It has been widely reported that Mayawati has been paying large amounts of advance tax on gifts received from her supporters on her birthday. Last financial year she had reportedly paid Rs. 15 cr as advance tax implying an income of Rs. 60 cr approximately. She has also gone on record that the gifts from her poor Dalit supporters range from Rs. 10 to Rs. 10000. Assuming people on an average gifted her Rs. 1000 each we are talking in excess of 600,000 donors and well wishers. When the income tax investigated her gifts, it has been reported that the addresses provided of the donors were all fake. It is also pertinent to discuss as to apart from Mayawati who else are the beneficiaries of this money game. What is the loss and gain of Dalits in this game of exchange of money? The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal dismissed the case against her as gifts could be an accepted form of income for a politician. I smell a rat in that decision. Can you imagine an individual, not in politics, putting ill gotten money in such huge quantums into their bank account and the Income Tax Authorities not harrassing them. The trouble is, in India, everything is saleable and purchaseable for a price including seats for Parliament. So it is not surprising that such murky deals get a complete white wash - thus converting black money to white money.
It is a matter of great surprise and anguish to go through the arguments being put forward by Mayawati and her followers to justify her burgeoning wealth. It will be better to judge Mayawati by the ideals and norms laid down by Dr. Ambedkar, which she often claims to follow. During a conversation with some journalist Dr.Ambedkar had remarked that," my opponents have been levying all sorts of allegations against me. But none could dare to levy a single allegation on me regarding my integrity and character." Hence it will be proper to judge Mayawati on these parameters.
As regards character, it is of no use to discuss character of any of the present politicians. The recent exposures of many politicians on this front have left no scope for discussion and evaluation. The less said the better. The present politicians play many underhand games of which the public has almost stopped taking notice of and discussing it. This "news" is no longer "news" in the true sense, as it has become a daily boring routine. It is "news" only if some brave bureaucrat decides to resist the corrupt practices.
As regards integrity it has become a victim of every kind of dishonesty both moral and material. Mayawati is no exception to it. Now let us judge Mayawati on her score on integrity. It is quite bold of Mayawati that she makes no secret of her hunger for power and wealth. She takes money during her birthday celebrations as gifts from her followers and well wishers. She takes it during elections by selling tickets to the highest bidder. There have been allegations of money being taken by her in various projects and schemes. Transfers and postings are also said to be an important source of corruption for the persons in power. CBI has already prepared a charge sheet against her in a case of ill-gotten assets worth Rs.30 crores. The Taj Corridor Scam is still hanging fire. Ganga Express Highway Project has already raised a lot of dust.
We have a Dalit leader who is not at all interested in the upliftment of the poor Dalits - their lot still remains probably the poorest in the country. As regards the need for raising money through corrupt means to run a political party it will be apt to refer to what Dr. Ambedkar had to say on this point. In his famous speech on "Future of Parliamentary Democracy" he had remarked, "If moneyed people try to influence the elections by contributing to the election fund of any political party, what will be the result. If the party to which they supported financially comes into power they will naturally try to extract concessions for themselves either by modifying the present legislation or by influencing the party in power to legislate in such manner as would be beneficial to their interests." Now we can just think of the persons paying lacs and crores to buy Assembly and Parliamentary seats. Will not they do their best to earn back the money they have invested in elections? Resultantly Dalits and other poor people will be robbed of their due. The all prevailing corruption in almost all the welfare schemes and development works is the direct consequence of this political corruption in U.P. The Dalits and all other poor men are the resultant losers.
Regarding integrity and character of leaders Dr. Ambedkar in his famous address titled "Ranade, Gandhi and Jinnah" had remarked,"... Observe carefully what qualities count for most in public life. Is character becoming of greater or less important? Are men who obtain the highest posts in the nation men of whom, in private life irrespective of party, competent judges speak with genuine respect? Are they of sincere convictions, consistent lives and indisputable integrity? It is by observing this current that you can best cast the horoscope of a nation." I think it applies in the case of Mayawati and other Dalit leaders as well.
"Hero worship" is another mental attribute which has infected the Dalit followers of Mayawati. Here I would like to quote Dr. Ambedkar on hero worship which many supporters of Mayawati take pride in. Dr. Ambedkar in the above address had further remarked that,"Hero worship in the sense of expressing our unbound admiration is one thing. To obey the hero is a different kind of heroworship.There is nothing wrong in the former while the latter is no doubt a most pernicious thing. The former is only man's respect for everything which is noble and of which great man is only an embodiment. The latter is the villain's fealty to his lord. The former is consistent with respect, but the latter is a sign of debasement. The former does take away one's intelligence to think and independence to act. The later makes one a perfect fool. The former involves no disaster to the State. The latter is the source of positive danger to it." I think that each one of us should take this warning very seriously.
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