The recent and ongoing debates over the suspension of IAS Durga Shakti Nagpal show the vulnerability of bureaucrats in this country. Who is to be blamed? Is it the mining ‘Mafia’, UP Govt., Durga or the common man? Is Durga victim or perpetrator? I think everybody knows the answer. On 23rd of july the times of India gave Durga the then SDM Sadar, Gautam Budh Nagar first page space about how efficiently she was carrying out her right full duty coming heavily on sand mining Mafia in her jurisdical area. Just in a few days she had to pay the price of honesty. Her suspension has been justified by all the ranks in the UP ruling political group. The allegation against durga is that she demolished the wall of a mosque in the holy month of ‘Ramzan’ which is an offence of breach of peaceful harmony of the society and would have led to communal violence. This case has been taken up by the media seriously which may even lead to a political turmoil. It’s not that only the SP govt. is to be blamed for treating a young woman IAS officer so brazenly. But every govt. has done it. The nation still remembers the Ashok khemka case where he was transferred for taking on the land mafias and on son-in-law of most powerful political person and the DLF group. There have been thousands of incidents when if bureaucrats do something which is unpleasant to their political bosses they are either transferred or suspended. The Durga fiasco reminds me of same incidence in Bihar’s one of the Mithilanchal district’s where one of my friend’s father and also my father’s batch mate had been shunted by the govt. in the early 2000’s on the ground that his act of rashness would have lead to communal violence between two sects. He was an honest and an upright officer who is retired now. But his case was unheard as media was not much interested for the cause of bureaucrats those days. Coming back to Durga fiasco, just when SP govt. was justifying the suspension of Durga and rantings made by other leaders, the local intelligence report stated that there was no communal tension due to the demolition of the wall of the mosque which was under construction at the Kadalpur village. The report by DM Noida also stated that Durga was carrying out her rightful duty. Durga was protecting the land of govt. and wakf board from the mafias and was following the decision of the Supreme Court and Allahabad High Court that no illegal construction is permissible and should be demolished by the collectors or magistrates. The Supreme Court Order in 2009 said: As an interim measure, we direct that henceforth no unauthorized construction shall be carried out or permitted in the name of Temple, Church, mosque or Gurudwara etc. on public parks or other places, etc… In order to ensure compliance of our directions, we direct all District Collectors and Magistrates/Deputy Commissioners in charge of the districts to ensure that there is complete compliance of thje order passed by us. They are directed to submit a report within four weeks to the concerned Chief Secretaries or the Administrators of the Union Territories within eight weeks from today. If she would not get it demolished as alleged she would be in a serious contempt of The Supreme Court order. The political leaders who have alleged Durga for breach of peaceful harmony, should not they be booked for provoking people for instigating communal tension in the society. As Mr. Narendra Bhatti who is alleged to be supporting the Sand mafia for vested interest and also a candidate of SP for 2014 LS elections captured on camera bragging about how he got Durga suspended within 41 minutes. Why isn’t he booked for outraging the modesty of woman in public by calling her “aurat”, “Behudgi” and most derogatory term saying “40 minute danda jhel nahi payi”. In a country where people have to move from one desk to another in a govt, office for a petty govt. documentation and takes so much of time to be done, the suspension of an IAS happens in 41 minutes at midnight when even the CM who is also minister of DoPT is not in the state, sanctions the suspension over a phone call. When Mafias and netas want something of their interest to be done is done in snap of a fingers. But if a common man goes to these politicians for some genuine work or help or social development issues, they would always come up with the excuse of procedural consumption of time for the delays. Members of the UP Central Wakf Board are protesting against the suspension of Durga as she was protecting the wakf land from encroachment by the land mafias and they have given a memorandum in support of young IAS officer. They support Durga as they say that she initiated process to reclaim the Wakf Board land and a graveyard that had been encroached upon. Kader khan jayswal is the member of Sunni Central Wakf Board strongly supports and praises the action of Durga against the land mafia. There are hundreds of officers who have been targeted physically and mentally by the mafias having patronage of political leaders across India for doing their rightful duty. Sometimes they have even had to pay up the price by their lives like Satyendra Dubey, I.P.S. Narendra Kumar and ADM Yashwant Sonawane sacrificed their lives fighting the Mafias are few examples. The nexus and lobby of corrupt netas, bureaucrats, and mafia is so strong that officers who want to work honestly are unable to discharge their duties with utmost honesty and righteousness. The reason is that they have a family to look after and protect them. This is possibly the first instance where IAS Officers have unified in support of Durga. When the IAS Association is backing the junior IAS, the politicians say that Bureaucrats must not politicise the matter. The mining officer who was carrying out the drive against the sand mining mafias with Durga received transfer order two days before her suspension raises the question over Durga’s suspension order. Moreover reports say that Durga did not demolished the illegally constructed wall which was in progress but spoke to the villagers and told them the illegality of the construction of wall on govt. land which was later removed by villagers themselves as stated by the members of Wakf board. Suspension or transfers are mostly the punishment given by the govt. for doing rightful duty or not complying with the orders of politicians. How many officers were suspended in a recent communal violence in Lucknow and in Merut where few people have died as well? So the question is when local intelligence and administrative enquiry have ruled out that there was any communal tension in the region then why is UP govt. so stubbornly justifying her suspension? The shots are being called by the mafia on cost of governance and law & order. For better governance it is necessary to understand that Public Servants are not the private servants of politicians. Officers need to say no to an order by politician when not in good faith of democratic system and do not require to always say yes to them. The IAS is the steel pillar of the democracy and it cannot be and should not be ridiculed and humiliated. They must make the politicians understand the reason for saying no when required. Bureaucrats are people trained in carrying out the smooth functioning of the society and politicians need to respect that. A politician might have limited time to play the role in the society but officers are permanent and they are well aware of their duties and rights of their duties. The lobbies of corrupt officers must be taken care efficiently as they work for personal gains and do not let the honest officers function their duties diligently. We need an immediate political end electoral reform system. Justice Verma Committee had made some important recommendations in this regard which has not been taken seriously by the parliamentarians. How many more officers would be punished and made vulnerable in this system for honesty, when would it stop? We don’t need corrupt politicians but Politician leaders who can make their own and righteous decision and do not compromise or get undue influence. Public servants are to serve the public and not politicians. People of India have to do some self introspection and choose their representatives wisely and not on the basis of caste and religion. There is fear of life among the honest officers and they need to be given adequate protection especially when they carry out such drives against the Mafias, Criminals and Goons. If the officer’s don’t feel protected against the mafias and instead mafia is given protection by the govt. how can common man feel secure and safe from these goons. Instead of applauding the good work govt. suspends the honest officers what message is it trying to deliver to the common man and then these criminals boasting in public how they get their jobs done in no time and teaching the protectors lesson for honesty. People can’t even think of daring to go against these criminals when govt is promoting them by suspending an honest officer and making the illegal business of mining flourish in the country. I have the sentiments and heart out for Durga Shakti Nagpal as the way she has been victimized, my father too is paying the price of honesty for a long time. Honest officers are and will remain victims of the political conspiracy. Red tapism , nepotism is running and ruining the country. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Young generation needs politicians of integrity and dignity from grassroot level and not people who are not from the masse having no experience of woes of the society. We need to support the educated and competitive people who work so hard to make the society a better and safe place where ‘mind is without fear.’
Posted on: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 14:56:27 +0000
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