Have political parties become more intolerant?

Time and again, it has been seen that low-rung leaders and rank and file of the parties would be suspended, later dismissed from the parties, if they raise a voice against the obvious conflict of interests of their top leaders, citing the anti-party activities. Over the years, this has emboldened the top leaders to indulge in nepotism and corrupt practices to favour a few around them. Fearing the suspension or dismissal from the parties, the rank and files keep quiet and even endorse the activities, in certain cases cashing in on the favouritism given to them by the senior party leaders. The mood of the hour is the voluntary resignation of Arun Jaitley from the post of Union Finance Minister to face the probe.

A new instance of intolerance to the corruption has come out in the national party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that boasts of itself as non-corrupt party with its mascot Narendra Modi telling this in every political meeting he presided over. One of the close lieutenants has got his image blemished after the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) scam surfaced. Close on heals with this allegation, a new one has surfaced from the other sports body Hockey India (HI). In the eye of storm is none other than the Union Finance Minister, Mr. Arun Jaitley who happened to be at the helm of affairs of DDCA for a period of 13 years and a member of HI for a considerable period of time. The first allegation was levelled by his party colleague and Member of Parliament Kirti Azad. Incidentally, Mr Kirti Azad is a former cricketer who represented India in test and one day formats internationally and won accolades for it. He is also the son of former Bihar Indian National Congress (INC) president and Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mr. Bhagwat Jha Azad. This shows the contempt among the top leaders of BJP for other leaders if others raised voice against them. It is not clear whether the second-rung party leader Kirti Azad had indeed crossed the line to be construed as an anti-party leader. The top party leaders believe that he is siding with the leaders of rival parties such as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and INC.

Almost corroborating the claim, the allegation of the corruption has come against Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley from the former chief of the other sports body in which he is the member. Despite his tall claim that none of his family members were associated with the administration of sports bodies, another allegation had come from the previous head of the HI Mr. M.S. Gill. He claimed that Mr. Jaitley appointed his daughter as a legal counsel of the sports body HI and there was an instance of conflict of interest involved. Mr. M.S. Gill was a stand-upright police officer who had fought for the removal of corruption malice from the society when he was serving the country. Though the incumbent head of Hockey India has given clean chit to Mr. Jaitley, the law should probe on this allegation and come out with the truth on this issue. Till then, the needle of suspicion would always point to the man in the eye of the storm today.

As in the past, the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley should step down from the incumbent post and wait outside till all the allegations against have been negated. This precedence was followed in the case of other leaders like L.K.  Advani in the party. If he sticks to his post, he would be seen doing more damage to the party in terms of its credibility. The top leaders, including the party president, should not be seen shielding him. Otherwise, it would further erode their support base, especially the youths of the country. The top leaders of the party should bear in mind that they came to the corridors of power only on the planks of good governance and corruption-less administration promises. Otherwise, the rank and file of the party would not be able to defend the deeds of its leaders on the ground, further eroding the base of the party across the country.