When Governments Spend Our Money Protecting the Powerful
In a democracy, public money is supposed to help ordinary people. It should go towards schools, hospitals, and making communities safer. But in West Bengal, the case of Sheikh Shahjahan shows how taxpayers' money can be used to protect dodgy politicians instead of looking after normal folk.
Shahjahan, a suspended leader from the ruling party, is facing serious accusations of violence, extortion, and abuse in Sandeshkhali. When the Calcutta High Court ordered that he should be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation, the State government decided to fight it. They hired an expensive top lawyer to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court.
The government said they were defending their police powers. But what actually happened was obvious: Shahjahan stayed under State custody for longer, delaying his transfer to the CBI. It looked like the State was quietly protecting him. For the victims waiting for justice, it meant more hanging about. For taxpayers, it meant their money was being spent defending a dodgy leader rather than helping communities.
This brings up some worrying questions. Why should our money be used to fight for the custody of someone accused of crimes? Why should victims be left waiting whilst governments spend loads on legal battles that seem to be protecting their own people? The answer is simple: they've got their priorities all wrong. Instead of standing up for ordinary people, the State seemed more bothered about saving face.
The consequences are serious. It's a misuse of taxpayers' money. It delays justice. And it destroys trust in democracy. People start believing that justice only works for the powerful, whilst ordinary folk get left behind.
Public money is sacred. It belongs to the people. Using it to shield the powerful isn't just bad government – it's morally wrong. Governments need reminding that their job is to protect the people, not the politicians. Justice must always come before politics.
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