That corruption is not confined
to merely currency exchanging hands for dubious reasons is a fact that is
generally not appreciated by the clients and constituents of the great sarkari
tantra of this nation. Is it therefore not sad that professional dishonesty
invariably takes a backseat whenever issues relating to integrity are flagged?
While it is true that insofar as the “aam aadmi” of this nation is concerned,
demand for or expectance of illegal gratification in lieu of doing what should
rightfully be done is the correct definition of corruption, it is also true
that professional dishonesty by almost the entire fleet is the inherent reason
behind our country continuing perpetually in the league of developing nations.
A Mahesh Kumar is thrust into the
dungeons jolting the organization as well as the nation out of the slumber it
has gotten into. Yet the celebration that many of the honest constituents of
the railways are indulging into would prove to be short lived if even this golden
opportunity is wasted and the stable not cleared of the accumulated muck of
decades. Mahesh Kumar has been caught and perhaps deserves a life behind bars,
but this organization has an excess of the Mahesh Kumar variety and perhaps
many times more who are going through the transformation process only to later
emerge as great thieves.
In my over three decades of
active service, with the exception of only a handful, most of the officers that
I had an occasion to interact with had absolutely no sense of propriety on
professional issues. They were like a tumbler that may roll in any direction.
Rules, processes, guidelines and yardsticks had absolutely no rationale
whatsoever for this group that was always prepared to bend in whatever
direction the powers that mattered desired. And as a result even the written
word had a tendency to lose its sanctity within the confines of the 5’6” gauge.
I am reminded of the penchant of
many of the illustrious chief executives who encouraged abandonment of the
rules and processes in the interest of shortsightedness yet like a chameleon switched
sides whenever something went wrong and responsibility needed to be fixed. Our
attitude towards our most prized asset, land appropriately fits the bill. While
the top guy places ten minute punctuality issues ahead of land on a regular
basis, yet he would leave no effort in fixing lowly subordinates in both cases,
of his boss expressing annoyance on land grabbing or land reclamation. The recent
exposures that reveal a penchant to be "his masters voice" rather than a
custodian of rules and processes even in the matter of secretary level
appointments by the apex levels of the railway board are merely a peek into
what most of us have been silent witness to for many years now.
The route to financial corruption
is via professional dishonesty and professional dishonesty would definitely
lead one to the swamps of financial impropriety. This hard reality needs
acceptance, the earlier the better, even otherwise the great Indian railways
would stagger on.
Amen!
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