Usually, rare events, including the case of a man biting the dog, when reported in the print media, not only draw the attention of readers of dailies but also figures in the evening sessions of the urban literati sipping their favourite beverage in drawing rooms or in parks as well as restaurants. However, the recurring event of elections to the many bodies of the land’s Legislature has only lured the masses to learn about the contestants, their party affiliations, constituencies, chances of winning, count of votes secured and finally the outcome through radio broadcasts, television telecasts by various news channels, newspapers and also others known for their stock of up-to-date information. While the strategies of the aspiring elected representatives of people, including straightforward campaigning, promising pro-people measures (if elected to power), offering freebies, use of muscle power, doling cash in irresistible amounts (money power) and so on are common knowledge of the people at large, journalists are compelled to exercise restraint in printing the details in the current disposition.

Names of the land’s past personalities, respected in society of their times by virtue of their blemishless public life and selfless service while holding office in high posts are recalled by their counterparts of our times leaving no room to ignore the steep fall in morals expected of public servants, barring rare exceptions.

Profiles of the vote-seekers contesting in the polls to the various Legislative bodies of the nation are more extensively talked about in the gossip sessions of people at large than one gets to read about in the reports by different media channels, particularly the blatantly unedifying features of their personal details. If their portrayal in public domain as either high net worth individuals with ethically acquired wealth or VIPs (netas in common parlance) wouldn’t hurt their image in society, then all would be well in the land that would make people pride about the present crop of leaders.

A report concerning the profile of the land’s elected representatives of people, the law-makers, with particulars of their alleged criminal record, published in a section of the press last week prompting the land’s Apex Court to order more Courts to try criminal netas in baffling numbers sees them in new light, bright enough to blind the electorate as it were.