I
read a recent opinion piece by P. Sainath in The Hindu, in which he went brass knuckled against the Deputy
Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia and his expensive
foreign jaunts [1]. It was a shrill piece and thin on context. In my opinion, a
notch below the writer’s usual stuff.
I
was then left to wonder when Sainath would be writing about the load on the
exchequer due to the office of the President of India, the usual unworthies
(read an earlier piece [2] of mine on this) occupying that prime real estate on
Raisina Hill in New Delhi, the supreme sinecure the nation offers.
This
is absolutely incredible – I was just thinking of posting something on the cost
of maintaining the post of President of India when I got to read this” The quiet legacy of President Pratibha Patil
[3], The Hindu, May 25, 2012. The article has a flavor of a panegyric. She has been
here and there, done this and that, and there too and that too …
OK,
let me take all that at face value. But, having made that concession I do need
to ask at what cost. I value my life, and for that reason alone I am not an RTI
activist. Therefore, I have no way of knowing the exact outgo on account of
having the post of President of India. But, can it be less than Rs. 29/- per
day?
Do
not answer that, please.
For
what? To establish her legacy which reads (and I quote extensively from the
article):
She
“flagged child marriage, addiction and social suppression, all of which
contribute to their (women) low status, as her key concerns.” She got a report
commissioned, got it written and discussed that with the prime minister. Such a
tough job, you see.
She
“has worked to build a coalition involving the Planning Commission, chambers of
commerce, public sector undertakings, and experts to see what measures can be
taken,” to “revolutionise the agrarian economy.”
“The
President also appears to have a clear sense of the mood in India’s cities and
villages: more than 150,000 visitors have been to the Rashtrapati Bhavan during
her tenure, and she has met with thousands more during tours through the
country.” (Perhaps most of them came during the two or three weeks a year the Mughal
Gardens is open to public.) The article goes on to add this deep thought from
her: “The Constitution has guided this nation of 1.2 billion people, the world’s
largest democracy, through very difficult times.” We would not have known this
had she not spelt it out.
For
all of the above, she has been given, in addition to her salary that must be
more than Rs. 52,983 over five years (at Rs. 29/- day, including two days to
count for the two Leap Years, 2008 & 2012), the sprawling residence-cum-fortress
and a retinue of attendants, some of them IAS cadre. Hmmm… Her travel anywhere
and everywhere, along with her family, is borne by the tax payers. She does not
get affected by the increase in price of petrol. She gets to stay in the most
pampered real estate in any state on her visits, the Governor’s residence, if
that is not too low down. Abroad, it must be the best of the hotels. I do not
know about her food bill – is the tax payer bearing that burden too? I hope
not. She was given the highest level of security at tax payer’s expense, though
she would not have carried any money!
Now,
I would like Sainath to go head to head against the president, assess her
productivity vis-à-vis the outgo to the public exchequer.
By
the way, when I mean the president, I mean the post of the President of India,
not any particular person occupying it at any given time, including now. No occupant
of Rashtrapati Bhavan could have been assessed any better or worse than the
current one.
Can
an austerity-bound nation afford a ceremonial president? Compared to this
situation, Montek Singh Ahluwalia must be a bargain for the nation!
Raghuram
Ekambaram
References
6 comments:
Raghu on the same front the need for Rajaya Sabha, Governors also need to be questioned
Precisely so, Balu. Treat this bow as the shot across the bow. Much more should be done along these lines.
RE
The President of India was modeled after the King/Queen of England. Kings/Queens are not meant to be productive!
Then Matheikal, we should have had an hereditary President :))))
And, to be nitpicking .. the only job of Kings and Queens is to produce, their progenies!
RE
I dont think she eats much !!
what was done was to say that we have put a woman as the head of the country ( IG was much more than that !!) .I think we have to locate a particular group ( gender/religion/caste/linguistic/ etc ) and say that even such people are recognized in that great country that is India. We ghave had muslim defense engineers. I think the time is ripe for structural engineers who are also wonderful essayists !! I dont mind voting for that brand
Thanks pala for that wonderful last-line gift!
RE
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