Posted by Admin on 11:37 AM
Why VIPs must join the queue
The other day,
the front pages of all newspapers,
had the same bit of news regarding
Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh.
His driving licence
(and that of his wife)
had to be renewed.
And
turning down the transport authority's readiness
to have the documents delivered at their residence,
the PM chose to be driven down to the office
in question to get the formalities done.
The tenor of all the reports was similar,
about how the PM gave up a VIP's privilege to do
what the ordinary citizen has to.
And
how this was a lesson for other dignitaries.
We agree that there is,
indeed,
a lesson or two in this episode,
but
we begin with querying the extent
of the rule enforcement.
The office was opened
on a Sunday for the VVIP citizen,
the secretary in charge of the department
was present to ensure all went smoothly
and the PM was not subject to any waiting
or
to any of the driving
or
traffic code tests
that the law says
are mandatory
for all applicants
before such a renewal.
For that matter,
the procedure of having such documents
delivered at home for VIPs
� something illegal �
remains firmly in place.
The PM gave no order to stop such a practice.
All this is not to take away
the value of his gesture or intention;
we commend his clear desire
to follow the rule instead of being above it.
But
these extra facts are needed
to remind us of our rather low standards in such matters.
The real test of such enforcement of the law comes
when dignitaries like the PM
or
a state CM
have to take their place in the queue
like any of us and be subject to the same
gruelling,
including being rejected.
And
when this sort of thing does not make news,
let alone front-page stuff.
Yet,
our very bones shrivel at such an idea.
Put yourself in the shoes of an RTO officer
who is supposed to subject the likes of
Karunanidhi or Deve Gowda
or
even earthy Achuthanandan to such treatment.
This may seem like much ado about nothing,
but
this culture is at the root of much of our
misgovernance.
For,
we have one system for the mighty
and the connected and other,
decidedly inferior ones, for those who aren't.
Can we apply minds
to merging these systems,
not just on paper as it exists now,
but
in practice?
Hinduism is more a way of life than a method of worship.
Dharmo Rakshati Rakshithaha
If you protect Dharma, Dharma will in turn protect you.
Hindus, If people slap you once, slap them twice!
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