the tutor and the taught

My lecture at the CBI academy the day before was an eye opener for me. While I always believed that the rot has to be universally prevalent, I could never have visualized the sense of disenchantment that prevailed amongst the lower echelons of the premier investigating agency of the nation, a situation, contrary to my expectations. Disenchantment leads to negativity and negativity is never good especially amongst those who are expected to cleanse the tantra of all its ills.

And there were smiles, for obvious reasons of course whenever a reference was made to the fact that at the apex levels, a conduct that can be emulated is the prerequisite for giving good results. I on my part facing a similar situation could only commiserate with them.

Anyway the experience was worth the while – a learning experience for both, the tutor and the taught even though exposure to dim realities only saddens the heart. Yet the enthusiasm of the group was infectious and that gave me a feeling that all is not lost yet.

Why there is invariably a deep divide between the management and the men who run the show, cutting across sectors and states is what I fail to understand even after putting in almost three and a half decades in the service? Why cant humans treat others of their elk with respect and dignity, something that everyone aspires for, I wonder? Why rising within the officialdom is regarded as such – a rise even though it may be a fall, I fail to understand?

After all in the eyes of the almighty all human beings are equal and if at all they are to be ranked, it would have to be on the basis of their contribution to humanity and human values. In his eyes, I am certain, the walls separating the peon and the officer would never exist, yet we carry on regardless and almost always, creating classes and sub classes within the human race perhaps for self-gratification that actually never takes place in the real sense.    

And perhaps therein lie the answers to the malaise that the nation has continued to face since it came of its own almost sixty seven years back. Our failure to appreciate that the ultimate objective can only be to deliver, not merely shuffling of files, passing time in official environs or gratifying the ego has me really worried these days. If delivery indeed emerges as the objective, the existing structures and processes would necessarily have to become the first casualty. Yet the ground reality that is far different makes me think otherwise.

The arrival of the new government on the scene has indeed given hopes to millions like me, yet hope has a strange way of fading away if not timely actualized. After the honeymoon period is over, either hope or disenchantment would remain and I sincerely wish and pray it would not be the latter.