Use and abuse of power, wealth in Karnataka
In India corruption has become a part of life and we all learn to live with it. It can be motivated by greed, by the desire to retain or increase one's power, or, perversely enough, by the belief in a supposed greater good.
CORRUPTION IS, in its simplest terms, the abuse of power, most often for personal gain or for the benefit of a group to which one owes allegiance. It can be motivated by greed, by the desire to retain or increase one’s power, or, perversely enough, by the belief in a supposed greater good. And while politicians or civil servants most often apply the term ‘corruption’ to abuse of public power, it describes a pattern of behaviour that can be found in virtually every sphere of life. The challenges facing corruption analysts begin with how to define it.
It was only last week when Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa was lamenting how political rivals were preventing him from tending the hapless flood victims. Behind all those crocodile tears he was hiding the fact that he had spent Rs 1.7 crores of tax payers’ money to renovate his official bungalow at Devraj Urs Road. According to Right to Information, the breakup of expenditure goes as follows:
Rs 35 lakhs went into doing his master bedroom.
Rs 14.65 lakhs spent to improve bedroom number two.
Rs 35 lakhs went into doing his master bedroom.
Rs 14.65 lakhs spent to improve bedroom number two.
Rs 10 lakhs spent on marble flooring.
Rs 4.65 lakhs spent on imported wall paper.
This is apart from one crore rupees that the Karnataka government had spent for holding a cabinet meeting in Gulbarga last year.
The poor public suffers for meals and these politicians squander the public money on personal luxuries which don't even remotely bear any justification.
BS Yeddyurappa has been thoroughly exposed. He should have been asked to explain his government's corruption; his nepotism; his bad temper; his undemocratic ways; his authoritarianism; his relationships. His own admission that he has not been able to take the people along has put a question mark on his leadership abilities. He had no moral argument left to be made. The public perception is that not long ago, he too had partied with the 'ill-gotten' wealth of the Reddys.
Yeddyurappa is holding on to the chair at any cost and with high compromise. When sacrifice is seen as a supreme virtue, the CM, it is perceived went on his knees and that too before the Reddys to save his chair. What if he had taken a high moral ground by saying that he had not come to politics for power and he needed no chair? Bharatiya Janata Party could have put a better face.
Rs 4.65 lakhs spent on imported wall paper.
This is apart from one crore rupees that the Karnataka government had spent for holding a cabinet meeting in Gulbarga last year.
The poor public suffers for meals and these politicians squander the public money on personal luxuries which don't even remotely bear any justification.
BS Yeddyurappa has been thoroughly exposed. He should have been asked to explain his government's corruption; his nepotism; his bad temper; his undemocratic ways; his authoritarianism; his relationships. His own admission that he has not been able to take the people along has put a question mark on his leadership abilities. He had no moral argument left to be made. The public perception is that not long ago, he too had partied with the 'ill-gotten' wealth of the Reddys.
Yeddyurappa is holding on to the chair at any cost and with high compromise. When sacrifice is seen as a supreme virtue, the CM, it is perceived went on his knees and that too before the Reddys to save his chair. What if he had taken a high moral ground by saying that he had not come to politics for power and he needed no chair? Bharatiya Janata Party could have put a better face.
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