Pennies from heaven by Karan Thapar

Pennies from heaven by Karan Thapar, Hindustan Times
April 09, 2011 First Published: 22:47 IST(9/4/2011)
I've done a little test to see how right or wrong my views can be, and I'm delighted to tell you that, at least in this one instance, I'm almost spot on. I sent some 50 different people — journalists, politicians, authors, ambassadors, civil servants, doctors, elderly aunts, etc — an sms outlining my response to the way state governments have competed with each other to shower gifts on our World Cup winning cricketers. To my pleasant surprise, almost everyone responded readily, if not also immediately. So, now, I'm pretty confident I know how most people think!
The sms I sent read: "What do you make of this competition to give money or land or houses to the team? I find it questionable if not distasteful. What's your view?"
Three things stand out about the responses I received. First, practically everyone replied. This has rarely happened before. So, clearly, this is a subject that struck a universal chord. Second, not one person defended this gratuitous money-giving. Third, several responded with passion, even anger. I don't recall any replies that suggested mild or lukewarm concurrence.
Let me, therefore, draw a few conclusions. No doubt we all want to acknowledge, applaud and, even, reward our World Cup winning cricketers but doling out cash, land or houses is both morally wrong and demeaning. One of my respondents, not inaptly, compared the outpouring of crores to the way maharajas used to throw gold coins at courtesans. By that token cricketers are today's nautch girls! Others pointed out, again quite justifiably, that this suggests the team was only playing for money.
The second conclusion is possibly more damning. This behaviour betrays our own twisted set of values. Is money the only way of saying thank you? Is it the most meaningful way of doing so? Our chief ministers should think carefully about this. Their gifts reflect their thinking.
The third conclusion is actually a question: whose money did they gift away? Not their own but the tax payers. Yet in a country where hundreds of millions live in miserable poverty — even if you don't want to accept Arjun Sengupta's figure of 77% living on Rs 20 a day or less, you can't dispute this — should we be giving crores to those who already have several, in some cases hundreds? Is that responsible government? And is this how the aam aadmi is best served?
I wish just one of our cricketers had politely declined the cash or, better still, announced he would donate it to charity. Even if the new players could not be expected to do so, what about Sachin or Dhoni or Yuvraj? They don't need this largesse but the respect they would have earned from a polite refusal to accept would have catapulted them to moral stardom. Instead, we've ensured they remain only cricket heroes.
Let me, however, end with a thought that was not part of my sms. If the team deserves Rs 1 crore each from the BCCI why should their coach, Gary Kirsten, without whom they all acknowledge they would not have won, get less?
I can think of sound arguments for giving him more. But that did not happen. The only case for giving him half what his team got is either he wasn't very good — but the team dispute that — or the BCCI doesn't believe in generosity to people who aren't Indian.
Once again, that raises a whole set of disturbing questions. But where do we get the answers?
The views expressed by the author are personal.
Pennies from heaven by Karan Thapar
Comment: Cricket has become a money spinner for Politicians- Cricketeers are their tools- BCCI, ICC and ICL are all suckers who steal the sweat of the tax payers!

Cash for Votes Morphs to Goods for Votes

TN polls: DMK, AIADMK lure voters with freebies
Srirangam/Tiruvarur: The DMK-AIADMK rivalry has determined Tamil Nadu politics for over two decades. And both J Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi filed their nominations on the same day - the AIADMK chief from Srirangam, and the DMK patriarch from Thiruvarur. Moreover, the duo has sparked off a battle of freebies. In her election manifesto on Thursday, Jayalalithaa matched the DMK promise for promise.The DMK, in its manifesto, has promised free laptops to all 11th and 12th standard students, 20 kg of free rice to all ration card holders and for all women, a fan, mixer and grinder free of charge.
"No doubt this government has left the state in debt. I have specifically mentioned in the manifesto. DMK government has pulled Tamil Nadu into a debt of Rs 1 lakh crore. Our election manifesto has all the schemes that will retrieve the state from the debts and once again make Tamil Nadu a prosperous state. I only promise what I can deliver," said Jayalalithaa.
The DMK, which began the practice of promising free colour TVs for votes in 2006, said Jayalalithaa has just copied their strategy.
"People will trust only what we have said because we have given what we promised in 2006 and they won't trust Jayalalithaa," DMK leader MK Stalin.
So it's a laptop for a laptop, rice for rice between the AIADMK and the DMK. And these elections will perhaps prove if Tamil Nadu's voter will deliver their mandate based on the promise of freebies.
TN polls: DMK, AIADMK lure voters with freebies
Comment: Cash for Votes Morphs to Goods for Votes

Mandate 2009

Election 2009: Yes, there are free lunches, free TVs and free power
As per an estimate if the politicians were to deliver all the freebies that they promise, it might take as much as one third of the budget outlay for the specific sector. Free electricity to farmers might end up being a substantial chunk of agriculture budget (in case the governments decided to honour their liability to electricity boards, that is).

The Associated Chambers of Commerce (Assocham) recently issued a statement urging political parties to refrain from offering freebies to voters. “Experience has shown in the past that whosoever political parties promised free power and hugely subsidised wheat and rice to poorer sections ultimately landed in problems as it is difficult to keep such promises,” Assocham said. “The state electricity boards and food departments have suffered heavily as their losses mounted on account of free power and delivery of subsidised rice and wheat,” it added.

A retired bureaucrat from Tamil Nadu told media that the promises, if delivered, may incur one- time capital expense up to Rs. 10,000 crore; increase the State's recurring expense to around Rs. 6,000 crore annually and potentially plunge Tamil Nadu into bankruptcy in the next two decades.
Read more:
Election 2009: Yes, there are free lunches, free TVs and free power

Comment: The government is a pauper and it can offer freebies. The tax payers money goes to pay for non productive freebies! Government playing modern day Robin Hood sans forests bows and arrows! Shame on Politicians offering freebies!