Assets ?

Assets

As candidates for political parties are named and file their nomination, we hear about their declaration of assets to the concerned magistrate while filing their nominations. Details of vehicles owned, agricultural and urban land, residential & commercial properties, weight of precious metals in their possession, all this and more is shared by the media.

So What?

Presumably this is not a precursor to scrutiny. It is merely an affidavit of sorts. Has the ill gotten wealth of a political aspirant ever been a disqualifier?

So what next ? Nothing.

This is because the Indian people recognize the tip of an iceberg without visualizing its entire proportions. They can smell the stench and imagine the load that has been tapped. They can laugh, smirk and shrug. They can look forward to a free meal too.

What about water, sanitation, electricity, roads, public transport, municipal waste, crime, corruption, environment, foreign affairs, education, science & technology, national security, justice ? What does that have to do with the declared assets of the candidate ?

More than 700 million people on India’s electoral rolls, a significant percentage first time voters. 7 national parties, 40 state level political parties ,980 registered unrecognised parties. This is the caravan marching to the gates of the 15th Lok Sabha with more than 6000 candidates expected to be in the fray. Assets …. who has the time ?