Gifted lot

A MEMBER of the parliamentary standing committee on railways earned accolades recently for returning a gold coin and a silver block that he had been gifted. The other MPs, who were part of the visiting team, apparently, did not consider it necessary to part with the gifts presented by the public sector undertakings. The CPI(ML)-Liberation MP from Arrah in Bihar, Sudama Prasad, argued — and convincingly so — that accepting such gifts was not only unethical, but also bordered on corruption to silence the MPs from raising public issues. For many conversant with the sarkari ways and means, the inquiry ordered by the Railway Minister to pinpoint who came up with the idea of such gifts would come as a surprise. Ingenuity in the selection of gifts is actually considered a special trait in government circles. It is the public exchequer who is paying after all, so why worry about the cost involved, or the need of such offerings?

So forceful has been the imposition of the bouquet-and-shawl culture that even political parties now swear by it. An endless array of flowers and shawls is handed over with reverence at any public event, and tossed to the background within no time. One worries for the health of the flowers as much for the health of the State that is made to fund such meaningless stagecraft. Some Union ministers have thankfully lowered their welcome party to a rose. But, why even that? The MP’s principled stand must trigger a serious debate on doing away with unnecessary frills that are wasteful and distasteful in equal measure.

Probity in public life has to be the norm and not an exception. It’s a lofty thought, but that’s one gift India is so desperately in need of.