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Aam crorepati

The article “The age of the aam crorepati” (June 20) is a stinging piece of writing on the susceptibility of politics to money power. The term aam crorepati is seemingly an oxymoron. But it serves to highlight the fact that the newly constituted Lok Sabha is under the sway of millionaire politicians. With 836 million people still “getting by” on less than Rs.20 a day and the average worth of a Lok Sabha MP being worth Rs. 51 million, the gap between the poor and their rich representatives is glaring. A house of the rich for a nation of the poor is apparently a paradox. But it can be resolved by understanding the correlation between wealth and power.

G. David Milton,

Maruthancode

The excellent and informative article makes distressing reading. It highlights the true state of affairs — which is at variance with the picture portrayed — in our elected bodies. Facts speak louder than the din of high-decibel concerns voiced ritualistically in favour of the aam aadmi from time to time.

Satinath Sen,

Bangalore

The National Election Watch report provides a startling glimpse into the reality. The Parliament house was built by the sweat and blood of ordinary citizens. That the majority of its occupants would be too preoccupied to think of the emancipation of the people they represent is disturbing. During the freedom struggle, the revolutionary party, Ghadar, called on volunteers to stir up rebellion in India. It said the “pay” would be “death; price-martyrdom; pension-liberty; and field of battle-India.” Those who volunteered to undertake the job and earn the wages would have hardly dreamt of this India.

S.V. Venugopalan,

Chennai

The article has exposed the link between money power and governance. Our political parties have steadily discarded their policies and manifestos, resorting instead to freebies and populist schemes to lure the poor.

T.R. Krishnamurthy,

Chennai

The 15th Lok Sabha has established the disturbing phenomenon that only people with huge wealth can occupy positions of power, even in a supposedly working democracy like India. Garibi hatao, power to the aam aadmi, and uplift of the weaker sections are all empty slogans. The polity, it seems, has been compromised irreversibly.

J.V.V. Murthy,

Coimbatore

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