Employees doubling up as social media warriors
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: August 12, 2022 -

FROM trying to lessen impact of the fiercely provocative posts on the social media among the keyboard warriors on the general population to cautioning government employees not to abet restive situation, it seems that sustaining the relative calm experienced in the first five years would the toughest challenge for chief minister N Biren Singh in his second term.

Though the chief minister opted not to elaborate on for what reason he asked government employees to quit their job' if one intends to instigate agitation, it is obvious that terse remarks made during the distribution of national flags to government employees as a part of Har Ghar Tiranga campaign on Wednesday underscores utter frustration over instances of some among the salaried class propagating ethnic interests rather than contributing their mite towards promoting mutual respect and cordiality in this multi-ethnic state.

While it is known to all that many government employees lack integrity and commitment to invigorate the system of governance, their suspected involvement in abetting the situation whenever sensitive issues crop up merits prompt investigation and initiation of punitive actions to prevent recurrence of any unwanted incidents.

Contrary to N Biren's advice that those thriving on regular payment from taxes culled from the public should first think and work for the government, for the nation and for the people, it could be guaranteed that many from among the 80,000-plus government employees do not believe and contribute much towards the overall prosperity of the state and its people.

As such it is high time that the rogue government employees be identified to lessen headache of the government.

Possibility of insincere employees instigating civil societies to tarnish image of the government could be comprehended from ethnic-based organisations crying foul and holding grudges against the authorities whenever punitive actions are taken against the wrongdoers as per the departmental procedures.

There are also organisations which are hell-bent on bashing the government whenever employees do not report for duty at their designated place of posting while ignoring the need for creating a cordial environment for the newly posted employees to feel at home.

It also wouldn't be presumptuous to state that insistence by local organisations and village authorities for sharing the salary through the substitution practice is also one of the reasons for the employees to run around pillar and post for cancellation of posting order. Nevertheless, lack of accommodation facilities and transport bottlenecks, to name few grounds for reluctance to report at new place of posting in remote parts of state, cannot be the justification for the employees to neglect their duty towards the public.

For the government ensuring presence of its employees at their respective work places would be much of a problem as the issue at hand is how to rein in employees who are indulging in activities that could only compound problems for the establishment.

As such, having taken note of the fact that some employees are spewing venom through instigation of the civil societies or on the Social media platform, CM Biren will have to take up the cudgel to ensure that hard-earned semblance of order and social harmony continue to prevail by identifying those abetting socio-ethnic discord.