Disclosures are not new to nearly 80% of 1.2 billion Indians. Their poverty and hunger are so thoroughly exposed and there is hardly anything for them to disclose. Some have so much and their disclosures are sure to give voyeuristic pleasure to beholders. What is the exact purpose of these disclosures, who will verify their veracity and what is the proposed action plan based on the information made available or not made available?
Few have come first in disclosing and none of them had anything worth disclosing! It is difficult to hazard a guess but the number of those who have something substantial to disclose could run into many thousands and not be in many lakhs.
One cannot attach any true significance to any such unofficial disclosure activity, till it becomes official and comes with a) full details of the scheme b) time frame for compliance c) awards and penalties, if any, for full-disclosures, partial-disclosures and non-disclosures. I am positive that none in the P-class, B-Class and CBS-Class (for definitions, please read: http://tarantula-apolitical.blogspot.com/2009/11/rags-to-rags-stories.html ) have any suicidal tendencies.
To make such a scheme a whopping success, a model scheme on following lines has to be developed:
Voluntary Disclosure Scheme - 2009
For the benefit of those who are compelled to hide, for the last 62 years, their wealth in different forms, places and names to protect it from becoming an object of glare by voyeuristic communities like media and public, a scheme of relief to restore and multiply their self-respect and dignity is announced with the features mentioned below:
1. This comes into force from the date and time of publication in the Gazette.
2. This scheme, in the present form, closes after its 100th day and is non-extendable.
3. A two-tier rewards are announced for the disclosures: (a) Top (by the value of disclosed amount) 1% will be awarded the nation’s highest reward Bharat Ratna; next 10% with Padma Vibhushan; next 40% with Padma Bhushan and the rest 49% with Padma Shri.
(b) Government of India, will also honor its citizens/political parties/associations by way of crediting the amount equal to their disclosed amount directly into their Swiss accounts within seven working days from the date of closure of this scheme.
(c) Both the amount disclosed and the amount rewarded by GOI, are fully exempted from all forms of taxes.
4. Those who made partial disclosure under the present scheme may be given a second chance by the GOI, solely on its discretion, after the Phase-I which is time bound. In such cases, GOI retains the right to avoid double credit mentioned in 3(b) above. Purpose of this scheme is also to attract those who have not disclosed in the first Phase; to rope in during the next phase by the demonstration of success of its first phase. Their eligibility for rewards under 3(a) shall be reworked suitably.
5. By bringing suitable amendments to the constitution, making any comments in any form on the disclosures, by media, public and bloggers, will be made punishable.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Rags to Rags Stories
All over the world, storybooks are replete with the Rags to Riches Stories. Riches to Rags stories are far too dull to publish or read. Rich to Rich stories are monotonous. It turns out that the Rags to Rags stories are the only ones worth disclosing voluntarily!
Setting a nice precedent recently, few people of eminence have made voluntary disclosure. The disheartening part of it is there is nothing to behold! No wonder they came forward to show what they do not have. Hope the Government does not institute a CBI inquiry to investigate how they got disproportionate poverty and leaves them alone. I request their colleagues to forgive and leave these poor people, who are a blot on their society, alone.
How can everyone voluntarily disclose private wealth? It would be obscene, is it not? Disclosing something that is purely private on a web site is no fun. If it is for the cover page of Playboy or Playgirl, it is a different matter altogether.
One journalist recently interviewed several notable people of P(oltical)-Class, B(abus)-Class, CBS (Contractors, Black-marketers, Smugglers et. al.) category people. The motif of the interviews is their collective view on disclosures. Apparently, all these honest people are eager to disclose voluntarily. Here are some of their concerns:
- Absence of suitable award systems, say Bharat Ratna, for disclosing the highest amount
- Doubts like: to show the tip or disclose the entire iceberg
- Absence of clarity on what to disclose and what not to
- Some are eager to give very precise data but are uncomfortable with the fluctuations in the Swiss franc to Rupee conversion rates
- Most of these people have so much, they do not know the exact value of their assets and they are eager to avoid giving wrong information.
- Some people want to have clarity on whether the disclosure should include what they kept in benami names, in the names of kith and kin and relatives and also their pet animals.
Setting a nice precedent recently, few people of eminence have made voluntary disclosure. The disheartening part of it is there is nothing to behold! No wonder they came forward to show what they do not have. Hope the Government does not institute a CBI inquiry to investigate how they got disproportionate poverty and leaves them alone. I request their colleagues to forgive and leave these poor people, who are a blot on their society, alone.
How can everyone voluntarily disclose private wealth? It would be obscene, is it not? Disclosing something that is purely private on a web site is no fun. If it is for the cover page of Playboy or Playgirl, it is a different matter altogether.
One journalist recently interviewed several notable people of P(oltical)-Class, B(abus)-Class, CBS (Contractors, Black-marketers, Smugglers et. al.) category people. The motif of the interviews is their collective view on disclosures. Apparently, all these honest people are eager to disclose voluntarily. Here are some of their concerns:
- Absence of suitable award systems, say Bharat Ratna, for disclosing the highest amount
- Doubts like: to show the tip or disclose the entire iceberg
- Absence of clarity on what to disclose and what not to
- Some are eager to give very precise data but are uncomfortable with the fluctuations in the Swiss franc to Rupee conversion rates
- Most of these people have so much, they do not know the exact value of their assets and they are eager to avoid giving wrong information.
- Some people want to have clarity on whether the disclosure should include what they kept in benami names, in the names of kith and kin and relatives and also their pet animals.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Place of Living
During early ‘70s, I held strong views on issue of brain-drain and people leaving India for greener pastures - admittedly, influenced by peer-level views and also, to an extent by a movement which had started off in late ‘60s (not the Hippie culture of early ‘60s) which had some influence on the minds of people at impressionable age. It was conscious decision on my part, rightly or wrongly, to stay back in India despite better opportunities available in the outside world. While I am not the habit of wasting much time regretting/rejoicing the past, I do feel that I am not justified in expecting the same from the next generation.
The choice of a place to live is very personal. At least the right thinking ones make a choice of where to live based on numerous factors - not just on emotional factors or attachment to country of birth or family roots or some other personal reasons that clip their wings of freedom. Some critical point could be whether the society one elects to live in will accept him/her or not; give opportunities to demonstrate capabilities and lead a respectful life like the person next door, provide a space to grow and so on. In addition, one takes a decision based on the level of confidence in his/her ability to make adjustments necessary to bond with the society of his choice to live in harmony. Not everyone is blessed with such a freedom of choice but some of those who have it, will think aloud and exercise. Migrations have happened since time immemorial, are happening now and will happen tomorrow and day after. The history of migration of living species is much older than the entire human history! Now that availability of water on Moon is established, people will start going to Moon for shorter durations, much earlier than expected. Once the other inhabitable places are identified, some explorers will start migrating to other planets in not too distant a future. Nothing stops the human spirit to explore. Obviously all the seven billion do not dare, it starts with a first one like Columbus or Hillary or Gagarin or Armstrong…
My India is Great, undoubtedly. Am I not equally correct in saying: My Mother Earth is Great? Tomorrow, coming generations will call it a narrow view and might say My Universe is Great. Perceptions vary with time and space.
The choice of a place to live is very personal. At least the right thinking ones make a choice of where to live based on numerous factors - not just on emotional factors or attachment to country of birth or family roots or some other personal reasons that clip their wings of freedom. Some critical point could be whether the society one elects to live in will accept him/her or not; give opportunities to demonstrate capabilities and lead a respectful life like the person next door, provide a space to grow and so on. In addition, one takes a decision based on the level of confidence in his/her ability to make adjustments necessary to bond with the society of his choice to live in harmony. Not everyone is blessed with such a freedom of choice but some of those who have it, will think aloud and exercise. Migrations have happened since time immemorial, are happening now and will happen tomorrow and day after. The history of migration of living species is much older than the entire human history! Now that availability of water on Moon is established, people will start going to Moon for shorter durations, much earlier than expected. Once the other inhabitable places are identified, some explorers will start migrating to other planets in not too distant a future. Nothing stops the human spirit to explore. Obviously all the seven billion do not dare, it starts with a first one like Columbus or Hillary or Gagarin or Armstrong…
My India is Great, undoubtedly. Am I not equally correct in saying: My Mother Earth is Great? Tomorrow, coming generations will call it a narrow view and might say My Universe is Great. Perceptions vary with time and space.
Dr. Abdul Kalam
I am an admirer of Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam. I have read his book Wings of Fire. I follow news related to him. I keenly follow his interaction with children and enjoy. Yes, he is a role model worth emulating.
If I get an opportunity to meet and chat with him anywhere, I will ask him two simple questions: a) What he felt like when politicians denied him second term as President, which he so richly deserved b) Treatment given to him by Politicians other than two PMs he worked with as President of India. I look forward to hear his frank answer straight from his heart looking right into my eyes - not just a polite answer for media and public consumption.
If I get an opportunity to meet and chat with him anywhere, I will ask him two simple questions: a) What he felt like when politicians denied him second term as President, which he so richly deserved b) Treatment given to him by Politicians other than two PMs he worked with as President of India. I look forward to hear his frank answer straight from his heart looking right into my eyes - not just a polite answer for media and public consumption.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Whose Life is at Risk?
It is an enormous strain on the exchequer to provide security to so many politicians and their kith and kin. What goes into it is the hard earned and honest money of taxpayers; mostly from salaried class. There are some levels of security and it is a status symbol to get the highest. The official figures probably run into several hundreds of crores. Most of the expenses would have been conveniently booked under some other expenses to show smaller figures to public – a normal accounting jugglery. Like the low or even negative inflation figures when all prices double every year.
What one fails to understand is why security at all? In some developed countries politicians and ministers (including Prime Minister) travel without any security and carry their own briefcase to office. Even some Kings, ceremonial equivalent of our President, are known to travel by public transport. Local people who recognize the face of such an important person might leave the seat next to him unoccupied as a matter of courtesy and some visitor, who is not so familiar, might even occupy the next seat.
What are our politicians afraid of? Who are they afraid of? PEOPLE? If so, why do they SERVE people 365x24? If people of the country are out to murder them at next opportunity, what makes them serve the prospective murderers so sincerely? This defies all logic. On the contrary, if they are afraid of their own political rivals, party dissidents, goondas, mafia, smugglers and so on, who are their one-time or current or future bedfellows, coalition partners and allies, why should public pay for their security?
Given an argument that some functionaries are important as they are constitutionally key figures, people will accept some reasonable security for their PM and President and no one else.
In reality, in the name of high-level security to these politicians, few thousands of trained people becoming sacrificial goats and if at all something happens, it is these low paid highly trained security personnel who lose their life and their family gets pittance and virtually die of hunger and without any reasonable means to survive in the absence of bread winner. Public apathy is not understandable as it feels that these security people are paid to die, so what is so great about the lives these people? In our country the lives of politicians, cricketers and film personalities are very important and not the lives of 1.2 billion common people who comprise the real India. In the name of providing employment as security staff, government is putting the lives of thousands of people at Risk.
What one fails to understand is why security at all? In some developed countries politicians and ministers (including Prime Minister) travel without any security and carry their own briefcase to office. Even some Kings, ceremonial equivalent of our President, are known to travel by public transport. Local people who recognize the face of such an important person might leave the seat next to him unoccupied as a matter of courtesy and some visitor, who is not so familiar, might even occupy the next seat.
What are our politicians afraid of? Who are they afraid of? PEOPLE? If so, why do they SERVE people 365x24? If people of the country are out to murder them at next opportunity, what makes them serve the prospective murderers so sincerely? This defies all logic. On the contrary, if they are afraid of their own political rivals, party dissidents, goondas, mafia, smugglers and so on, who are their one-time or current or future bedfellows, coalition partners and allies, why should public pay for their security?
Given an argument that some functionaries are important as they are constitutionally key figures, people will accept some reasonable security for their PM and President and no one else.
In reality, in the name of high-level security to these politicians, few thousands of trained people becoming sacrificial goats and if at all something happens, it is these low paid highly trained security personnel who lose their life and their family gets pittance and virtually die of hunger and without any reasonable means to survive in the absence of bread winner. Public apathy is not understandable as it feels that these security people are paid to die, so what is so great about the lives these people? In our country the lives of politicians, cricketers and film personalities are very important and not the lives of 1.2 billion common people who comprise the real India. In the name of providing employment as security staff, government is putting the lives of thousands of people at Risk.
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