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| Babus in BJP-run J&K better than saints! | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, June 6: A controversial BJP lawmaker from Uttar Pradesh, Surendra Singh, has kicked off a storm by comparing government officials with prostitutes, and in the process exposed his party's hypocrisy in corruption-ridden Jammu and Kashmir where it's the partner of the coalition government.
"Officials se accha charitra vaishyaon ka hota hai, woh paisa lekar kam se kam apna kaam toh karti hain aur stage pe naachti hain. Par yeh officials toh paisa lekar bhi aapka kaam karenge ki nahi, iski koi guarantee hi nahi hai. (Prostitutes are of better character than government officials as they do their work after taking money. They even dance on stage. But there is no guarantee that an official will work even after taking bribe)," reports quoted Singh as saying.
Singh even urged his supporters to beat the officials if they demand bribe. He observed a 'warning day' on Tuesday after some government officials in his constituency were accused of demanding bribes from the party supporters.
Furious over the complaint made by his supporters, Singh said: "If government officials ask you for bribe, punch them hard. If they still don't work honestly beat them up with shoes."
Back home in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh's remarks have been laughed of by many people who spoke to Early Times. They dismissed these remarks as "sheer shamelessness" of the BJP, because most of its leaders and in J&K are either deeply mired in corruption or have meekly surrendered before corrupt bureaucrats and officials.
"I read about the UP legislator's remarks comparing government officials with prostitutes. He's right in saying that prostitutes are of better character than government officials as they do their work after taking money. But I think he is not aware about the magnitude of corruption in J&K or is feigning ignorance about it. Should he be reminded that J&K is the second-most corrupt state of India as per many independent surveys done repeatedly in the last many years," asked Raman Joshi, a student from Jammu.
Joshi referred to the fate of various anti-graft bodies in J&K like the State Accountability Commission and the State Vigilance Organisation that have been virtually rendered defunct because of inaction against corrupt officials.
"You don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out how may bureaucrats, politicians and have been booked for their corrupt practices. The figure is not even in double digit," said Joshi.
"Or, is it that J&K's political and bureaucratic system has been purged of corrupt people? Is our Civil Secretariat now full of saints and sadhus?" he asked in a tone filled with sarcasm.
Abdul Muneem, a Srinagar-based businessman, advised the BJP to look within before going to the town to talk about corruption.
He said in its pre-poll manifesto and the Agenda of Alliance (with the PDP), the BJP had vowed to launch a crusade against corruption in the bureaucracy. "It was an honest admission of the fact that J&K was awash with dishonest officials and bureaucrats. But after coming to power many BJP leaders and have indulged themselves in corrupt practices, not to talk of launching a so-called crusade against corruption. Hence, corruption has not only continued but it has thrived with political patronage," added Muneem.
Similar statements were echoed by many other people who said the BJP had "lost its rights to give sermons on morality" in the wake of its three-year track record in J&K.
"BJP's house, at least in J&K, is made of glass only. It's better for its leaders to not throw stones at others," added Joshi in a pithy tone. |
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