Thursday, August 18, 2011

Can Indian Politicians be NOT corrupt?

Team Anna is asking for the impossible when they demand that Indian politicians should not be corrupt. Forget it in practice, it is even impossible in theory.

Just take the case of an ordinary Indian politician:

Education – Graduate or maximum LLB
Age - 40 (average)
Family – Wife and atleast two children
Monthly Expenses – atleast Rs. 75,000/- (incl. phone bill of atleast Rs 25,000/-)
Monthly Income – NIL

How is this gentleman going to carry on in his life?

A few of them make a living on their wives’ income (if they are employed) or income from ancestral property. But it is not a sustainable proposition.

His only way out is to make maximum money whenever he gets into power. And that is what is happening in India today.

And when the political leadership is corrupt, the clever and educated Executive and Judiciary cannot be expected to keep quiet. They will also take their pound of flesh for facilitating the plunder.

Whatever is happening among Indian politicians is quite logical and even reasonable. Any change can happen only when there is paradigm shift in the nature of our politics.

Can we think of making politics a profession? Start an Indian Political Service, similar to Indian Administrative Service or Indian Foreign Service?

Or restrict the entry into politics only for those who have adequate monthly income from other means?

Or allow only those who have worked till the age of 50 to enter into politics?