People don’t say no when politicians go to bribe them for their votes, says Speaker Kageri

‘You don’t say that your vote is not for sale; if you are determined not to take money but vote for an honest candidate, there will be little room for us to bribe you’

Pointing to the widespread corruption, nepotism, enticement and the use of money and muscle power in elections in India, Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri has held voters and politicians equally responsible for the spoiled election system in the country.

In an attempt to throw the blame on voters rather than politicians, he, at a point, even said that the former have forced the latter to become corrupt by accepting money for vote during elections.

“We have reached a point where none can contest and win elections without bribing voters in the form of money, liquor and material used to lure them [voters] and also using muscle power to threaten and influence them. You [voters] don’t say no when we [politicians] come to bribe you,” he said.

“You don’t say that your vote is not for sale. In a way, you are forcing us to indulge in corruption. If you are determined not to take money but vote for an honest candidate, there will be little room for us to bribe you,” Mr. Kageri said, while admitting that responsibility has to be fixed on politicians and other stakeholders for the increasingly deteriorating electoral system in the country.

He was addressing a public meeting organised for seeking public suggestions on electoral reforms at Rangamandir in Kalaburagi on Wednesday.

Citing instances of legislators skipping Assembly sessions on the pretext of attending ceremonies such as marriages and birthdays of their party workers or their supporters, Mr. Kageri said that such legislators don’t have the commitment to prioritising sessions over such functions and their supporters don’t have the sense not to force their leaders to skip legislature sessions to attend their functions.

“Both voters and politicians are equally responsible for India’s election system stooping so low now,” he said.