This UPA government has found a nice way of tackling issues - Pass an act in the Parliament instead of getting down to the brasstacks.
Let us take the issue of irresponsible, self serving behaviour by the corrupt politicians and the civil servants. Instead of putting a few of them behind the bars, making them accountable and thus putting the fear of god into them, we have the great RTI- Right To Information Act, whereby you can get the information by paying a token amount. This is fine. But the question is, after that what do you do about it? Well, nothing!. Recently, when there were persistent queries on the Common Wealth Games corruption in the Parliament, the Sports Minister had the audacity to ask a MP to file a RTI if he wants the information. If that is the plight of a MP inside the Parliament, what about the common man. The politicians and babus have become bolder by the day.
We have a severe power shortage in the country. Most of the country is having power cuts ranging from 2 hours to 10 hours. Metros are the worst hit. Instead of augmenting the power generation capacity on a war footing, what do the Government do? They sign a nuclear agreement, and then waste two years preparing a nuclear liability bill. Is there any sign on new power plants coming up - the answer is none. So we are stuck with powercuts for at least another couple of decades.
The country is facing severe food shortage - at least in the retail market. This has send the food prices sky rocketing. The government does have enough grain rotting in the granaries. Instead of releasing the grain from the godowns to bring the prices down, and take bold actions to increase agricultural production and streamline agri product distribution, what does the Government do? It is contemplating passing the Right to Food Act. Great! Now the poor can be happy that they have the right to food, while they starve to death. Hey! what if we dont have food. We are empowered.
80% of the Government Schools have hardly any decent infrastructure. The teachers are conspicuous by their absence. No one gives a damn whether our children get decent education. The rich are not affected as they sent their kids to up market schools. But the poor kids, for whom it makes a world of difference, if they get good primary education hardly gets the education they deserve. Instead of spending a few thousand crores on school infrastructure, recruiting sufficient teachers and paying them good salary, and ensuring they are present in the schools during working hours, what does the Government do? It passed the Right to Education Act. Now the poor kids should not have any cause for complaining, as they have the Right to be educated. What if there is no school, no teachers or no one to teach them. Who cares?
What next? Right to Justice instead of increasing the number of courts, judges to speed up the cases? Right to a job instead of actually providing jobs? Right to use the Road, instead of making the roads motorable?
What if I go to my boss and tell him "Boss. I am empowering you with the Right to my Services. But I wont be doing any work. You should be satisfied with possessing the Right"?
