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EDITORIAL One more Republic Day has come and gone. Looking back gives us enough cause for cheer. Prophets of doom have proved wrong. In their own cunning way, they had revelled in perverse thinking that the country might not hold together given its multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-religious character. In their wicked perception, they had been further emboldened by insurgency in certain parts of the country. The Naxal violence in the pockets of Madhya Pradesh, .....more More often than not, ordinary citizens in rural and far-flung hilly areas in the State have a common grouse. They find that the government employees are missing as and when they need them. A doctor is absent from duty in case of a health problem. Teachers play truant as children sit in the open, unattended by anybody, during their school hours. It is a pathetic state of affairs. It is too well known that the employees invariably want to function at ....more |
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By Tushar Charan Perhaps with an eye as much on their dollars as on the need to launch vigorous cultural diplomacy (not to mention drumming up patriotic sentiments), .......more By M N Kak Land pollution is surfacing up and is signalling the degradation of environment and the soil, a very important commodity as a sustaining and support material to growth of plants and .....more The grand illusion of inter linking of rivers By Satya Prakash Never before has any proposal won the unstinted support of the apex court, the first citizen and the chief executive of the country all at the same time. With this unprecedented backing, the Government has pressed in all ....more |
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EDITORIAL One more Republic Day has come and gone. Looking back gives us enough cause for cheer. Prophets of doom have proved wrong. In their own cunning way, they had revelled in perverse thinking that the country might not hold together given its multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-religious character. In their wicked perception, they had been further emboldened by insurgency in certain parts of the country. The Naxal violence in the pockets of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh had only added to their sadistic thinking. Little did they realise that the nation would build a mechanism to take care of all these evils. Over the years, it has been possible to establish a powerful state in this part of the globe. A state that has been created with the consensus of the people. It is not a mean achievement to stick to democracy and yet succeed as a developing economy. Undoubtedly, there is general frustration over the decline of the political class as a whole. What can’t be overlooked at the same time is that if a political organisation takes a wrong step, it is not averse to retracing it. If it is found that certain states are not happy with the manner of the conduct of the elections, corrective measures are taken by the one set of people in power if the others have been found wanting. In the first case, one can recall Indira Gandhi’s brief stint with Emergency. In the second, one can still feel in the air the sense of relief and joy over the holding of free and fair Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir in 2002. Regardless of the party in power, the nation has maintained a substantial degree of continuity in its dealings with the secessionist elements. While their genuine grievances have been resolved, those bent on creating mischief have been firmly dealt with. It is an immaculate carrot-and-stick approach that has paid rich dividends with the passage of time. We don’t have to go far to see that this system has worked with the beneficial results for society as a whole. It may have taken more than a decade but the Hurriyat Conference — at least one of its factions — has seen the advantage in sitting across the table. The talks between the Moulvi Abbas Ansari faction and Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani have been widely hailed. They have opened new opportunities. Not only Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, one of the key members of this Hurriyat group, but Moulvi Abbas himself has ended up showering praise on Mr Advani. Dropping his antagonistic posture, the Moulvi has remarked: ‘I used to think that Vajpayee on this side and Musharraf on the other side were the only moderates. I discovered that Advani is also a moderate and wants peace in Kashmir’. There is realism in both the Government and Abbas faction that, for them to be eventually successful, it is necessary to widen the scope of their dialogue by involving other concerned parties. This has been possible because the nation can adopt a flexible approach in such matters. On its part, the Hurriyat leadership has reasons to shun violence. There is hardly any of its members who has not paid a heavy price at the hands of those considered to be their friends. Who can forget Mirwaiz Moulvi Farooq and Abdul Ghani Lone, both of whom were gunned down on the same date (May 21) although in different years, for having championed the cause of peace in the region? It speaks of the courage and maturity of their talented sons that they have taken up the unfinished task of their charismatic fathers. It is evidence, on one hand, of the inherent resilience of the Kashmiri society. On the other hand, it simply confirms that, as an overall umbrella, the Indian ethos has the capacity to offer a respectable space for varied streams of thought; howsoever hostile they appear to be at one point of time. This wise approach has already brought the angry Bodos into the national mainstream in the North-East. If one takes a wider view, one would agree that there is something infectious about honourable intentions. If one is sincere, the other also tends to reply in the same vein, sooner or later. On such a strong foundation, the edifice of the Indian Republic is gradually taking a glorious shape. Of course, what has helped in this process is the country’s economic progress, particularly the information technology revolution that has left the world in awe. This is not at all to suggest that everything is just fine and we can rest on our laurels. A lot has more to be done on the home turf. We must rid the land of the evils of poverty and corruption, There should be no let-up in the efforts to raise the level of those below the poverty line. Let’s keep working in that direction even as we rejoice over enjoying the benefit of living in a country that is truly by the people, of the people and for the people. More often than not, ordinary citizens in rural and far-flung hilly areas in the State have a common grouse. They find that the government employees are missing as and when they need them. A doctor is absent from duty in case of a health problem. Teachers play truant as children sit in the open, unattended by anybody, during their school hours. It is a pathetic state of affairs. It is too well known that the employees invariably want to function at convenient places. As a result, the concerned political functionaries and senior officers have to contend with a lot of pressure in the matter of postings and transfers. While the government staff’s urge to work at comfortable locations, where they can have electricity and water as well access to their own close relatives, is understandable, in no way can it be defended. It is their prime responsibility to contribute to the welfare of the masses, particularly those living in inaccessible regions, which are many in the State. By the very nature of their job, they are honour bound to work for the betterment of the people. It is in this context that one has to view the State Government’s decision to empower sarpanchas and panchas to monitor the functioning and attendance of government employees in these areas. To put an end to mass-absenteeism, it has been decided that the employees would have to obtain a ‘certificate of attendance’ from sarpanchas and panchas of their areas to be entitled to draw their salaries. A large number of them are reported to have been found absent from their duties during the last two months. Besides, the teachers and the staff of the health department, the Anganwadi workers have been among the absentees. They have been either suspended or their salaries have been withheld. It may be a well-meaning measure to strengthen the Panchayati Raj institutions. It is doubtful, however, whether this in itself is enough. It might not have the desired effect. It exposes the junior employees to the multiplicity of higher authorities. As a consequence, those faithfully discharging their functions are likely to face unnecessary harassment. By no means, therefore, the Government’s latest move can be described as an ideal remedy. A better and more effective course would be to gear up the administration. It will only be fair to hold senior officers directly accountable in case indiscipline persists at the lower level. |
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