The fall and rise with corruption

The recent election results in four states and one union territory have definitely given us a glimpse of an increasing intolerance and a growing public anger against corruption. Therefore, based on these results we could say that a corrupt and/or arrogant government (Tamilnadu, West Bengal) has a limited life span whereas a government that focuses on good governance and development (Bihar, Assam) gets an extended life span.

If it is true that corruption brings down a government what about Karnataka? The results from the recent bye elections in Karnataka indicate that a government can rise, not necessarily fall, and even thrive in spite of being the most corrupt state!

So,

It is possible, as the government in Karnataka has shown, to even rise and thrive despite being corrupt. Or should we just ignore these bye election results considering them relatively insignificant? Or should we say that it is only during the Assembly elections a corrupt government is brought down? 

No easy answers! 

Hopefully the governments in other states, including Karnataka, would learn some lessons and focus instead on issues of good governance and development to increase their lifespan.

Let us also hope that there will always be a fall and no rise, of any government, with corruption!

It’s Karnataka Rajyotsava- but what shall we celebrate?

It was on November 1, 1956 that the State of Karnataka was formed and every year on this day the State celebrates its birthday. Supposedly, it’s a time to celebrate State’s achievements. But what achievements can the present government boast of? Should we celebrate as the BJP government has ‘managed’ to win the trust vote? Or should we celebrate because the government has ‘managed’ to find 162 persons for Rajyotsava awards? If the former has, at least temporarily, freed us from political instability, the latter hasn't been free from controversy either. It is indeed sad that this present government cannot boast of any better achievement/s .

As the most corrupt State, with pathetic roads and severe power shortage, by forcibly displacing the farmers and by letting loose the Hindu fundamentalists, State’s failures have obviously outnumbered its feats and have pushed this State backward.

‘Congress cannot make Karnataka another Gujarat only the BJP can’ thundered Narendra Modi when he visited this State in 2008. It is true that the BJP government has selectively tried to replicate the Gujarat model by communally dividing this State but its a pity that it hasn’t embraced the development model of Gujarat.

Once a peaceful, politically stable Karnataka State has now turned into a hotbed of political chicanery and corruption of the lowest kind. Will this State soon join the ranks of BIMARU (acronym for backward states- Bihar, MP, Assam, Rajasthan, UP) States?

Why is India reluctant to improve its ‘PHC’ index?

In the case of India, what do poverty, hunger and corruption (phc) have in common? The common factor is that poverty, hunger and corruption have been rising rapidly! It is really deplorable that India’s non-commitment to curb its 'phc' has pushed down its ratings to levels lower than many other developing countries.

The multidimensional poverty index shows that 55 per cent of India’s population is poor. The global hunger index has placed India even below China and Pakistan. The corruption perception index puts India at the 87^th place out of 178 countries. These alarming indicators have reduced India to a poor, hungry and corrupt (phc) nation.

Why have our many ‘economic miracles’ like the surpluses failed to get us healed of these treatable and curable diseases? Is the bureaucratic-politician nexus holding this country hostage? I think so long as we do not rip this nexus apart, which considers government as a lucrative business, India cannot escape from this ‘phc’ tag.

Can we put our hopes in the young political leaders to redeem this country from the clutches of greedy politicians and bureaucrats and help this country rid of its ‘phc’ tag?

Is the rest of India ready to vote these greedy people out and let ‘youngisthan’ enter the corridors of power to improve its 'phc' index?