| Of late, the word ‘affection’ has acquired a | | | | can be shown as donations from various people at |
| new meaning in Uttar Pradesh. The term, which | | | | denominations less than Rs 10,000 since by law they |
| otherwise is used to express qualitative and subjective | | | | need not keep a record of such donors or issue |
| feelings, has turned hugely quantitative in nature. And | | | | receipts. And thus fund raising went on blatantly. |
| interestingly, this change has been spearheaded by | | | | In other words, it was the most convenient way in |
| none other than the current Chief Minister of the state, | | | | which most political parties legitimised their blatant |
| Ms Mayawati, whose followers, in a mad frenzy of this | | | | extortion of money from all sections of people. This |
| affection, had been filling her personal coffers with gifts | | | | time, though apparently it is Mayawati’s personal |
| and donations. The reverence of Bahujan Samaj Party | | | | wealth that the media is more bothered about, the |
| party workers towards her had been so | | | | bigger problem is the fund raising system in totality. In |
| overwhelming that according to reports, in the last | | | | general, people who provide cash do not have the |
| three years, her personal wealth has grown almost 50 | | | | right intentions, and many a time they demand returns |
| times! Her personal assets – which in 2004 were | | | | whenever the respective parties or their |
| around Rs 1.62 crores, a figure she herself had | | | | representatives are in power. This is an aspect that |
| declared before filing her nomination papers – have | | | | has completely corrupted and criminalised the entire |
| increased to a whopping Rs 52 crores now! And mind | | | | system as it is no secret that the biggest cash donors |
| you, she does not have any other source of income | | | | are obviously those who cannot generate the same |
| except for these gifts! Media reports have put on | | | | amount through legal means. So political parties have |
| record that her personal property is worth Rs 37.82 | | | | conveniently developed a self-sustaining model. Raise |
| crore, plus cash of Rs 50.27 crore, bank deposits of | | | | funds (in cash), irrespective of going into the details of |
| Rs 12.88 lakh, gold and diamond jewellery worth Rs | | | | sources of the income of the donor; then term it as a |
| 49.75 lakh, silverware costing Rs 1.12 lakh, and murals | | | | gift or donation; use the same fund for all kinds of |
| worth Rs 15 lakh!! On being questioned, Mayawati’s | | | | apolitical means to come to power; then when in |
| explanation was that her party workers and well | | | | power, take kickbacks (as the ‘cash’ money |
| wishers had contributed this humungous wealth for no | | | | has to be paid back), or return favours in some form |
| other reason but sheer love and affection towards | | | | or the other, like through issuance of government |
| her! | | | | projects or bailing the donor out of our frail legal |
| In fact, whatever means that Mayawati has employed | | | | system after some heinous crime! Or best, give them |
| to create this wealth and to get infamous is nothing | | | | a ticket to fight the next elections and become MLAs |
| new in the Indian political landscape. But unlike her, most | | | | or MPs themselves! |
| of the other political parties have amassed obscene | | | | No wonder, one fourth of our sitting Parliamentarians |
| mounts of wealth through gifts and donations, not for | | | | have criminal records like murder, arson and rape! No |
| any individual leader per se, but for their respective | | | | wonder, politicians in our country get away from any |
| parties. It all actually started during 1970, when the | | | | form of legal scrutiny by giving some vague |
| government – under the Prime Ministership of Indira | | | | explanation that funds are coming on account of |
| Gandhi – banned political parties from accepting | | | | ‘affection’ from well wishers and party |
| donations from corporations. Though the objective of | | | | workers! No wonder, that not only would the Central |
| this ban was to restrict the influence of companies on | | | | Bureau of Investigation believe in these explanations |
| political parties in power, the ban hardly served its | | | | but would also end up giving a clean chit to all such |
| purpose. On the contrary, this ban had a spiralling | | | | cases. And no wonder, the bureaucracy, judiciary and |
| negative outcome, of which Mayawati is a classic | | | | media sit and watch it all as mute spectators. |
| case. | | | | There is a popular saying that politics in India is more |
| The political parties took full advantage of this rule and | | | | like a business – but then business enterprises have |
| made corporations siphon off unaccounted black | | | | basic ethics, codes of conduct and moralities in place. |
| money to party coffers. Political parties typically | | | | Going by the precedence, politics in India is more like |
| claimed to raise funds, much of it below Rs 10,000 per | | | | organised crime wherein political parties are mafias in |
| donation, as then the donation did not require any | | | | themselves, who have completely robbed the Indian |
| disclosure. This way any amount of cash with them | | | | democracy of everything, including its moral legitimacy!! |