Politicians and Privileges
Prime Minister Shri Modi has unleashed several measures to curb corruption and black money. After demonetization, he is pushing for digital economy which will bring greater transparency and higher earnings of individuals who hitherto managed to hide income. It will generate more taxes. At the same time, PM has also offered shield from retrospective investigations in wake of higher reported earnings.
While this is all fine, PM has left political parties from any scrutiny or investigations. When every one else is subjected to scrutiny and forced to disclose income, why political parties are left out ? Why are they exempt from declaring their income and pay taxes ? Why public should not know how much do they get in terms of donations and membership fees and how do they spend on various activities including elections ? Why should they not declare how much they received in cash and how much by cheques and who funded ? We all know that political patronage and favoritisms is a source of corruption, be it 2G, CWG or Coalgate. Why political parties should not come under the ambit of RTI ? What do they do that does not touch taxpayers money ? When there is a talk of transparency in political parties, all get united in opposing tooth and nail. Some point fingers to election commision saying that it is the job of election commision. After 70 years, time has come to equate Netas with common public and do away with exemption and privileges. They disrupt parliament at the drop of hat, wasting hundreds or crores of tax payers money but do not take even a minute to award pay hike and perks for themselves
Time has come that all citizens should demand transparency from political class and do away with privileges they enjoy. more
While this is all fine, PM has left political parties from any scrutiny or investigations. When every one else is subjected to scrutiny and forced to disclose income, why political parties are left out ? Why are they exempt from declaring their income and pay taxes ? Why public should not know how much do they get in terms of donations and membership fees and how do they spend on various activities including elections ? Why should they not declare how much they received in cash and how much by cheques and who funded ? We all know that political patronage and favoritisms is a source of corruption, be it 2G, CWG or Coalgate. Why political parties should not come under the ambit of RTI ? What do they do that does not touch taxpayers money ? When there is a talk of transparency in political parties, all get united in opposing tooth and nail. Some point fingers to election commision saying that it is the job of election commision. After 70 years, time has come to equate Netas with common public and do away with exemption and privileges. They disrupt parliament at the drop of hat, wasting hundreds or crores of tax payers money but do not take even a minute to award pay hike and perks for themselves
Time has come that all citizens should demand transparency from political class and do away with privileges they enjoy. more
Viewed by 5646
View all 136 comments Below 136 comments
Great Britain has an official number of 84 VIPs. France has 109, Japan has 125 and Germany has 142. The total number of VIPs in the USA are 252, Russia 312 and the total number of VIPs in China is 435. India has a total no of 5,79,092 VIPs. It is sickening. Cutting down this no to below 300 is as urgent a reform as any. Remember this huge Army of largely political VIPs are squandering valuable national resources meant for the common people of this country. Share to build public opinion against this nonsense. more
Dec 27
Yes political parties and politicians too should be equally accountable. Sadly our Prime Minister will not do anything of that sort as when he himself was Gujarat CM, big corporates like Birlas had funded him. Lets not live in a baubble or raise our hopes that these politicians wl b accountable. more
Dec 27
There is no secret that the Political parties and the politicians of the country are the major stake holders in our total estimated black money and majority of them heavily corrupted. The bureaucrats come to No.3 in the race. The common men of the nation are, therefore, looking eagerly towards Modi for heavily coming down on these entities with provisions for heavy penalties and punishment. It is the nation's expectation that Modi will not compromise under any circumstances and will come up to their expectations and promises he made on different occasions. more
Dec 23
Democracy - All are equal - If they are people, they should come under rules n regulations and come under RTI Act no exemption more
Dec 22
