Apparently, Suresh Kalmadi is not the most brazen, inept and corrupt politico who has roots in Karnataka.
Apparently, Suresh Kalmadi is not the most brazen, inept and corrupt politico who has roots in Karnataka.u00a0
As an entire State watches agog, our Ministers, MLA's and wannabes, trade truckloads of money to stay in power. In the last fortnight, they've jetsetted across various cities and luxury resorts, abused and shoved cops in the Secretariat and pushed around the Commissioner of Police. They've also torn their clothes off in full view of the TV cameras. Their ministries, meanwhile, are vestigial organs that have done nothing to improve the condition of its people.u00a0
One wonders why a campaign like Meter Jam has become so popular. People across Bangalore boycotted auto drivers because of their churlish attitude and corrupt give-me-more-than-meter ways. The problem is, auto drivers are generally poor, and you can't really do without them. Ministers, on the other hand?
The fleet of Mercedes arriving to disgorge their contents (and hot air) for the trust vote was a never-ending sheen of chrome and wax. The Bellary faction probably jetted in on their craft that is rumoured to make the Ambani Boeing look like a starving beggar's ride.
But nothing, simply nothing, could have prepared us, who're inured to the shenanigans and shamefully large diamond rings on our tottering government leaders, for the spectacle at Vidhana Soudha the other day.
The real problem is that we have no option, but to shut our eyes impotently and move on. Recently ousted Chief Ministers have done little to gain back confidence. A certain Mr. Singh gained more pounds (in weight that is, not currency, although rumours have pointed towards that too) when he was in somnolent power. While an ex-Prime Minister's son did substantially more for his family (and girlfriend) than he did for the State.
All this while, Karnataka has steadily gone to seed. Bangalore has become a slum. Now the old warhorses, who swore they would never look at each other, are back to kissing terms, with fresh vows of bring prosperity and stability back (back, really?) to Karnataka.
Since I can't spit in disgust right now, I'll content myself with a very bitter, contemptuous "Ha!"u00a0 One would think they would have an ounce of disgust and shame, behaving the way they do. But then, one suddenly remembers, these aren't normal people.
