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Correspondent

23 August 2024 at 4:29:04 pm

Transparency Theatre

For a politician whose own party seems perpetually engulfed in controversy, Congressman Priyank Kharge has developed a curious fascination with lecturing others on accountability. His familiar target is the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In an open letter, Karnataka’s Home Minister demanded that the RSS register itself, disclose its finances, reveal details of its office-bearers and submit itself to greater public scrutiny. The RSS is not a shadowy organisation operating from hidden...

Transparency Theatre

For a politician whose own party seems perpetually engulfed in controversy, Congressman Priyank Kharge has developed a curious fascination with lecturing others on accountability. His familiar target is the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In an open letter, Karnataka’s Home Minister demanded that the RSS register itself, disclose its finances, reveal details of its office-bearers and submit itself to greater public scrutiny. The RSS is not a shadowy organisation operating from hidden bunkers. It has spent nearly a century functioning in public view. Its daily shakhas are conducted in open grounds. Its publications, office-bearers and activities are hardly state secrets. Governments of every political complexion have dealt with it. The organisation has been banned, investigated, scrutinised and debated more extensively than perhaps any voluntary organisation in modern India. Kharge’s sudden enthusiasm for transparency invites an uncomfortable question: where has this zeal been when it comes to the performance of his own party which rules Karnataka? Karnataka today is hardly a model of administrative rectitude. Questions have been raised about governance, public spending and political patronage. Public confidence has been eroded by recurring scandals and factional warfare within the ruling party. Kharge has chosen to manufacture a confrontation with a national ideological adversary and hope the spectacle distracts from more immediate failures. The Congress is hardly a political organisation with a spotless record on transparency. From decades of allegations involving party-linked trusts and opaque funding structures to a long history of corruption scandals that have scarred public life, the Congress has rarely been regarded as a model of institutional accountability. The RSS, by contrast, has survived for a century not because of state patronage or dynastic inheritance but because millions of volunteers have sustained it through voluntary participation. That is perhaps the real source of Congress’ discomfort. The RSS represents something the grand old party increasingly struggles to achieve: organisational coherence, ideological conviction and a committed grassroots cadre. While Congress leaders spend their days navigating factional feuds, leadership crises and electoral decline, the Sangh continues to expand its footprint across the country. Kharge’s letter therefore appears less like a demand for transparency than an expression of political frustration. Unable to explain his party’s diminishing relevance and confronted by a rival ecosystem that has steadily grown in strength, he has chosen the familiar Congress reflex of attacking the RSS. The contrast is striking. One organisation is celebrating a hundred years of uninterrupted social mobilisation. The other is struggling to explain why it has repeatedly lost the confidence of voters across large parts of India. Kharge’s letter was intended to put the RSS on the defensive. Instead, it has highlighted the insecurity and contradictions of the Congress itself. For a party burdened by its own unresolved questions of leadership, accountability and credibility, the sermon on transparency rings distinctly hollow.

Bad Roads, Ugly Politics


The pathetic state of roads in Mumbai city as well as its suburbs has made daily commute a dangerous affair. The residents are miffed with the BMC over its lackadaisical attitude. Mumbaikars tweet photos, post videos to grab attention, but everything is in vain. Who cares for the common people. Backbreaking journeys have become part and parcel of life. Political leaders are busy mud-slinging.


This year the monsoon took a break after almost four and half months. During this time some of the roads virtually became non commutable. It may be recalled that the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde first announced to make Mumbai roads pothole free.


Its almost two years now the BMC has concretised only 9 percent of roads it planned to concretise. This decision was taken when it came to light that due to the properties of bitumen in asphalt roads, potholes are a regular occurrence due to contact with water during monsoons.


Hence, to solve the problem of potholes, the corporation has adopted a policy of cement concreting of 6-meter-wide roads in phases. The decision was taken but the dilly-dallying affair made things more difficult.


Mumbai’s traffic does put a lot of strain on roads which is not the case in the other developed countries. Second most important aspect is concretisation of roads is done partly and in phases.


The worst problem which is faced is repeated digging for cables and drainage, which weakens the roads. Above all corruption in BMC makes matters worse as a result everything comes to grinding halt.


According to experts, repairing potholes is a reaction with symptomatic treatment. By and large we are dispensing superficial treatment without addressing the root cause. The long-term solution will be to have roads with no potholes but what we need is the means and technology to achieve this. But for this political will is necessary which we lack on every step.


Mumbaikar’s are convience that corruption in the municipal corporation is the main reason. Contractors have had a monopoly over the last 20 years and this is the reason why reputed companies never come ahead for these projects.


As a result, in the name of attendance and repair, the BMC does shoddy work. Crores are spent but the end result is nothing. The BMC is not paying attention to the crust. If the crust is weak, potholes will see an increase. Without any thought or technical know-how, potholes are filled with cold mix.


This is the reason why the city and suburbs continue to have craters on the roads.


Craters, a serious threat to the safety and security of people. Mumbaikars fade up from their repeated visits to orthopedic surgeons.


They are in a mood to teach a proper lesson to those who were at the helm of the affairs.

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