Reclaiming the reins
- Imphal Times Editorial :: August 03 2016 -

The growing spurt in activities of the people’s representatives with an apparent objective of preparing the groundwork for the upcoming general election and their increasingly accommodating demeanor brings to mind the statement by MP Dr. T Meina a couple of years back asking the bureaucrats in the state to not be intimidated by politicians which rings a loud bell, not so much for the undeniable truth the simple statement carries, but for the evident lack of initiative and tenacity that has come to identify the present day bureaucrats and their passive role in the administration and implementation of laws and other developmental activities.

For as far as one would care to remember, the public has been under the impression that the development works and schemes are being handled and administered by the representatives of the people, and that their say is final.

This perception is indeed unfortunate, yet totally understandable, however antagonistic one might feel towards the whole set-up, given the opportunistic politicians hogging the limelight without a pause, always on the hunt for ways to further their political mileage.

But the most unfortunate of all is the apparent subjugation of the bureaucratic class to the whims and coercions of the politicians who, without the requisite knowledge or experience, holds sway over their functioning and even dictates their course of action.

This is a serious malady that has eaten into the system and will need much more than mere willpower and executive decisions to remedy it.

Bureaucrats are supposed to be the agents of change in a democratic set up, a form of check against the ruling government from serving their own narrow interests and to oversee and implement various developmental works of public importance into fruitful completion given the unstable and volatile political unpredictability that has been the hallmark of the political system of our country.

And while every once in a while we come across instances where a righteous and uncompromising bureaucrat stands up to defend his or her decisions and convictions on the face of overwhelming political pressures, more often than not, we are witnessing a feeble attempt, if one can term it such, by the bureaucrats to present a semblance of activity while in truth they are just falling in line to the diktats of their political masters without ever having the courage to muster up any sort of objection.

For a nation to develop and to progress, this very system needs to be done away with.

The efforts by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to decentralize authority and equip the bureaucrats with more freedom and responsibility should bring a positive impact on workings and efficiency of the much maligned and often misunderstood individuals, and more importantly on the pace of development of the society.

It is time to stand up to assert their role and demand their place in the system which has so far treated them as the whipping boys of the government.

The society needs their expertise, knowledge and wisdom more than they themselves would care to believe.

For all their efforts and dedications in trying to be where they are now, they need to be more vocal and defiant of any irrational objections or impediments to their work.

They should understand that the game had changed, that the real power is once again slowly being forced to be transferred to the people, and are much more vigilant, aware and assertive than ever before.

Their good deeds and efforts will not go in vain anymore, nor will any underhand dealings, for that matter.