Few countries seem to enjoy elections as much as we do. At any given time there is an election taking place — to municipal corporations, to legislatures, to Parliament — or there’s one just round the corner to keep the wheels of our democracy oiled. And “oiled” is right. Free television sets, bags of rice, 1.25 lakh crore packages, “one rank, one pension” are glibly promised; some promises are kept, others give our prime time television channels something to do.
We are, to quote the social scientist Ashis Nandy, a psephocracy, a country ruled by people who are only running from one election to another. A corollary is that just winning the election completes the exercise; there is no thought to serving the people.
Our politicians and councillors are criticised for being too ambitious. In fact, they lack true ambition, content with merely making money and hanging on to their posts when the challenge of doing the work they have been elected for beckons. There is a remarkable similarity in approach across parties, from the highest elected official in the land to the lowliest local representative.
The BBMP elections are eco-friendly — everything is recycled, from promises to excuses to manifestos. And we blame the citizens for their apathy. When the choice is between twiddledum and twiddledee, why exert yourself?
Five years ago, when the BJP won the BBMP elections, they promised the following: a monorail network, upgrading of 93 major roads into four lanes, eight-lane roads at all entry points to the city, a separate power grid for the city, revival of dead rivers (Vrishabhavati, Arkavati), development of 104 lakes, a law to regulate the growth of high-rise structures, and construction of 20 parking complexes. Anybody notice anything?
The goal, said the BJP Member of Parliament, was to transform Bengaluru into a world-class city in three years, although he was shy about telling us how the party hoped to raise the Rs. 25,000 crore needed to do so. Ending corruption would be one way, but that is never on the agenda.
Recently, its Commissioner said the BBMP needed financial discipline. That is an understatement for an elected body which has the reputation for being one of the most corrupt anywhere.
This newspaper has reported on a series of multi-crore scams. Three years ago, the Technical Vigilance Committee alleged that since 2008, ward-level works in just three constituencies involved scams worth Rs. 1,500 crore. A Comptroller and Auditor General report in 2013 revealed irregularities of over Rs. 630 crore to garbage contractors. In February 2015, three officials of the Finance Department were booked for withdrawing Rs. 49 crore by forging documents. Land-grabbing is a favourite sport of the councillors, who for variety, demand free passes for IPL cricket matches.
If corruption was not an issue at the recent elections, that is because it is too deeply embedded in the system.
As in 2010, so in 2015. Power, garbage, roads, water, unplanned construction, drying lakes — the problems remain. Can’t wait to read the 2020 manifestos.
Suresh Menon is Contributing Editor, The Hindu
