All revolutions begin with someone setting a lone example of standing against injustice and all wrong doings.
There is a saying that “A reasonable man adapts to the ways of the world but an unreasonable man tries to adopt the world to his own way. Therefore, all the progress in the world depends upon the unreasonable man!” This saying aptly fits the recent episode involving a state officer, Mr. A.M. Lanker, the Chief Engineer, Public Health Engineering Department. Had he been a “reasonable” man in the present situation of stinking corruption, he would have meekly obeyed the Minister. However, he proved to be the revolutionary “Unreasonable” man. By submitting his resignation instead of meekly swallowing the insult he has shown the way to change our most corrupt system. There has been a feeling that most of the engineering departments are epitomes of corruption. This instance has shown that it may not be true in regard to everyone manning these departments. It may not be that all the officers in state administration are dishonest and corrupt. There are honest, hardworking and upright officers also. However, it is said that honesty flows like water from the top downwards. Honest people have no chance of survival when the top echelons of politics are corrupt surrounded by equally corrupt sycophant officers.
There is no chance of reforming such a dirty system. It is a historical fact that once in a while someone takes a lead to stand against wrong doing. It happens very rarely. However, if such an event occurs, that signals the beginning of a revolution. In the present circumstances, when a thoroughly corrupt system has been deliberately created to support a particular ideology against the basic aspirations of the people, it is extremely difficult to dislodge the dishonest and corrupt people. Like a sphinx they are made to rise again and again from their ashes. But nature has its own ways of setting things right. As happened in case of ancient Egypt, Moses was brought up in the house of Pharaoh and ultimately proved his nemesis! In the present case, Mr. A.M. Lanker got vindicated because people for a change decided to stand by him. This not only reportedly forced the Chief Minister to apologise to him but also gave a strong rebuff to all corrupt elements in the government. This step will not only embolden all other honest and upright officers in all departments but will also make the corrupt bosses think twice before giving them any affront.
An unfortunate and sad sidelight of the happening has been total silence from the leaders of the popular movement. They not only claim to stand for the basic rights and aspirations of the people but project themselves to be epitomes of honesty and uprightness. They always refuse to compromise with any wrong doing from any quarter. It would have given a tremendous moral boost to the honest and upright people if they too had appreciated the stand of this bold and upright officer. In fact, Kashmiris’ main grouse is the dishonesty of the people in authority in accepting the basic truth of the decades old political problem. It can only be corrected when we encourage people in all spheres of the society to stand up for truth and honesty. This instance may be a drop in the ocean but it is said that it is the drops which ultimately make an ocean!
There is no chance of reforming such a dirty system. It is a historical fact that once in a while someone takes a lead to stand against wrong doing. It happens very rarely. However, if such an event occurs, that signals the beginning of a revolution. In the present circumstances, when a thoroughly corrupt system has been deliberately created to support a particular ideology against the basic aspirations of the people, it is extremely difficult to dislodge the dishonest and corrupt people. Like a sphinx they are made to rise again and again from their ashes. But nature has its own ways of setting things right. As happened in case of ancient Egypt, Moses was brought up in the house of Pharaoh and ultimately proved his nemesis! In the present case, Mr. A.M. Lanker got vindicated because people for a change decided to stand by him. This not only reportedly forced the Chief Minister to apologise to him but also gave a strong rebuff to all corrupt elements in the government. This step will not only embolden all other honest and upright officers in all departments but will also make the corrupt bosses think twice before giving them any affront.
An unfortunate and sad sidelight of the happening has been total silence from the leaders of the popular movement. They not only claim to stand for the basic rights and aspirations of the people but project themselves to be epitomes of honesty and uprightness. They always refuse to compromise with any wrong doing from any quarter. It would have given a tremendous moral boost to the honest and upright people if they too had appreciated the stand of this bold and upright officer. In fact, Kashmiris’ main grouse is the dishonesty of the people in authority in accepting the basic truth of the decades old political problem. It can only be corrected when we encourage people in all spheres of the society to stand up for truth and honesty. This instance may be a drop in the ocean but it is said that it is the drops which ultimately make an ocean!
No comments:
Post a Comment