By Manzar Imam
While we are debating corruption and poor delivery of public goods by the government to be the prime causes of general unrest in society, a Congress Member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly (MLA) of one of the poorest districts of India went to fetch his bride in a chartered chopper, spent a hefty 1 crore rupees in his marriage – a clear case of show of wealth, mustache and muscle.
Accused of several cases of severe criminal nature, the precedent set by MLA, Mohammad Tausif Alam of the Bahadurganj Constituency, only strengthens the general public belief in public representatives’ wanton disregard to issues of welfare and development.
The helicopter.
MLA Tausif with his bride.
Tausif (sitting center)with CM Nitish Kumar (right), former Congress state president Sadanand Singh (left), Mahmood Ashraf of JDU is also visible.
More than half of the villages in this unfortunate district of Bihar still do not have electricity. Health facility is dismal. Roads which are constructed from Central funds start peeling off and showing cracks before seeing the face of next season. No public representative talks about basic civic needs like pure drinking water and sanitation.
The poor literacy rate of the district calls for some radical steps to be taken. But, who cares? The northeastern Seemanchal region of Bihar which also includes Kishanganj witnesses heavy rain, flood and soil erosion every year. It results into huge loss of crops, the only means to survival for the poor small farmers. But no MP or MLA ever seems to bother about doing anything.
Candidates fighting panchayat elections spend an average of 8 to 10 lakh rupees. Once elected they make many times over, buy expensive cars and construct big houses. Hardly 10 percent of the funds allocated for development work, are used. This illiterate or semi-educated “new riche” class has little or no regard for the promises it makes while campaigning for votes.
The state and district administration cannot claim ignorance. But their silence and inaction possibly have two meanings – either they also indulge in similar corrupt practices or they have their share in the booty.
There are many rags-to-riches stories in each panchayat and block that need public scrutiny and investigation. If an MLA who allegedly declared his moveable assets to be worth Rs 6.92 lakhs and immovable assets of worth Rs 26.01 lakhs spends an estimated 1 crore rupee in marriage within less than three years’ time after the last State Assembly elections, that tells the whole story of public representatives’ corrupt conducts and illegal earning.
A makeshit bridge at the Kankai rive at Chainpur, Nisandra under Bahadurganj
A road in Amour.
Some of the Assembly constituencies with more than 60 percent Muslim population like Bahadurganj, Kochadhaman, Amour have Muslim MLAs from Congress, RJD and BJP respectively, but leave aside the issues of general public welfare, none seems to bother about issues of even Muslims on whose name they beg for votes.
While hundreds of poor girls are crossing the age of marriage in the social context of Kishanganj, the MLA’s royal marriage makes you believe that if you have money and power, you can run away in equal comfort with both bride and pride!
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Author is a research scholar and freelance journalist based in Delhi. He can be reached at [email protected]