Narendra Kumar, IPS and what his sacrifice means for all of us

Narendra Kumar, IPS and what his sacrifice means for all of us!

The news of the killing of Narendra Kumar, IPS in Morena, Madhya Pradesh has shocked all of us. One cannot imagine that in the heart of India, criminals will have the audacity of running over a tractor over a senior police official. In such cases, one would normally assume that the driver of the tractor doing illegal mining, will run away and later the real benefactors will pursue with the police and administration to get the tractor released. The very act of this not happening and the brutal killing of the IPS officer points to a larger conspiracy. Mining has been a major area of corruption across the country. The stakes are high and we all know the powers that the illegal mining mafia wields in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh or Uttar Pradesh.

The reach and influence of the mafia can be gauged by just looking at the kind of people who are given the portfolio of mining across the States of the country. Normally, the most corrupt of the people, who are directly associated with the finances of the ruling party, handle this portfolio in the Council of Ministers. It is also common knowledge that even officials, both civil and police, lobby to get postings in districts rich in mining. In Uttar Pradesh, it was rumoured that postings in Sonbhadra district are actually auctioned. It points to a large scale nexus between politicians, bureaucrats and the mining mafia. This is an endemic problem and if it has to be resolved, it would require a firm resolve right from the top political leaders of a State. It is not up to a SDPO or a SDM to solve the problem. The issue at hand is no less than that of the liquor mafia or the coal mafia. We all know the influence exercised by liquor barons in Governments.

So what does this mean? Does it imply that field level officials can do nothing about such transgressions? What should a young SDM or SDPO do when faced with such challenges? We have been discussing this informally with colleagues in the IAS and I am thrilled at the resolve being shown by some of the younger officers. Infact, in the aftermath of the Morena incident, one suggestion came which called upon all field officers across the country to launch a concerted drive against all illegal mining, to seize vehicles and don’t release them for a long time. This would have a nationwide impact on the activities of the mafia and hurt them financially as the cost of hiring mining equipment is fairly high. There are colleagues who have pointed out High Court rulings which have upheld orders issued for penalizing Rs One Lakh per truck for illegal mining as also for penalties of Rs 48000 per truck for overloading. These orders were passed under Land Revenue Act and Section 133 CrPC.
Thus there seem to be sufficient legal legroom available to deal with such matters. We must use all legal avenues available to us to deal with this problem. Very often what bothers many of us is why political pressure is put to release vehicles that were seized for illegal mining or why there is a lot of interest of MLAs and Ministers in putting pressure on going easy on the mining mafia. The answers are simple. These guys are stakeholders – either direct or indirect. We must not forget that MLAs, MPs and Ministers are politicians and they are dependent on votes for their jobs. To win elections, they need a lot of people to work for them. After they win the elections, there is not much that they can do for their supporters. Even winning elections does not guarantee that his party will form the Government and even if the MLA is part of the ruling party, it is not guaranteed if he will get a ministerial berth. Even if he is lucky, it is not guaranteed that he will have a plum portfolio or a Secretary who will allow him to make money. Today, the investments required to contest elections is huge and given the low probability of recovering the investment it becomes a high stakes game for these guys. None of these guys are there for the love of the land – like Gandhi, Nehru or Bose in the pre 1947 era. Those freedom fighters quit lucrative professions for the risk of fight against the British. They had the lofty goal of Freedom to look up to. Today, I and You will not join politics nor will we let anyone close in our families to do so. Today only guys who have no other options left join politics. Or those leaders, popularly known as Youth Brigade or Baba Log, who are sons and daughters of politicians of yesterday who have a constituency to inherit.

With regard to ways to handle request of politicians, a senior politician in Uttar Pradesh told me an interesting story, a few years back. When I could not do some work for one of his supporters as the same was not possible as per rules, he told me that had the same been possible as per Rules, the person would not have gone to him. As per him, most of his supporters come to him for work that does not get done in the normal course of law and he cannot avoid making requests on behalf of his supporters. He felt it is upto officers to handle such matters. Infact in a way they do their job in following up on demands from their supporters. We must do our job in refusing to agree to requests or demands that are illegal. Unfortunately many of us agree to do things that are illegal as we want to please them in the desire of better career options or plum postings and at times for illegal considerations. No wonder, someone said some time back that when we are asked to bend, we crawl. That's where the problems start.

In order to how do we deal with such politicians, I would also recommend watching the Yes Minister Series again as it has some valuable lessons on how to deal with politicians! Also, one should know where to draw the line. We should never compromise on our principles. Normally the worst that would happen is a transfer! Incidents like the one in MP are sad and tragic. We have to be aware of the risks involved, be careful and keep our team and seniors informed when dealing with hard core criminals. Never try to take things individually. The might of the State must be used to deal with such elements. I can say that having dealt worse situations in Nagaland where even the armed forces also think before dealing directly with AK 47 wielding militants. Life is too big to sacrifice. You have lots to do. Ultimately, our jobs are important but not more than life and love of our near and dear ones. Use tact and law to deal with such situations. Bottom line is that don't ever think of doing something that can cost your life. It is not worth it. The Nation will forget you soon. How many of us remember Dr L V Reddy, IAS(85) who was killed as DC Kohima or Ved Prakash IPS (89) who was killed as SP Mokokchung or Dashrath IAS(94) who lost his life in Manipur or my batchmate and dear friend Ajay Singh who was killed as SP Lohardaga in Jharkhand. In almost all these cases, the guilty have neither been caught nor punished. The media and society will also forget you soon. Only people who grieve them every day and every year is their families. Moral of the Story - Please do take care in whatever you do.

Abhishek Singh
abhish18@hotmail.com

PS: Views expressed above are my personal.

Service Parody

May like to see the parody of Robert Frost's ‘Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening’. It is in HT in Khushwant Singh's column today and makes good reading.

Whose jobs are these, don't want to know
Paid heavily each month without fail though;
Boss hasn't time for looking here,
To see on the files the dust grow.
My ballpoint pen may think it queer,
To start without an envelope near;
Between the nods and a handshake
The file progresses in minutes mere.
Boss gives his head a vigorous shake
To ask if there is any mistake;
Some part of my earnings he does reap,
We all have and eat our cake.
The chair is cosy and files in heap
But I have a family to keep;
And hours to sleep before the nation's leap
And hours to sleep before the nation's leap.

(courtsey : Ashutosh Jindal)

Babu Bashing

Being part of the Government has its pluses and the minuses. Very often I wonder as why we in the Government are largely unable to meet the aspirations that people have from us. What I hate most about my profession is being referred to as Babus!! I remember how I used to revolt when my grandmother used to call me 'Babu' rather than my nickname 'Bobby' during my annual summer visits to my village in Azamgarh, UP. Today when the media refers to Government officers (IAS) as Babus, I feel miserable. Atleast grandma's Babu was with love and affection. Media and people by large call us Babus with contempt and ridicule. May be they are justified and rightly so. There are lots of expectations from us and do we actually do justice to what people expect or what is just and fair!!
Very often I feel, we dont and we are unable to. We do have our reasons for the same. Our favorite blame guy is who else, the politician. In 99% of the cases it is true that we do take irrational and illogical decisions on account of politicians. We do explain the wrongs to the politicians and in most cases we are over ruled. Why do the politicians over rule us. Privately most of them agree to our views but they have compulsions for what they do. What are these compulsions and why do they do all that they do.
One prime reason is money. Yes money. Unfortunately Democracy is a luxury and someone has to foot the bill for this luxury. Our democratic processes of elections are pretty expensive. It is common knowledge that anyone contesting Assembly or Parliament Elections has to spend a few crores to be anywhere near an outside chance to win elections. There might be a few exceptions but more than 95% of elections are won by people who spend crores. No one joins politics these days out of love for the nation or for a sense of service and dedication to the society. Those days ended with the end of the British rule when professionals like Gandhi, Nehru, Bose et al quit lucrative careers to join politics. Today people who dont get into Engineering, Medicine, Law, Civil Services, Teaching or any decent profession join politics. Having a criminal background can mean a fast track growth in this profession. Then they spend millions in contesting elections which are rather unpredictable. Huge investments can go awry. Even if one wins the election, one does not know if one will end up in the ruling party. Even if one is on the right side of the fence, not every one becomes a minister. If one becomes a minister, it is not sure if one will be able to get a portfolio that is regraded lucrative. Given the low probabilty of success in this field, those who get an opportunity want to make the most of it - recover their investments, make provisions for future elections and most of all find jobs or contracts for their thousand odd workers - who have families to feed and lives to live. In many ways they are forced to be corrupt and take illogical and irrational decisions. The bureacrats are supposed to check this. But for their own weaknesses and greed, they play along with the politicos and we get the government that we have. Corrupt and Non Performing!!
What then. Whats the solution. One can be State funding of elections and strict laws that check the criminal elements joining politics. This will create a situation when even professionals and well meaning people without money or muscle can think of joining the political profession. People do want clean men but we hardly give them a choice. Once such well meaning people join the Government, bureacrats will also fall in line as they will not have any excuses or alibis for their own acts of commission and omission.
We do need this. Lets think over and do this. It is definitely better than Babu Bashing!!!!

I & 3 letter words!!

I & 3 letter words

Somehow I have an infatuation with 3 letter words. Yes, 3 letter words, you read it right, especially those that begin with I. 20 years back, when I was in school, IIT was more than a dream, it was an obsession. It was like, its going to be IIT or nothing. Do or Die. I remember the Test Papers of Agarwal Classes and Brilliant Tutorials. The Irodovs, the Hallidays and the Morrison & Boyds. It was crazy. Finally one did get to the IIT. Kanpur was a cool 4 years of B Tech. Then in 92 one joined the Corporate world. Suddenly, I felt missing something in life. And one was back to IIT for M. Tech. With another dream. Another 3 letter word. Another I.

Somehow Kanpur and growing up in the cow belt made one feel that if any job in India is a dream job that is of the IAS. Yes, many friends and relatives and even the Interview Board for the IAS examination questioned me – how could you let the Nation’s investment into your training at IIT go waste. But then Dreams are Dreams. And was lucky enough to have survived in the madness of the IAS exam to get through. Since 95, have been living the dream. Through Good times and through pretty bad and desperate times. Have seen a lot – from the insurgents and the greenery of Nagaland to the dirty politics, riots and poverty of Uttar Pradesh. And yes, always thought how relevant IIT education was to Administration. The fundamental law of Governance in our country is the Law of Inertia – nothing moves till a force is applied!!!

After a dozen years of life in the IAS, one landed up in Hyderabad, by chance in 2006, to a beautiful lush green and serene campus called ISB for a 2 week course. One of the best places to train and relax. Felt instantly in love with the Institution. Interacted with the students, faculty and the dean to get to know more about the course and how to get in. Staying in the campus during April exposed me to the fun the guys were having. Suddenly one felt younger. And yes, I have been craving for getting back to school, one more time and to study Business Management. The desire came from within, to get to see the Private Sector, the Corporate world and how life is. Not to mention the big bucks salary announcements every year and the desire to earn money in life, which one is denied in the Government. And yes the clinching issue was the 3 letter word – ISB and the I!!!

So after 2 years of dithering, on a rainy day in August end, I was a bit low, and felt like chucking the IAS job, one went to mba.com and registered for GMAT. Last date for ISB was Sep 15 and was lucky to get a GMAT appointment on Sep 13. So 2 weeks of Princeton Review and Official Guide and scores of practice tests from torrent downloads and elsewhere, one managed a 710. ISB essays and application including recommendations was completed on Sep 14. And Bingo, made the deadline.

ISB was nice to have invited me for the Interview in Delhi on Oct 15. Was good friendly chit chat. And then the long wait on Nov 20. Pagal Guy thread was interesting and it felt great to get to know a diverse set of wannabes. Guys bustling with energy and confidence unlike the dull and weary company I have at work in Government. Felt younger. Was at times, feeling will ISB chuck me on account of me being too old!! But then the mail did come at 2033 hours on 20th Nov and yes I felt I am in the Class of 2010.

A lot has happened since then. Being part of the ISB yahoogroups makes one feel one knows a lot of future classmates. After the initial euphoria the process of getting to ISB begun. First deadline was Dec 5 and 2 lakhs deposit. Government is yet to approve my study leave. Was worried as to what if its not approved and I end up loosing my 2 lakhs deposit. Am yet to make up my mind as to if I can come back to Government after ISB or will I chart out a new career for myself in 2010. The Economic crisis is making things worse. Many friends and well wishers advise that its not wise to chuck a cushy, safe and secure job like the IAS in these times. I know these times will not last for ever. But for me if I have to be at ISB, it is now or never. Anyways, so made a special request to ISB for extending the 5 Dec deadline. And yes, they agreed. So the dilemma continues. And so does the journey.

Which 3 letter I word its going to be, ISB or IAS!!!!

Is it going to be ISB?

ISB or IAS

Last week I got an admit to ISB. This made me very happy. Infact thrilled. ISB as a school and campus has always attracted me. Its lush green ennvirons, state of the art classrooms, hi tech atrium and overall ambience made me wish to be a part of the school when I had gone there for a 2 week course in 2006. However I could not bring myselft to apply for the school.

Finally in 2008, when I was finding continuing to serve in Nagaland a not so bright proposition, I thought I will write GMAT and look for options for a MBA course.

I took GMAT with a just 12 day notice period and preparation time. Somehow managed to get a 710 (which friends told me was much below my potential). However it was something what I was targetting as I thought a 700 plus score is good enough. I wrote on September 13 just to be able to meet the ISB R1 deadline of Sep 15. I also had plans of applying for MBA to schools like Wharton and Harvard. But the falling rupee is making the prospects of a foreign MBA a little bit too expensive. Added to it is the economy in recession and I really dont know, 2 years from now, whether US economy will be any better. Over and above the one year course of ISB ending in March 2010 attracts me.

Finally on Nov 20, I got an admit. The overall excitement associated with the admission process of ISB has really thrilled me. The threads at Pagal Guy, the mails at yahoo groups and the overall diverse profile of ISB admits for 2010 makes me wish to be a part of it. Working in the Government for 13 years, one really feels the difference in attitude of people who you will study with in ISB and people you work with now. One suddenly starts feeling younger!!! It is an exciting and buzzing group of people who are oozing energy and hope. This is what makes me believe that if corporate India is going to get such human resources, the revival of the economy is not far!!!

Now why am I undecisive. A major reason was my desire to be back with my family. In July this year my wife and kids had shifted to Delhi for the sake of education of my daughter who is going to Sanskriti school. Now I too expect to get a posting in Delhi by end December. That too in a field I desire - IT and E Governance. At this stage, what should I do. Shall I leave my cushy IAS job and test the waters of a MBA from ISB and the exciting world of Corporate world. Does it make sense to leave the comfort of a secure - low paying IAS job and trade for an exciting - high paying Private Sector job. Specially in these recessive times. Thats the question that needs an answer.

Well, what do I actually want to do. I do want to go to ISB. What attracts me. The chance to learn something new. The opportunity to create a window of option at this stage in life. I have enjoyed my stint in IAS but do I not always crave for more. What I miss in IAS is the working style of the Private Sector and the money. But deep inside I do not want to quit the IAS. IAS has given me a lot. It is still regarded to be the most satisfying and reputed jobs in the country. The diverse job profile is unmatched. The IAS tags opens more doors than what even MasterCard does!!! It is a tough call!!!

The other option is to go to ISB and take the call then. But thats a bit expensive proposition. 20 lakhs for a decision. Way beyond. Over and above, I have to take the call in the next one week. By December 5, I have to accept the ISB offer. That means making a deposit of Rs 2 lakhs that is non refundable!!! Gosh!!! Real tuff call...

How I wish I have a dream which makes things clearer and helps me to decide!!!!!