It's Judgment Day for our politicians

There is no denying the fact that a different set of rules has always applied to the politicians in our country. But these elaborate double standards look all set to change. The tide began turning with the conviction of Sukh Ram, former Union Communications Minister who served the nation in PV Narasimharao's government. And now, the judgments given in the two cases against Rashid Masood and RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav are sure to break more ground and bring politicians firmly under the ambit of the laws of the land.

For this, we have to thank the unrelenting efforts of the CBI and the Special Court in the Bihar fodder case. The five-year jail term handed out to former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav should serve as a lesson for politicos across the country who have long basked in the knowledge that they are immune to and above the laws.

The UPA government's decision to scrap the ordinance that would protect lawmakers has also come as a huge blow for them. Losing a seat is decidedly the biggest setback that a politician can suffer in his career. One hopes that the judgment will act as a deterrent for those who have been using their positions in the government to protect and pamper their cronies, at the cost of taxpayers' money.

Also, the painstaking efforts of the CBI teams and the monitoring by the special court should serve as an example for the handling of other corruption cases in India. Influential politicians have been charged for holding disproportionate assets and other malpractices during their tenure. Investigating agencies should take a cue from the Bihar fodder scam and make sure that their personnel can do their jobs without fear or favour, until the cases reach their logical end. u00a0