"Every thing secret degenerates, even the administration of justice; nothing is safe that does not show how it can bear discussion and publicity"- Lord Acton
The chiefs of the three armed forces were recently exempted from the security checks. In the build up to this decision you get arguments like. “It is a shame that India cannot accord a small privilege to the people who guard the country”. Well, this concern was taken up, and the government finally gave in and decided to give privilege of security checks to these people. All the ministers supported this decision and said that there is no need for security checks for people who secure the borders. No Big Deal? All is well that ends well?
NOT REALLY. The basic hypothesis for this or any other VIP privilege is that a certain person’s time and pride is more important than that of an ordinary citizen like you and me. But the question is, aren’t we breathing in a democratic country? This thing is utterly out of my perceptive about the democracy. As far as my understanding of a democracy is concerned, it clearly reflects that no politician, no minister no Prime Minister can be a VIP. A dictator can be assumed and treated as a VIP but not a person who is elected to lead and not to rule the country.
In a supposed equitable society, my cook, my driver, my boss should have the same value to that of a Prime Minister, at least on paper. We can’t afford to have a government sanction for discrimination.
Why should an ordinary folk stand in serpentine queues at security checks, immigration offices while bureaucrats, ministers easily get there by breaking all the queues?
Why does a government sticker on a vehicle exempt it from paying the toll tax?
Again, we need to understand that we need not treat our leaders as rulers or masters. If we are going to treat these people as rulers, there is a guarantee that we would be pushed around. Please give this a consideration. If an ordinary citizen jumps a red light, it is assumed as a crime, but on the other hand we sanction the jumping and privileges of public servants. Isn’t that unfair?
Some people might argue, that they are doing their duty. Even if we take this statement to be accurate, still these people cannot get liberty to bypass the laws which are applicable to ordinary citizens. If they are really “public servants”, they should volunteer to be the last ones in the queue.
Even a Narayan Murthy or a Tata travelling to seal a deal that will get employment to 1000s has to stand in queues and suffer multiple security checks. So if one is to think that important people are VIPs that certainly isn’t true. I anyway am not asking for exemptions for any businessmen but for equality.
This whole situation adversely affects the long term prosperity of the country. These politicians get so much used to the preferential treatment, that they would do anything to keep in power.
Lastly, if politicians stop being VIPs, we would certainly see a reduction in the mistrust and dislike which is quite evident in amongst the masses today. If I am not mistaken Mahatma Gandhi spent his life living like a Common Man. A true nationalist/ democrat must get in line along with the countrymen.
The chiefs of the three armed forces were recently exempted from the security checks. In the build up to this decision you get arguments like. “It is a shame that India cannot accord a small privilege to the people who guard the country”. Well, this concern was taken up, and the government finally gave in and decided to give privilege of security checks to these people. All the ministers supported this decision and said that there is no need for security checks for people who secure the borders. No Big Deal? All is well that ends well?
NOT REALLY. The basic hypothesis for this or any other VIP privilege is that a certain person’s time and pride is more important than that of an ordinary citizen like you and me. But the question is, aren’t we breathing in a democratic country? This thing is utterly out of my perceptive about the democracy. As far as my understanding of a democracy is concerned, it clearly reflects that no politician, no minister no Prime Minister can be a VIP. A dictator can be assumed and treated as a VIP but not a person who is elected to lead and not to rule the country.
In a supposed equitable society, my cook, my driver, my boss should have the same value to that of a Prime Minister, at least on paper. We can’t afford to have a government sanction for discrimination.
Why should an ordinary folk stand in serpentine queues at security checks, immigration offices while bureaucrats, ministers easily get there by breaking all the queues?
Why does a government sticker on a vehicle exempt it from paying the toll tax?
Again, we need to understand that we need not treat our leaders as rulers or masters. If we are going to treat these people as rulers, there is a guarantee that we would be pushed around. Please give this a consideration. If an ordinary citizen jumps a red light, it is assumed as a crime, but on the other hand we sanction the jumping and privileges of public servants. Isn’t that unfair?
Some people might argue, that they are doing their duty. Even if we take this statement to be accurate, still these people cannot get liberty to bypass the laws which are applicable to ordinary citizens. If they are really “public servants”, they should volunteer to be the last ones in the queue.
Even a Narayan Murthy or a Tata travelling to seal a deal that will get employment to 1000s has to stand in queues and suffer multiple security checks. So if one is to think that important people are VIPs that certainly isn’t true. I anyway am not asking for exemptions for any businessmen but for equality.
This whole situation adversely affects the long term prosperity of the country. These politicians get so much used to the preferential treatment, that they would do anything to keep in power.
Lastly, if politicians stop being VIPs, we would certainly see a reduction in the mistrust and dislike which is quite evident in amongst the masses today. If I am not mistaken Mahatma Gandhi spent his life living like a Common Man. A true nationalist/ democrat must get in line along with the countrymen.
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Hi Pranav,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all really gr8 blog & gr8 contents. I never knew you had such a nice hidden talent.
keep it up buddy!! :)