Bungalow-mania!

Recession is an inescapable truth that all of us need to accept. But the politicians do not to seem to care! At least here in Bangalore recession does not exist (for the politicians), going by the obscene amounts those 34 ministers in the Karnataka Government have been spending on renovating their bungalows a.k.a temporary residences.

The Times Of India article on Saturday May 2, 2009 highlighted this very fact, thanks to a RTI filed by social activist Bheemappa Gundappa Gadad.

Is 3 crore rupees, spent on renovating official bungalows justified? Is it so small an amount, that these bungalows that were renovated barely a year ago by the previous government at a cost of Rs. 7.14 crore undergo renovation again? These are official bungalows, not one’s private home. Renovating those using public funds is bloody daylight robbery.

Hell, they could have divided the amount among themselves and deposited them in their secret Swiss bank accounts. Alas, the Swiss government has made it clear recently that the veil of secrecy is no more and information regarding bank accounts will be provided. This has really stirred a hornet’s nest in some countries, more so in India; calling for unearthing black money stashed away by politicians, babus, actors and so forth.

So why stash the monies, when you can lead a lavish life, king style by spending them!

There was more to come as I came across another article, this time by the Deccan Herald saying that the Public Works Department (PWD) will be constructing bungalows measuring 10,000 sq ft to 15 ministers on a sprawling 14.20 acres of government property. At Rs 1.5 crore each, I wish I was a politician. The reason was that these ministers were living in rented accommodation. So what? Does one become a politician only if he is given a bungalow? What’s wrong with rented accommodation?

Is it really necessary? After-all, the only thing they (the corrupt ones) are good at is looting public money. Why bother with giving them bungalows? I guess we are so busy with our lives, slaving our asses off every day that we do not have the time to question the plundering netas. Why do we even bother to vote for them?

Sometimes I really wish that India was not a democratic nation. But that “sometimes” is usually once in a ‘blue moon.’ Three cheers to democracy.