The latest ad of AAP, featuring a housewife purportedly happy that her electricity bill has been reduced, is a study in flagrant & blatant lies; and in ongoing campaign to create the Cult of His Holiness the Honest One, Shri Arvind Kejriwal. First the lies. The ad claims that subsidy for the electricity consumption by Delhi households has been funded by the savings effected by reduction in corruption. If corruption of bribe taking has been reduced, how can that increase the savings of Delhi government? That may lead to savings for the citizens, not for the government. If the officers of government in-charge of supplies and works have stopped taking bribes, that will also not save any money for the government, that will only lead to more income for the suppliers and contractors, in case of existing contracts. If in last 100 days of its existence, Delhi government has awarded new contracts, and corruption has indeed disappeared, the rates would in fact increase for all contracts, meaning more outgo for the government. Because if officers are not to receive any bribes, they won't compromise on quality, and to give better quality, contractors will have to increase rates. So that will also not lead to any savings for the government. The only saving for the government would have been in tax collection. Ad doesn't say so. And it is highly unlikely that corruption in tax collection would reduce in a hurry, or at all. Because both, the bribe giver and taker benefit, and if correct taxes are to be deposited, that would open a pandora's box for the tax payers. Because then all taxes in upstream and downstream would need to be paid honestly, and would lead to huge complications for the past tax returns. A risk no tax payer who has been paying bribes would take. But if at all its income has increased, the Delhi government should publish its income figures. And also should not withhold salaries of municipality staff.
The Cult Of Arvind Kejriwal
The Cult Of Arvind Kejriwal
The Cult Of Arvind Kejriwal
The latest ad of AAP, featuring a housewife purportedly happy that her electricity bill has been reduced, is a study in flagrant & blatant lies; and in ongoing campaign to create the Cult of His Holiness the Honest One, Shri Arvind Kejriwal. First the lies. The ad claims that subsidy for the electricity consumption by Delhi households has been funded by the savings effected by reduction in corruption. If corruption of bribe taking has been reduced, how can that increase the savings of Delhi government? That may lead to savings for the citizens, not for the government. If the officers of government in-charge of supplies and works have stopped taking bribes, that will also not save any money for the government, that will only lead to more income for the suppliers and contractors, in case of existing contracts. If in last 100 days of its existence, Delhi government has awarded new contracts, and corruption has indeed disappeared, the rates would in fact increase for all contracts, meaning more outgo for the government. Because if officers are not to receive any bribes, they won't compromise on quality, and to give better quality, contractors will have to increase rates. So that will also not lead to any savings for the government. The only saving for the government would have been in tax collection. Ad doesn't say so. And it is highly unlikely that corruption in tax collection would reduce in a hurry, or at all. Because both, the bribe giver and taker benefit, and if correct taxes are to be deposited, that would open a pandora's box for the tax payers. Because then all taxes in upstream and downstream would need to be paid honestly, and would lead to huge complications for the past tax returns. A risk no tax payer who has been paying bribes would take. But if at all its income has increased, the Delhi government should publish its income figures. And also should not withhold salaries of municipality staff.