Friday, June 14, 2013

The conscience keepers whither away!

The conscience keepers either sleep or connive with the devil and the system goes haywire. This unfortunately has been happening with the nation as well as its lifeline during the last couple of years. What transpired recently in the railways was an unassailable symptom of the conscience keepers at the apex levels conniving with the devil, directly or indirectly for personal gains or out of fear.   

The problem is deadly yet has a simple solution. The conscience keepers who are fairly senior in the pecking order have to be fair and firm regardless of the consequences. Is it indeed asking for the moon?

In a Loktantra, the real power vests in the elected representatives yet the job of the conscience keeper is assigned to the permanent group, that of the bureaucrats. These servants of the republic confer a sense of permanency to the government that otherwise puts on a new cloak every five years. And therefore they have a major role to play, that of the guardians of the rules, procedures, processes and the conscience of the collective, yet the role is generally found wanting.

The various scams of the 2G, 3G, CWG, Adarsh, Coalgate and Railgate varieties to name a few would not have happened had the conscience keepers played their roles with impunity. A bureaucrat merely has to place in writing the facts of the case, the correct rule position, the ethical stand and the course of action that he feels is the best fit in the prevalent circumstances and then it is for the competent authority, at times the elected representative to take a call in tune with the noting or otherwise. It is plainly as simple as that, yet almost a rarity!

Why the conscience keepers are generally a dismal failure despite the protection afforded to them by virtue of a permanent job guaranteed by no less than the president of the republic is rather difficult to fathom?

It is fairly obvious that the sarkari tantra over a period of time has emerged as an organ primarily suited for self aggrandizement of its constituents. A budding youngster of today joins the services not inspired by lofty ideals but for the ample opportunities the service provides for accumulating wealth and flaunting power in the public domain. A servant of the public at large desirous of extortion from the system and flaunting power over people he is paid to serve! The entire concept of selfless service has perhaps been thrown out of the window in this wonderful nation of ours.

It is indeed time that the concept of selfless service is reinforced down the throats of all those who are paid to serve yet serve to be paid!

2 comments:

  1. Selfless- What is that?. We work in organization, be it a PSU or Govt or Pvt, we work to earn our livelihood. But now a days the top power capacitors have made such a scenario that either work as and when directed or get lost. We are not supposed to use our brains. We are in computer age and should do as per the command given. Every section of the every department have some staff who work when compelled to. No one is willing to extract work from those who do not work. Just load all the additional work on working staff and enjoy the seat.
    Scams happen because of those who are compelled to work. they extract their share of juice whenever asked to cut the apple. They are close to power and their approach to many ensures their safe existence in the system.
    If you allow any one to get work in your name, you are allowing him/ her to use your name for corruption. Some day they may ruin your name. so time needs to 'be careful'.

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  2. The work satisfaction is prime - To keep corruption out. In todays scenerio, the ppl know that they r on the mercy of superiors nad if not keep them haapy, they can be thrown to a seculded place. So corruption is tuey way to keep them happy and enjoy life or play havoc as per their.choice.... THINK.

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