Friends, sometimes I wonder whether the system in which our country is operating, is it equal for all the citizens? To me, it looks like the polity class, elite class, bureaucracy class, judiciary, and police hold an advantage in day-to-day life, which is not available to the common citizens. It looks like the common laws do not apply to them, and they get away with certain crimes for which the ordinary person will be punished. Secondly, these classes of people use the law to their advantage so that they get maximum benefits out of it. Here are a few examples:
1 You must have noticed whenever a big political leader is arrested for a certain crime, the first thing that will happen is that he/she gets some cardiac problem, and instead of remaining in prison they enjoy the comforts of the hospital. A recent example that happened in Mumbai is that of an ex-minister in the MVA government, Nawab Malik, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for money laundering. As soon he was arrested, the medical troubles started and his lawyers in the court were pleading like he is in such a serious condition so that he could get bail and start treatment in a private hospital. But after getting bail, it looks like he is hale and hearty, he has not been admitted to any hospital.
2 You are all aware that government employees after retirement get a pension. But do you know, that our politicians who become Municipal Councillors, MLAs, and MPs also get pensions, although they are not employees, and even if they serve one term either as MP/MLA/Councillor, they are entitled to pension. The funny and worst part is if a politician serves a minimum of one term as councilor, then he/she becomes MLA for one term, and then he/she becomes MP for one term, here he/she is enjoying the benefits of three pensions. Can you imagine a common person getting a pension from three jobs, where he/she has served only five years in a job? Pension word means, that it is your income after retirement. But here politicians are getting the benefits of the same as they are lawmakers. It is a funny system, as otherwise, the government forbids any person to hold the office of profit if that person is MP/MLA etc, but these people can get multiple pensions.
3 Next thing is judges appointing judges. The selection of judges especially the High Court and Supreme Court are being carried out by a collegium system where judges from SC okay the appointment of judges of SC and HC. It has been seen so many times that favourtism takes place while selecting judges. Although government finally has to approve these appointments, and even if the government rejects the name of certain judges, the final say is with the collegium.
4 The salary and perks of MPs are decided in the Parliament, and these same MPs vote for the bill in the Parliament mentioning the increase. This indirectly means any time they can decide about their raise in salary and allowance.
5 When these politicians come to the political field, they say we have come here to serve the people of the country. This especially happens during the elections, and after winning the elections they forget their voters. Actually, we should have some system in place where we can recall them and say we do not want you to represent us.
6 Coming to the elite class, this is one class that keeps politicians in their pockets. As the people from this class contribute to the election fund of these politicians. So indirectly they become above the politicians and generally, they also become untouchable by law.
7 Same is with other classes like bureaucracy, police, and judiciary. They also become above the law, as they are lawmakers and law enforcers, so who is going to question them?
8 How does this class of people misuse public money to be seen? When they are caught in corruption, money laundering cases, etc., then they shout from the house top that it is an apolitical vendetta. Then these cases linger on for years and hardly any person is convicted for the crime committed by them.
9 The political parties and politicians are the worst offenders, and they least care for public opinion/sentiments, and their sole aim is to come to power by hook or crook. The classic case here I want to mention is that of BJP and Shiv Sena, when they fought the Maharashtra State election as an alliance partner in 2019. The public voted for them as alliance partners. They won the majority, but after that, Shiv Sena broke the alliance and joined hands with Congress and NCP to form the government. It only meant that Shiv Sena betrayed the voice and trust of the people, who voted for the alliance.
10 In my opinion there should be a law, that once you fight an election as an alliance, and the political party if it wants to break away from the alliance then its legislators should resign from the house and seek a fresh election with the new alliance partner, then only this type of cases will stop. In Maharashtra the matter did not stop, after three years Shiv Sena party split and the major faction joined hands with BJP to form the government, and after a year or so NCP also split, and the major faction joined the BJP government.
There are many more disturbing scenes/patterns concerning how our country is being run. The rest of my thoughts on this matter will be on my blog sometime in the near future.
Waiting for your views on the blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
17th August 2023