As reported in several newspaper and TV channels, the Karnataka government has sanctioned Rs 17 crores to temples for rituals "for the welfare of people and cattle". As citizens of India, we should be very concerned. Why? Read on.
The government has sanctioned public money. That money belongs to the people - ordinary citizens like you and I. How? Well remember the taxes that you pay? If you have a job, you get a form 16 at the end of the year. Generally you use this and file your income tax returns. This form 16 contains the details of taxes that the company you have worked for has withheld from your salary and paid to the government. Since it is now about the time when IT returns are generally filed, you probably will be having your latest form 16 with you. I urge you to take a look at it and see the amount that you have paid as taxes.
Even if you do not pay income tax, you still pay sales tax on most things that you consume - tea, coffee, petrol and service tax on a bunch of things - like to restaurants.
In sum, you pay money to the government in the form of various taxes. Now taxes paid to the government are different from the money you pay to buy things or services. In the case of buying things, after you paid the money, it is no longer yours after you have received the thing or service you paid for. The person or corporation you paid the money to can then decide how, when, where and in what manner to spend or use or invest that money. He, she or it (in case of companies) need not consult you or obtain your approval for it. This is not the case for taxes however. The money paid as taxes is still your money. The government is not at liberty to spend it according to its whims. It must spend the money for the benefit of the people. It has an obligation to the people. It does not own the money collected as taxes. It only acts on behalf of the people for the benefit of the people. It should not waste money or use if for purposes that do not result in public good.
What has happened here is that public money (in effect your money) has been spent in a wasteful way. Praying for rain is no way for a government to deal with a situation where the people are suffering from drought.
So if the government is spending money in a wasteful way, who is to question and stop them? Well, who else but the people to whom the money belongs - that is you and I. It is up to us to ensure that our money is being spent for our welfare. If we are negligent about this, there will always be a set of people or organizations who will use it for other purposes that suit them instead of the people.
You may say - "OK well, you maybe right and all - but what can I do?" Admittedly a single person cannot do much by him/herself. But I think you will agree that small efforts from a large number of people can change things. So I urge you to do your bit. I have listed some things that I think may help. Read up a little to understand the basics about how the government should work in a democratic society. Spread awareness among your family, relatives and friends about why it is important to keep an eye on what the government is doing and what it is spending money on. Give your support and voice to the activists who are protesting against corruption. Also, do register to vote and cast your vote. While voting, strive to choose those candidates who you think are commited to the betterment of the society as a whole and not just themselves or their particular political parties or their group (be it whatever - caste or subcaste group, religious group, ethnic group or social group etc). I am sure that you will discover many other such small things that will lead to a more responsible and accountable government.
I thank you for reading this blog entry and hope you will lend a hand in building a better tomorrow for all.
The government has sanctioned public money. That money belongs to the people - ordinary citizens like you and I. How? Well remember the taxes that you pay? If you have a job, you get a form 16 at the end of the year. Generally you use this and file your income tax returns. This form 16 contains the details of taxes that the company you have worked for has withheld from your salary and paid to the government. Since it is now about the time when IT returns are generally filed, you probably will be having your latest form 16 with you. I urge you to take a look at it and see the amount that you have paid as taxes.
Even if you do not pay income tax, you still pay sales tax on most things that you consume - tea, coffee, petrol and service tax on a bunch of things - like to restaurants.
In sum, you pay money to the government in the form of various taxes. Now taxes paid to the government are different from the money you pay to buy things or services. In the case of buying things, after you paid the money, it is no longer yours after you have received the thing or service you paid for. The person or corporation you paid the money to can then decide how, when, where and in what manner to spend or use or invest that money. He, she or it (in case of companies) need not consult you or obtain your approval for it. This is not the case for taxes however. The money paid as taxes is still your money. The government is not at liberty to spend it according to its whims. It must spend the money for the benefit of the people. It has an obligation to the people. It does not own the money collected as taxes. It only acts on behalf of the people for the benefit of the people. It should not waste money or use if for purposes that do not result in public good.
What has happened here is that public money (in effect your money) has been spent in a wasteful way. Praying for rain is no way for a government to deal with a situation where the people are suffering from drought.
So if the government is spending money in a wasteful way, who is to question and stop them? Well, who else but the people to whom the money belongs - that is you and I. It is up to us to ensure that our money is being spent for our welfare. If we are negligent about this, there will always be a set of people or organizations who will use it for other purposes that suit them instead of the people.
You may say - "OK well, you maybe right and all - but what can I do?" Admittedly a single person cannot do much by him/herself. But I think you will agree that small efforts from a large number of people can change things. So I urge you to do your bit. I have listed some things that I think may help. Read up a little to understand the basics about how the government should work in a democratic society. Spread awareness among your family, relatives and friends about why it is important to keep an eye on what the government is doing and what it is spending money on. Give your support and voice to the activists who are protesting against corruption. Also, do register to vote and cast your vote. While voting, strive to choose those candidates who you think are commited to the betterment of the society as a whole and not just themselves or their particular political parties or their group (be it whatever - caste or subcaste group, religious group, ethnic group or social group etc). I am sure that you will discover many other such small things that will lead to a more responsible and accountable government.
I thank you for reading this blog entry and hope you will lend a hand in building a better tomorrow for all.
2 comments:
Just for the sake of a debate: the 17 crores is aimed not to apease the gods but to apease superstitious people of the state and the brahmins. In a democracy everybody is represented and the 17 crores expenditure proves that even the superstitious and brahmins are well represented.
I think you are probably right. The money may be meant for appeasment of some groups. But why should government indulge in appeasment of any community at all? Its job is to ensure development of the whole society - not appeasing one community at the expense of the society.
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