Political parties have not only protected the criminality of
their cadres, but they also have provided shelter to notorious criminals.
By Achyut
Wagle
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Mohammad Aftab Alam, a
member of the federal parliament representing Nepali
Congress, is in legal custody on
charges of a mass murder that allegedly took
place 12 years ago. Post
File Photo
|
Although there is no systematic data available on the number of
high-ranking politicians including members of Parliament, ministers and party
stalwarts who have a culpable criminal background, it is apparent that the
entire political edifice across all ideologies now survives on and operates
with money from crime. For politics to be virtuous and free of criminality,
comprehensive transformation is simultaneously necessary on several
constituents of the country's political economy. This includes the ethos, the
electoral system, intraparty democracy, the rule of law, budgetary
appropriation and public accountability mechanisms.
Core
politics
Why would at present anyone, on top of everything else, choose a
career in politics? Clearly, the classical ideal objectives of involvement for
selfless sacrifice to the nation, service to the people and contribution
towards social upliftment, among others, have now become a pure travesty.
Instead, the main incentive to join or stick to politics has been to accumulate
disproportionate wealth by blatant misuse of state power and resources. The
earlier generations of politicians, who fought against the Panchayat system to
restore democracy, couldn't set an emulative example to this end. Instead, they
became super-rich in a relatively short span of exposure to
powerful positions. Therefore, the avarice of the new entrants
is not surprising.
All political organisations alike have not only protected the
criminal indulgence of their cadres, but they also have provided shelter to
notorious criminals, offering them lucrative party positions. Party and
parliamentary positions are put on sale for whoever can afford them. Political
ideologies, ethics, morality and humanity have taken a backseat everywhere.
When core politics became a paradise for crime, criminality soon rules the
roost. And, we live with it today, suffocating hopelessly.
Electoral
reform
Such unconstrained, often extra-legal and extra-constitutional
exercise of power, mostly by elected politicians and usually to fulfil their
vested interests has made elections must-win battles for every contestant in
the fray. They have become hugely costly and unaffordable to honest and humble
politicians. Rigging the system using the state apparatus and vigilantes alike
has become commonplace. Whoever gets elected is bound to indulge in corruption
to recover the costs of running an expensive campaign. A further incentive to
indulge in crime is to accumulate more for the next campaign by whatever means
possible.
Regulatory authorities like the Election Commission and the
Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority have already been
rendered toothless, mainly by appointing henchmen of influential leaders in
their key executive positions. The party leadership are unwilling to undertake
electoral reform as this would put their non-transparent opportunities to an
end. Therefore, electoral reform and making elections less expensive and free
from criminal influence is not on any major party's agenda.
There is a significant deficit of democratic values in all major
parties. Many insiders do not voice their opinions and do not promote new
ideas, because it would not be well received by the powerful, often dictatorial
leadership. Again, competition based on leadership qualities and personal
character has ceased to find a place even in intra-party power exercises.
New
derailments
The practice of allocating a considerable
purse as constituency development fund to each federal parliamentarian to spend
at their discretion has given rise to new anomalies. The members of the federal
parliament will in this fiscal year alone get Rs60 million each. All provincial
assemblies have followed suit, though the amount may vary across provinces. The
politicians often spend this money on pet projects, usually without feasibility
or impact studies. The public procurement rules are not adhered to, and closing
audit procedures are not complied with.
The politicians see this purse as an instant
way to recover all election expenses, hopefully in the very first year in
office. The fund has proved to be a handy instrument to provide gainful
engagement to the supporters and financiers mobilised during the elections.
This, in turn, has helped to create vigilante groups in each constituency.
As federalism has devolved the financial
resources and fiscal authority to local level leaders, criminality in politics has
decentralised. The trend of misusing public funds for private benefits has
already expanded alarmingly.
Disproportionate accumulation of assets by
public officials coupled with growing impunity on financial crimes like
corruption and defalcation of state funds have only further dirtied politics in
Nepal. Until the political class realises and prepares to take at least some
steps to decriminalise itself, there will be no improvements. But democracy
cannot thrive until the criminal elements are uprooted.
