The good, the bad and the ugly

One of the most heartening and positive developments in recent times has been the initiative that Naveen Patnaik has taken in Orissa. Starting on a clean slate, in a state that was known to be abjectly poor, the incumbent chief minister has had two terms during which he seems to have been through his trial of fire, emerging stronger, clear and more definite about what he intends to do in the future, regardless of the predictable accompanying criticism. He has roped in the ?best and the brightest? to invest and is doing what normal, intelligent citizens expect their chief minister to do.

Sadly, those in political power have always been selfish and concerned primarily with playing politics, rather than delivering the goods. Here is someone who was often referred to as a naive politician, unsuited for the task, who has decided to do the obvious, which his colleagues haven?t even thought about..

Even sceptics like myself see a freshness in the manner of operation, a straightforward commitment to the job and an excitement in being at the helm and able to make a dream into reality. Ideology apart, it is development that will make India a power to contend with. It will release the energy and skills, both intellectual and physical, which will generate ideas and growth, pulling people out of poverty and uncivilised life and living. In a poor and neglected state that was once the epitome of culture and power, Naveen Patnaik appears set to inject the infrastructure required to create wealth as well as allow for industry that will employ and sustain his constituents.

Hopefully, Patnaik will put in place all the norms and standards sorely lacking elsewhere in the country, only to ensure modern and contemporary honest endeavour, breaking away from the corruption that plagues us all at every turn. A body that stringently monitors clean and proper industrial and corporate practise, a creative and dynamic urban development master plan with simple, comprehensible rules and regulations, sans addendas, which is the classic Indian way of breaking the law, a small band who will govern with integrity and a complete lack of fear about losing the gaddi, will ensure a change very quickly.

He could, in fact, lead the process of political and administrative cleansing by establishing a few institutional changes.

Indians are sick to death of witnessing the rape of dignity perpetuated by many in the political class. The only authority people have is the right to eject their leaders out of office once every five years. Our self-designated ?political pundits? refer to this phenomenon as ?anti-incumbency? instead of ?helpless frustration?!

The selfishness of the ruling class, politicians and administrators has de-graded the nation. A majority of India is young and in their 30s, looking towards an inspiring and vital future that is not even remotely visible. All we can see is escalating crookery and corruption, a systemic failure, an abdication of good governance, a lively and constant jockeying for power, and the worst kind of political calisthenics heavily laced with blackmail.

In this depressing and scary scene, the judiciary has begun to intervene with regularity, which is another potentially frightening reality if it is not countered by honest and good governance. The recent condoning of past corrupt practices by a Union cabinet minister who has promised to convene a special session of Parliament to overrule the Supreme Court will set yet another unacceptable precedent.

Surely, the checks and balances in the system are not to be used by the leadership to endorse, condone, support and give strength to bribery and corruption, breaking of the law and wrongdoing. Are we being told that honest citizens who abide by the law will be punished? That those who respected the rules and did not start commercial business in parts of the city that were deemed non-commercial, and who did not bribe the municipality, were fools? Are we adding more rules to the book to give the authority more avenues from which to make illegal money to line their personal coffers? Is this the new mandate?

In Delhi where the Supreme Court has ordered the sealing of illegal shops and establishments, Jaipal Reddy, Union minister for urban affairs, seems to have become the unofficial spokesperson for the traders who have operated for years in illegal spaces, knowingly. Ironically, law-abiding citizens have no government spokesman.