President’s strong strictures against photo-publicity of leaders at government-expense President of India Pranab Mukerji has rightly endorsed views of Delhi Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin’s recommendations against Delhi Government’s photo-publicity of political rulers on application-forms for a government-scheme. It has become a fashion for photo-publicity of self by those in politics. I recall Union Minister Subodh Kant Sahai having once got published big advertisements with his photo acquiring major portion of the complete advertisement to ‘welcome’ ministers from states coming to Delhi to attend a conference organised by his ministry. Was it at all necessary? Chief Ministers of various states race to heavily spend on multi-page advertisements in all newspapers including national dailies just to glorify themselves. Even TV-channels are misused by various governments through long documentary-type poll-eve advertisements before code-conduct being enforced. Public-utility projects like distribution of laptops in Uttar Pradesh, ambulances in Punjab, school-bags first in Himachal Pradesh and now in Gujarat are largely being misused for glorification and photo-publicity of respective political rulers of states. Whole system of photo-publicity of political rulers at government-expense and on public-resources is wrong and should be abolished both at central and state level. Institutions like Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) should take note of misuse of public-money by political rulers. Supreme Court in larger public and national interest should set up a special fast-track bench to decide this and other issues pending before it also for heavy reduction in financial burden on state-exchequers. Such a fast-track court may automatically reduce large number of cases reaching to Apex Court through reforms achieved by much-awaited decisions on such issues concerning morality in public life. MADHU AGRAWAL
Posted on: Fri, 06 Sep 2013 03:01:36 +0000
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