modi has to cleanse the rot in the political backyard and stop banking on our leaders’ self-proclaimed honesty and morality. (INFA)

By Poonam I Kaushish