Bengal's Babu Brigade

Bengal is termed as a "modestly" corrupt state in India. Really?

 

The last decade of Communist rule ensured that only 8-9 cases of corruption were logged in the state. Corruption is so ingrained in the system that it has even become a non-issue during elections. With the TMC in power, corruption has become synonymous with every day life.

 

In the day to day working of our lives we rarely deal with elected representatives. We deal mostly with the absolute brute of Bengal's Babu Brigade.

 

The 90,000 strong police force is completely unionized by the ruling party. Anyone not toeing the party line is either killed in action protecting the citizens like Sub Inspector Amit Chakraborty. For exemplary work they are punished by movement to insignificant postings like Dayamanti Sen after cracking the Park street rape case.  The best of officers are either leaving the job or requesting posting elsewhere. The list of police officers awaiting transfer is a mile long!

 

Getting work done in the state with any government function is more than a nightmare one can tolerate! Citizens are so hapless in the state that even bribery fails to get the work accomplished. Do not mistake the fact that bribes are not taken. It is just that bribes are taken, but the work is still not done!

 

Take the instance of shuttles in the city of Kolkata. Shuttles serve a vital function of ferrying large population of the work force to their destination. What happened to public buses you ask? Public transport cannot ply profitably in the city as CM has refused to increase the fares as it would affect the common people! But if fares were increased it would amount to a few rupees. But due to the lack of public transport buses, people are forced to use shuttles and shell out ten times the bus fare money.

 

The shuttles are in turn harassed by the police for extorting money when they do ply the trade. Therefore, in addition to an already minimal public bus services, shuttles also tend to disappear from the roads. The money earned from shuttle go to the local TMC office or leader. All this is because of the Babus taking decision in Writer's. The Babus are exhorting money from a ransomed public through a complex web of deceit.

 

Corruption is not only covertly pursued in the state but openly patronized by the ruling party. Sarada scam is all too fresh in the memory. The CM goes out of her way to protect the perpetrators. Finally the Supreme Court intervened to hand over the investigation to the CBI.

Now with the CBI scrutanizing the Sarada Scam, it is believed to have found four bureaucrats and retired police officers who were Sudipto Sen's gurantors. As more and more evidence is unearthed by the CBI, it is likely more Babus will be under the scanner and have to answer for their wrong doings in this multi-crore scam.
 

The trident lights is another great example of Babudom mischief in the state. There was no need for the trident lights in the first place. The trident light, then, should have be installed in the state by the electricity board for Rs. 8000 per lamp post. But no! They were installed by private contactors who charged Rs. 22,000 per lamp post.

The Panchayat tax collection is another nexus between the Babudom and the local TMC leaders. It extorts money in the name of a tax but with barely known rules and regulations. Local TMC leaders are flush with funds extorted from hapless property onwers and the share of the funds goes around in all Babu circles.

Think of any aspect of life in Bengal which is not touched by corruption and Babugiri - land registration, vehicle taxes, electricity boards, telephone installers... the list is endless. Even setting up a valid electric meter cost Rs. 1000 in the name of tea and biscuits!!!

The ingeniousness of corruption has turned into an art form in itself. One simply shudders to think of what will happens in the remaining two years of TMC rule? With economy in shambles in the state, where will be the money left in the state for the Babus to extort. They will of course have the Central government funds to abuse.