Real Administration

 

The Republic is essentially a Constitutional State.  While the Independence Day becomes an occasion to remember the great sacrifices our earlier generations had to undergo to get rid of the foreign yoke, the Republic Day is an occasion to remember the pangs of setting up the constitutional frame work which guarantees us protection, freedom and dignity in life.

On this occasion, we remember the great souls who created this frame work, even though it might be called as an evolution from the previous administrative set up, but by enshrining some sacred rights and mechanisms of checks and balances to ensure that these rights are allowed to be exercised.

This administrative set up is being run by highly qualified minds that are selected through various methods.  Some by election, some by examination, some by nominations, etc.  These highly evolved minds are that are responsible to ensure that the constitutional frame work is protected.

But, there were some greater minds that had refused to fall into the normal class of the administrators as of above, even though they were selected by highly competitive examinations.  Nethaji Subash Chandra Bose had thrown away his ICS.  Arabindo Gosh (later Sri Aurobindo) had evaded being selected by failing to appear for the horse riding test four times, even though he had come up with the 7^th rank in the written exams for the ICS.

And these two were among the most feared by the British Administration.

And their role in the freedom movement is history.

Had they chosen to remain ICS officers, the history of India would have been very different.  That is how some people by defying the high positions have made a difference to the lives of millions of people.

There are even today very many intellects which have risen past the narrow confines of the Administrative Services.  Not all are given their due regard.  Some of them are even seen as a threat to the society, just like the British saw Bose and Aurobindo as. 

Though young minds join the great services, with the objective of serving the nation (at least in the previous generations) with the passage of time they get used to the cozy life style these posts permit them and try to protect their perks, benefits and promotions.  In that effort, they get confined to taking care of the interests of their community alone.  These minds are thus wasted, in real terms.  They are only highly paid clerks, not able to rise above their narrow confines.

Very few among them realize that they are wrong.  But, yet due to peer pressure, keep quite and even if someone else among their class does injustice (which includes not doing justice) turn the other way.  The collective guilt nevertheless will affect them.

Law of the land or the Administrative machinery as such could be compared to a Dridharashtra.  It is blind.  It also has buried in its bosom some selfish interests and prejudices.  Those around this King who are essentially in control could prefer to be Bhishmas, Dronas, Krupas or Vidhuras.  Those who are executing the will of the throne could prefer to be Duryodanas, Dushasanas, Karnas or Vikarnas.  Though the nature of the throne remains the same, the Karma of the ones performing or executing the will of the throne will differ according to their own vasanas and hence they cannot escape the consequences of their actions.

This holds good for any administrative set-up or organizational set-up.

We salute those souls that dared to be different and made a difference.

R. Manimohan

26.01.2022