Yes Minister! Yes Prime Minister!

If you happened to view the above two BBC TV serials, I am sure most of you would remember these rib-tickling serials of yore. The mention of these serials is necessitated by the fact that these were a commentary on the British bureaucracy whose Westminster model we inherited. The bureaucrats used to confuse the ministers with their bureaucratese to perpetuate their perks and control over Government, with the assumption that it is not politicians who run Government but the bureaucrats. In a large part it is true, as the bureaucrats form the crucial backbone of the Government to ensure the policies and program of the Government of the day are executed in a silent and efficient manner. In theory this is all fine – but with reference to India – what does happen in reality? In view of the various scandals which have seen the light of day recently from the CWG scams, Adarsh Housing scandal, Karnataka land scams, Maharashtra mining scandals, and the list could prove endless – someone needs to examine the role of the bureaucrats!

I have written often in the past on the unholy nexus between politician, bureaucrat, builder and underworld nexus. In most cases it is the politician (mostly with a criminal background – just check the profile of our state and central parliamentarians) who provides the protection and encouragement to abuse power for personal gain. When the scandals come out in the open, the politicians’ heads roll due to real-politik – but what happens to the bureaucrat? For a politician - losing power is as good a slap as any – he may not be punished in the real sense, no prosecution and no jail; unlike the common citizen who is made to pay for minor crimes where the cost of prosecution is more than the cost of the crime itself!

Have you ever heard of a bureaucrat coming in the line of fire – he does in very rare cases – but that may just result in a denial of promotion or a transfer with all perks in place. The punishment for those in power and in the control of power should be exemplary as their responsibility is more than that of others. Unfortunately the same power is abused to get away in the loot of the nation for personal gains. The poor do not benefit from various schemes as most of the money gets drained by the time it reaches the ultimate “beneficiary”.

Unless we take advantage of the current situation to put in place checks and balances to prevent the rot from deepening further we will see an economically rising India (in spite of corruption) with a rising rank in the global corruption index. We need to have people with proven integrity to be in charge of a new investigation and prosecution agency just for bringing speedy and exemplary justice for those abusing power for personal gain. This could check the economic drain as well as reduce over a period of time the need for black money – thus cleansing up our politics which really is what feeds of this black money!

Well let us find the strength to whip lash our current lot of bureaucrats and politicians into doing their jobs honestly so that we could have a bright future for those who are being born and are yet to be born. The cleansing has to start NOW!