Race to the post of Chief Secy : Merit ? Seniority ? Or...
- Sangai Express Editorial :: April 20, 2013 -

Merit or seniority ? Or a combination of both, with more weightage on merit or seniority ?

Or is it a case of being in the good books of the powers that be, read political leaders ?

These questions gain credence in the face of the open letter written by the All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur to the Chief Minister urging him to follow conventions and appoint the senior most officer to the post of the Chief Secretary, when the incumbent retires in a few days from now.

The submission of the student body has brought to the fore, these significant questions, but which may be uncomfortable to many, for reasons that should be obvious to all.

Significant posers, indeed, but it is at the same time also a bit discomfiting to see ATSUM stressing on the world 'Tribal' and explicitly stating that in case the senior most IAS officer, who happens to be a tribal, is not appointed to the post of the Chief Secretary when the incumbent retires, it would contribute to the 'already existing social divide in the multi-ethnic, multi-cultural social fabric in Manipur.'

There are some important indicators in the observation of the student body.

One is that the State Government has not always strictly followed the laid down convention when it comes to promotion and posting and the second is the propensity to view everything, including promotion to key posts, along ethnic and community lines.

Either way it does not say anything good for the land and people as a whole.

The first point can be seen in the growing culture of officials, civil and the police, expected to serve the interest of the political netas rather than the Nation or the place and people and the second can be seen in the context of the growing propensity to look everything through the prism of community and ethnic affiliations.

This is about the post of the Chief Secretary, unarguably the highest civil post in the State Government and take this to a higher plane and one can see this in every sphere of life.

A little unfortunate that while ATSUM has raised a valid and significant point, it failed to shake itself free from this all pervading mindset.

Wonder if the student body would have written the open letter to the Chief Minister if the senior most IAS officer had been someone who is not a tribal.

However the importance of what ATSUM has had to say should not be lost for there have been instances when senior most officers, who all happened to be tribals, had been sidelined for the top job. Enough room to give rise to misgivings.

That a student body has felt it necessary to remind the Government or the Chief Minister to follow conventions when the next appointment to the post of the Chief Secretary is made is itself an indication of how the Government or the political masters have been playing the game of favourites.

Says a lot of how a culture or a trend has been nurtured and promoted, wherein officers are expected the serve the interest of the political masters, rather than dispensing with their duties diligently.

In a few months from now, the State Government will have to start looking for a new DGP too. In which way will the wind blow, is an interesting question.

It is also important to remember and take cognizance of the fact that the game of favouritism is not only played at the highest level of officialdom but also at the lower level where young officers have been at the receiving end or have been victimised just because they did not have the 'far sightedness' to play up to the officialdom and the political masters.

This is not how Government officials should be treated and certainly not the young ones, who have joined service with fire in their belly. Victimising such young officers is nothing short of telling them to fall in line and master the art of chamchagiri.

The biggest casualty is of course merit and the laid down conventions and when these are violated then the result is a place wallowing in the pitfall of mediocrity. Period.