The choice before the Political Class

The choice before the Political Class

Someone has suggested that right to recall and right to reject are not viable options in a democracy like ours. But you can't have men of not impeccable credentials occupying the seats of power. Understood that private sector is the root of corruption given the mammoth salaries they give and the mammoth greed it breeds. All the ailments in society emanate from some having sizeable money power and getting their dependents admitted to so-called prized institutions by paying hefty fees/capitation fees. Time has come to check this capitation culture and also the working of private schools who have no end to greed agenda. Unless you act against these private schoolwallahs nothing is going to change. You need to strike at their roots. Across board the salaries should be slashed by 30 to 40 per cent. Those taking a salary of over 5 lakh a year should be asked to pay 50 per cent tax and more.
As for right to reject and right to recall, even if it is not viable something has to be done to check the growing sentiment against the political class. First let us have the social audit of MP Local Area Fund. No resistance from any quarter should be entertained. Once the social audit begins, only those projects would be taken up where honesty is the yardstick and projects do release string of benefits for the constituents. Second in constituencies/places where the representative happens to be someone with no clean record all political parties across board should reach a consensus and put up a strong candidate. Once this experiment is carried in all constituencies having no clean representatives, the dearth of good tidings that the political class faces would be a thing of the past. The political class needs to understand the growing resentment; and needs to act fast. Failing to do so we could have a case where civil unrest breaks out and it would be difficult to control. Some other measures the political class could take are: Don't stand for polls for more than two terms from the same constituency. Don't bring in your near and dear ones unless and until they feel strongly for the people they want to represent. The Lok Sabha could well have 10 per cent of its entire strength (Say 60 of 600 members) from nominated class who have been decided by a panel of people with impeccable credentials. Just targetting the political class won't do. But political leaders who have lost support and looted the system need to hang up boots. They need to do it fast. Or the public would make them see the inevitable.

There are other sectors like NGOs and private who have done their bit for corruption growth story to grow. Once ombudsman are in place a lot of ailments including those generated by moneyed power culture would get checked if not vanish. As for those clamouring for reservations in private sector, they are simply playing vote politics and they don't understand that people can see through their designs.
The Corporate Social Responsibility is one area where earnest efforts should be made to broaden such endeavours. THere are gems are in the Private Sector and we need to encourage them. Be it Steel or Banking the Private Sector's CSR has been commendable. They need to be encouraged. But there are others who are out there to fleece the system. We need to check them.