Re: What would you prefer: Mercedes or Ambassador with red-beacon?
What?? That's not true barring a few exceptional cases.
To keep amby guys in your pocket, you really need to be in the leagues of Ambanis and Tatas, which is rare in India. Many business tycoons own luxurious cars but beg these amby travelers for land clearances,tax exemptions, environmental clearances etc. So, without a doubt, it power that wins over money.
Guys have you heard a word 'Honest Govt. official'?If yes,then let me tell you people that an honest govt. official can make even a Bentley owner beg him for just a small work or two.
It's the corruption which has made these people lick the feet of the high power bearers.
A small incident:Leave aside laal batti type people,I am talking of a sub inspector only.
About two years back my first challan was cut in my city(I was on my 200).It was an overspeed and driving without license challan and fine was only Rs 800.
I was doing about 90 kph on a road when I was stopped.After getting stopped,I haven't shown the papers of bike,instead I called my father but the call wasn't received.So I directly called up the SSP and made him talk to sb inspector.The sub inspector talked to SSP for 5-6 seconds and said "Sir I am cutting a challan of over speeding and drivign without license".He cut the phone and gave it back to me and I was looking at him with an open mouth.
My guys,if power is in honest hands then money can never win over it.Maximum what can be done with an honest official is transfer..none else!!
BUT, Why do we take 'Power' in a negative connotation? Power is also there for benefit of common man, like Jayadev said- service of the people.
Power is there for the benefit of common man,but issue is that even our common people also think that they can buy any power for some cash and hence at the end...the officials are forced to use power on the common man,just to stop them from going any wrong way.
My buddy,there is a protocol.
Take for an instance,an MP is above a DM in protocol but still can't force the DM to do anything.
An MLA or MLC is below a DM in terms of protocol and in case DM gives them an order then MLA or MLC is bounded to follow it.
IPS officers have even more power in these terms,the written order of an IPS officer can't be denied as it directly relates to law and order.
But there are boundations of officers too and the true power of politicians is their identity in party and support of masses.
In other words,you can't say who is more powerful..official is more powerful in some cases and politician is in some other cases.
I feel the 'power chart' is in a loop. Media > Politicians > Govt. Officials > Media > Politicians...
I may have missed something, but you got the idea :P
Above all is the court of law.What court has said is meant to be followed by anyone and everyone.In my views the power chart is like..
Court>Union ministers/Cabinet ministers,state govt. ministers who hold any specific department>A class offcials(IAS/IPS/IFS etc)>MLAs/MLCs>State Govt. officials>Smaller level politicians>Press.
I named press at the end as press can't do anything if you are smart enough.
Most people think people in govt. can eat as much money as they want.
This is a very big misconception.No one can do over-feeding,it's easily caught.
You can see various such examples of Congress govt. now a days..