Buta Singh and a wall called 'weaker section'

Ever since, the Indian Express published the letter written by Buta Singh to Lalu, the Bihar election theatre has come to forefront. Both Lalu and Buta are on record dismissing any wrongdoing by the governor seeking personal favour from a minister, who is accused of running proxy government through the governor and meddling with the affairs of the state, when it is under President't rule. And the officer in question is proud to announce his '20 years' of association with Buta singh. It is certainly not new that the gubernatorial propriety is tainted and lowered by the actions of the 'political governors'.

Buta, himself of guilty of several actions since his appoinment to the Patna Raj Bhavan. His report to the Home ministry recommending the dissolution of house, barely couple of days before NDA garnering simple majority in the assemply; his controversial and unwarranted transfer of bureaucrats, who refused to dance to the tunes of Lalu-Rabri are glaring examples of the Raj Bhavan leaning towards Lalu.

But, what makes Buta's present action stand unique is his attempt to cover up the incident behind the much abused 'social justice'. In its follow-up report Express quotes, Buta as declaring that he pleaded the case for a 'scheduled caste' officer and would do it again. Ha! so much social justice for a 'scheduled caste' officer against whom a vigilance enquiry is pending (the fact that cases pending against Lalu himself on more serious corruption charges is a matter of irony).

Politicians, bureaucrats and others taking shelter behind the wall of weaker section in the name of caste and religion, whenever they are caught on the wrong side of the law - has a long history in India. If Buta is the latest example, it is not in a distant memory that Mayawathi created a hue and cry, singing the popular targeted-for-being-Dalit tune after being exposed in the Taj corridor case. Salman Khan's outburst that he was being targeted earlier in the deer poaching case and in the recently leaked tape conversation (allegedly between him and Aishwarya Rai) because he is from minority community, tells a similar story. Ditto, with Mohd. Azharuddin in the match-betting controversy few years earlier. Of course, this list is grossly incomplete and will probably include many of our leaders and other personalities once completed.

All this shows how badly the politicians and others have abused the privilages accorded by the constitution, to certain sections of citizens on the ground that they belong to weaker sections or minority communities. You can commit a grave crime or accept bribes and grafts or involved in corruption - shortly do any thing which is illegal - but you can get away unquestioned let alone tried and punished, if you belong to weaker section or minority community. This illustrates just one of the damages resulted from reservations and minorityism.

Unless the caste, religious & vote bank politics is put in check, it would be difficult to stop creation of more such Mayawatis and Buta singhs.

Tailpiece: There is another dimension to this. The other day some Congress spokesman pointed out that the prime minister, the army chief are sikhs when questioned about Nanavathi commission report indicting congressmen. Astonishing, I thought Manmohan and J J Singh are in their respective positions because of their qualifications and abilities and certainly not because of they being sikhs. Probably, Congress drew example from Sonia, whom they believe can become prime minister or party president irrespective of whether she is qualified or able.