Samba, Barbecue grill and Monkey forests are few things legislators of a bankrupt state prefer over attention to drought and farmer suicides!

'Study-Tour' is no new word for most of us who have danced, partied on the way but at the same time have completed (read studied, learnt) what we set for in first place unlike these politicians of India (Karnataka today) who have named their Amazon junket a 'study tour' and are set to be part of things that they-only-know how will it fall under 'study' tab and how it is going to address issues back at home which is on its way to bankruptcy.

We hear of late that the extravagant Jan 2014, Karnataka's Amazon bash is postponed, all thanks to a reputed news channel which busted this bubble called 'Study-Tour'. But had it not been busted, they would have gone their way and to what extent? Going by the simple itinerary, it's all fun and no work policy they are all up to. '0% work, 100% fun' is how Times Now unveiled it. Monkey Forest, Alligator Park, dancing to the tunes of Samba & Tango, Barbecue grill, Desert Safari and much more all around South America are on itinerary and they proudly call it study tour. Wish we had few of those; may be then nobody would have hated going to school. Now, will someone from that coveted contingent come in open and explain us where's the damn study stuff you talked about to pull taxpayers' money out of state exchequer!

Lifelong learning is a quality we are told one must possess till that fateful last day of our life but at what cost and how? The state of Karnataka is in no merry times; more than half of its territory (22 districts) is drought hit, 3000 plus farmers have already committed suicide, there is that usual power-cut, now commonplace potholes all around the capital (forget about other cities!). Now tell us, how will watching monkeys hopping from branch to branch, dancing to tunes of Tango & Samba or savoring barbecue will help state get rid of these and more ills? What sorts of representative you (forget human) are if you can't control yourself of a state-sponsored holiday when your house is on fire?

"The Estimate Committee, consisting of as many as 18 legislators, is planning a study tour of Brazil, Argentina and Peru," Karnataka Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa told PTI. The 10 to 12 days joy ride would cost already swelled state exchequer around eight crores; the same if used to fill potholes around Bangalore or to provide aids to drought hit areas would have healed many wounds but then we have voted them to power for next five years, why would they call it off? And remember, they aren't Aam Aadmi's to go and ask general public how to spend their money, they consider it joke on themselves to go and ask voters each time for different issues for they believe five years is what we have given them to enjoy and relish their life the way they find it fit. They need to pull the dust off those history books that are lying dead in those decorative book shelves and sometimes go through them and understand what real democracy is; there they will find one definition, one statement from Lincoln, it says – democracy is a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people." Get it imprinted in your mind, forever. Nowhere, nobody describes democracy as a five year rule where voted forgets the voter for next five years.

H S Shivashankar of JD(S) who is part of this exuberant contingent goes on record to say, "We toe day in and day out of our lives to work for people, we too need things to enjoy, rejuvenate ourselves." Wow. Now will we be able to know what you do (or you've done so far) day in and day out? Moreover, if you don't like working for people, leave it, resign and go enjoy your Samba & Tango and spare taxpayers’ money. We know why you all are in politics; we are not dumb enough to believe each time the same old rhetoric. Irony is in fact the committee which is going for this lavish useless junket. 'Estimates Committee' is how they put themselves. They are meant to address state's financial woes, find ways in which a state could curtail waste of resources. But here they are, vehemently insulting the very purpose they were set up to guard!

Meanwhile, such tours are no foreign to Karnataka. In 2012 they went to Latin America, between 100 MLAs have visited China to develop Bangalore in line with China but have backed-off once home citing lack of dedication and political will!

Where are the Rahul Gandhi's and Narendra Modi's who speak of changing everything from nation to how their parties function to crack open the big 2014 prize. Is this how it will all be? Now exactly is the time for two to show their no-compromise-on-bad-governance stance. Rahul, Modi, whoever you are, take stand, let us know you are tough on scavengers who openly deceit and loot taxpayers money in the name of god-knows-what.

New India wants to know what the supposed game changers (read Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi) really mean when they speak before that huge crowd, they want to know if you really care of what you utter or just read what your scriptwriters write for you. Else you know we have got an alternative, a alternative that not just talks but acts, walks-the-talk, come what its consequences be. So beware - no more head or tail kind of stuff!