Rakesh Manchanda
Delhi continues to be on the growth radar of several global cities. Stories of scams, rapes, women exploitation, less wages, inflation, rising water and electricity bills all has forced the people to wake up. Delhi now demands a new rule and clear code of conduct for their elected servants and leaders.
Delhi voters as real masters are getting ready to take historical decision to set new rules for new elected MLAs. Till date since past six decades people with a strange fear and with no choice were forced to issue advance `blank` cheques to the winner traditional political party.
Who foots the privilege bills and salary to elected peoples representatives?
Where does the money comes from ?
While direct tax collection in India is pegged at Rs 4,500 crore, indirect taxes could raise Rs 45,940 crores in the last budget 2011-12. You need not be a student of Economics to see that indirect taxes are a huge burden on the people, while the low direct tax rates were a relief for the rich.
Poor do not pay direct tax due to less income but are forced to pay or unknowingly pay rising indirect taxes. Salaries and perks given to elected leaders comes from the indirect VAT taxes generated by workers and common man and not from the pockets of rich income tax payers.
Elected servants in any country are full time service coordinators to run governance and to fulfill promises. Like it or not leaders are paid employees who do not work like a common man in a productive wheels from agricultural fields to factories. MLAs and MPs are supposed to monitor just distribution of wealth with effective laws in the various wheels of productions and consumption.
Common man works hard to generate wealth and more jobs and foots the bill of his elected servants.There was no trend of servants or paid elected leaders going back to masters to get the weekly or monthly audit.At present there is no trend of servants going back to masters to get the weekly or monthly audit.
New fashionable slogan catching up fast is :
Stop issuing unsafe blank cheques to Delhi servants for five years. Reason ? It is very difficult to monitor growth and expenses from 99% pockets after five years and the end of five years. Debt burden on city is so heavy no one knows how much. Why the MLAs has spend and how much in five years ? In a usual employee-employer relationship blank cheque or cash audit needs to cleared after every five days.
Thanks to the new political breeze. With entry of AAP- Aaam Admi Party or the Ordinary Man`s Party there appears a collective guarantee to ask the servants to explain the social and cost audit say after each five weeks to ensure corruption free governance.
Eight past days recently were spend by Delhi voters with a Governance deadlock. Bang On ! people in big crowds now hang out to dress up as real masters for the first time to celebrate their new freedom. The mission for referendum was a guidance to new servants in Jan Sabhas or Peoples Parliament called by AAP.
Participation with consultancy is the new buzz word to shoot problems. Peoples Parliaments called Mohalla Samittis with directives as complimentary pressure group to conventional parliament are getting shaped up fast.
Many voters find it ridiculous and comical as to why the royal elected leaders should come back to the real masters-the people. It appears that such voters in minority are either in a mischief mode or are still in a state of fear of past ruling elite. They are not ready to wear the master`s shoes and exercise fair control on the servants. Disunited and weak citizens in the past were forced to allow their elected servants to serve the 1% Corporate but from the hidden back door. Post election scenario in the past would mean money in hidden power citadels getting exchanged and poaching of independent MPs was fashionable.
Distance between governance and People is drastically reduced. Speed of people empowerment is amazing. Battle of peoples referendum via SMS, mails, road side parliaments is won but the real war for justice and Governance is still to begin.
`Delhi` which was unhappy to be named as unsafe rape city is getting ready for a new process. People are redefining their relationship with `Netas`/leaders as law makers who used to treat voters as their servants while forcing them to pay blank cheques. In the past leaders advised voters to come back after five years.
Work culture from Minister (Mantari) to Peon (Santri) needs to be corrected first with a clear link to productivity and pending home work of 18 promises made to people by newly elected AAP.
The chain of survival and alert Delhi governance can be made simple and smooth by AAP if it implements what it preached. The new ministers instead of taking oath in guarded British palaces or Parliament took oath in open cultural park called Ramleela Ground and traveled via metro train. The Red Batton (lal batti) cars that used to stops traffic and harms Public will not be used by ministers. No VIP invitation for oath taking ceremony was printed or circulated.
More then such popular measures it is P2P (People to Politicians) relationship that needs a sustainable audit and a change. Mechanism that delivers safe laws and safe work culture for production and consumption of materials and thoughts needs to be fine tuned.
After Radia Tapes,Wikki Leaks,3G,coal scams and unending scams, everyone knows it is difficult to cater to people’s expectations. Politicians till date continue to be the worst enemy of 99% people while slaves of 1% Corporate. No time management and no sensible law to delivery work in time adds salt to the recession wounds. All these institutions need reforms. Without any real change in delivery system with respect to people you cannot fool people again and again.
Hope the year 2014 witnesses a real alive newer New Delhi –Safe New India with new plans to take care of the hard earned money of majority.
Let us grab our management command buttons.
Delhi common people today say : Yes ! Another World is Possible !