WHERE WE WENT WRONG - I

 

Last week in a retirement party, one of our former Association Office Bearers, Com. N.S. Rajagopal had openly expressed his frustration over the stagnation, as the reason for his opting for VRS, two years before he was due to retire.  His speech went viral.  It is reproduced for the benefit of those who have not yet come across the same.

 VRS Speech by Com. N.S. Rajagopal

What of course he did not say was that, while he joined the department with great hopes, he had already learnt COBOL language and was working as a Computer Programmer for two years at Bangalore.  That was in 1988.  One could very well imagine to what heights he could have gone, if he had continued in the same field – because in 1988 a Computer programmer with Cobalt knowledge would not have been just another person.

 

I know him personally.  In respect of religious belief or concept of God, he is a non-believer.  Yet, in the course of his speech, he said that the only ‘sin’ he committed was to tick the fourth option.

 

One senior IRS (DR) asked, what is the point in saying this at the local levels?

 

The answer is that we have been time and again bringing this to the notice of the Board.  They conveniently say that the mistakes are ‘historic’.  In other words, ‘fate’. That is the only reason that they can say, to wash off their hands, for the despicable condition of the cadre, retiring with merely a single promotion in the entire career spanning almost 4 decades.

 

Fate of course is a double edged sword.  If it could justify the present condition on some past event, it could trigger a future condition also based on whether the ‘competent authority’ acts or not, and if it acts, whether it is in the right manner or in the wrong manner.  That part of the play of fate, is conveniently forgotten by those who are in charge today.

 

Then for the IRS officers at the local levels also, it is not that they are bereft of any role in this sordid affair, other than their ‘collective guilt’. 

 

Even if the CBIC could be compared to a Dhridharashtra – with all the failings of a person who cannot see the plight of people, who is having a gnawing hunger to concentrate power and allow the fangs to engage in its pursuit , those who are under the umbrella of that administration have a choice – whether to be a Bhishma, just protecting the fort of power ignoring the injustice perpetuated, Drona to be of service to the power centre alone, enabling the victory of injustice, Duryodana, to be the chief executor of all the unjust desires in the bosom of the boss, Dushasana, who will exceed in the execution, by adding his animal instincts also to the act OR be a Vidhura or Vikarna, who will have nothing to do with the mischief.  Those who say that they do not have any role to play in this, should atleast be aware of how they are contributing to this. 

 

There are officers in the field level, paying lip service to this despicable condition of the cadre, at the same time whipping it black and blue, in the name of ‘extracting work’.  These great officials ignore the fact that this cadre performs, irrespective of the nature of the boss.  They have been doing so.  In fact, all the achievements of the department are based only on the services of these cadres. There is simply no point in sitting over a steam engine and behaving like the driver of a bullock cart. 

 

It is at this point that each one of these persons could make a difference.  Not simply saying that at local levels, we do not have any role to play in HR issues of a cadre, but will have the luxury alone to pile up more misery on them.

 

‘Yet’, asked another retiring officer,’ where did we as a cadre or association, go wrong in allowing this depravity to continue for decades’.

 

That is a question which each one of us has to ask ourselves.  I will come up with my theories, later, in the next article.

 

-R. Manimohan