We the bureaucrats!

We are the largest employer in the world, yet have minimal concern for HR!

We talk about doing big things, yet end up not doing even small things!

We talk about clean stations and clean trains, yet maintain dirty offices!

We want the field staff not to drink on duty, yet fail to ensure it in our offices, right under our noses!

We criticize the police for rape in the cities, yet do nothing about sexual harassment in our offices!

We talk about staff shortages at work, yet unfailingly misutilize official staff at residences!

We talk about shabby treatment by seniors, yet unfailingly misbehave with our subordinates almost always!

We talk about loading, revenue, world class stations, mega projects, postings and transfers, yet have no time to discuss the welfare of our men or value systems that need to be a part of the organization's culture!

We want everyone else to be honest, hard working and committed, yet do not apply the same principles on ourselves!

We talk about the rampant corruption in the nation, yet do nothing about corruption right under our noses, in our own domain!

We blame the politicos for the mess, yet leave no stone unturned in complicating matters ad-infinitum!

We blame the unions for the mess, yet have no concern for staff welfare ourselves!

We want the organization and the nation to improve and have plenty of ideas for others, yet do nothing about it ourselves!

No wonder, our downhill speed is growing faster by the day!

Amen!

Critical mass!

It was definitely not a small number of concerned citizens that was worried about the Anna Hazare sit-in at Jantar Mantar going the Egypt or the Libya way. Fortunately or perhaps unfortunately, it did not. It did not, despite at one point of time the total gathering at the site exceeding a hundred thousand. What therefore prevented the movement from acquiring a bigger overtone, that perhaps may have provided a quicker solution to the problem of total and absolute rot in the social fabric?

That we are corrupt society is not in doubt and that the sarkari tantra takes the cake for providing a sense of absoluteness in corrupt practices is also not in doubt. In the last sixty three years as an independent nation, we have unfortunately emerged as the most corrupt society in the world, with perhaps one difference - none of its citizens accepts its role in the same and invariably blames the others for the rot.

Every nuclear reaction requires a critical nuclear mass for the reaction to self intiate. Perhaps the same is true is for revolutions that require a critical mass of committed and honest citizens, something that our nation is unable to provide at present. And that appears to be the reason why revolutions occur in other nations and not in our motherland despite it being far ahead in providing reasons for the same.

Throwing Up!

If everything is in a mess, then who takes the blame?

Roads are in a mess, so are the sewer lines, water supply and electricity supply cutting across the nation. The entire nation is covered by the haze of scams and more scams are awaiting to be unearthed every day. Uneducated and un-housed indians and there are many of them even after over sixty three years of survival as a free nation, make our heads hang in shame. The rajas and the britishers have left but we have created a ruling class that is far worse. Atleast the kings and the britishers were fair and also looked after the populace, the new dispensation in place in the self rule era appropriately looks after only the self and rules over others. Dealing with the sarkari tantra, any section of it is a nightmare, especially if one is a "aam aadmi".

Let none be in doubt that the rot is absolute and total. And unless we accept this reality, the change for the better would always elude us.

The funniest part of the scenario is that almost all indians accept the ground reality and have solutions, that they expect "OTHERS" to implement. Even sarkari mulazims have solutions that they expect "OTHER" sarkari mulazims to implement. Instead of a team working, a "WE" versus "THEY" scenario also pervades the entire sarkari machinery. With few exceptions, the top guys fail to provide the leadership that is expected of them and engross themselves in the "WE-THEY" game.

The thoroughness of the rot convinces me that setting right the sarkari tantra would require almost a revolution. And unless we have revolutionaries, people with revolutionary thought processes who also have the guts to implement what they feel or say, occupying the top slots, nothing much can be expected.

The moot issue therefore is whether a deeply rotten system has the capability to throw up people other than rank mediocres?

Concern for clients!

In the wee hours of the day, three coaches of the Mumbai Delhi Rajdhani express train caught fire and the truncated train arrived New Delhi late afternoon. Officials from the railways and hordes of media were at the station to receive the passengers.

Occasions like these, when the members of the public come face to face with an event that could have turned into a disaster are often laced with frayed tempers. This occasion was however surprisingly different. Instead of frayed tempers, the passengers of the affected coaches were almost unanimous in their display of gratitude for the railway staff on the train who by their prompt and also courteous action were able to avert any injury to passengers. The prompt assistance and facilitation by the officers and staff at the New Delhi railway station added to the feel good factor for the passengers.

Yes, the sarkari tantra can be extremely prompt and also courteous, almost at par with the private sector, especially during testing times. Something to feel good about.

Crusade against corruption!

Anna Hazare is a crusader, a crusader against corruption, the most common virus afflicting the country at present. His efforts are noble and deserve our unflinching support. It is also heartening that the government agreed to all his demands related to the drafting of the Lok Pal bill.

The moot point however is whether the proposed Lok Pal bill would be adequate to eradicate the deep rooted corruption in the nation. No doubt, it shall help by instilling fear of god in members of the sarkari tantra, but will that be enough?

The answer is “No”. Corruption cannot be eradicated without going into and then eliminating the systemic causes of the same. The root cause of corruption in the sarkari tantra is its complexity. This tantra was designed by the british to rule over untrustworthy slaves. It is unfortunate that the same old tantra is still flourishing and new complexities are being added with each passing day. How can therefore one expect trustworthiness from a tantra based on mistrust? The complexity of the tantra attained through the web of thumb impressions on files provides a shield to the financially as well as the professionally corrupt. Besides it also adds heavily to inefficiency and consequently low productivity, thereby retaining the nation forever in the developing category.

Corruption, complexity and productivity have a direct bearing on each other. The earlier it is understood by the powers that be, including the crusaders, the better it would be for all of us. Trying to tackle corruption in isolation, howsoever good the intentions may be, would not yield the desired results.

Calling a spade a spade!

Calling a spade a spade is a rarity in the India of today. Its sarkari mulazims would invariably, with exceptions of course, identify a spade as whatever is conveniently the need of the hour. It goes without saying that the need may change from moment to moment and from person to person.

Why has remaining truthful emerged as an impossibility in present times? Why are fudged figures, rather than the truthful ground reality more acceptable to the powers that be? Why figures that are meant for internal assessment more important than the ground realities that affect the public at large? Why matters have to be complex and cannot be simplified?

The biggest advantage of being truthful is that there is no need whatsoever to remember what one said or wrote, including the when and where. It is rather unfortunate that the sarkari maze is full of complexities, managed by complex people and based on baseless presumptions and figures.

The Anna Hazare crusade that hogged headlines today, appears to be the only ray of hope in the cesspool that the sarkari tantra in India has emerged as.

Old foggies lead the way!

The bureaucratic battle is almost won when setbacks fail to inspire bureaucrats to give up. Yes it is true that most of us from the sarkari sector are ready to give up at the slightest hint of things not going as one would like them to go. It is also true that in an environment that generally pervades sarkari sectors, especially sectors of the kind of indian railways, there are everyday opportunities galore to bite the bullet and hit the dirt. The trick however lies in not succumbing to such opportunities.

My team is brilliant, almost each and every one of them. Youngsters normally are, it is generally the old foggies of perhaps my age and seniority and above who have sidelined their brilliance and commitment for what they perceive as career and stability, but have the mandate to screw the nation. And these old foggies also fail to prove themselves as a good human being. It is strange that the transition from a young man to an old foggy generally converts him into an individual who is neither a good officer, nor a good human being.

And therefore the need of the hour is to provide a proper direction to the youngsters so that with age their commmittment, brilliance and human qualities improve, not go down the drain as is generally evident in the old foggies who occupy the highest chairs in the land.