Centre’s latest circular roping in senior bureaucrats billboarding, showcasing and celebrating the achievements and accomplishments of Modi government has hit a road block. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s letter to Election Commission has signaled out a clear message to ruling dispensation hell bent on stripping on the autonomy and sanctity of civil servants. A gross violation of Central Civil Services (Conduct) 1964 cut mentioning that no civil servant in his official capacity will carry out political activities for any party in lieu of maximizing benefits and gains for it. Does it augur well for a parliamentary democracy where there is a separation of power with checks and balances?
Government’s reluctance to come out of its co coon has aggravated and complicated the situation further with institutions made to pay the price seizing them of their agency and authority. Don’t we see how investigative apparatus and organs of state like ED and CBI are performing their task at the behest of a dispensation training it’s guns on its critics, adversaries and opponents daring to counter it’s legitimacy and hegemony. In the guise of a nationalism, welfarism and majoritarianism this regime has brought Indian democracy to a standstill. Civil servants can disseminate important information to common masses but by turning up as coteries of their political bosses and master their loyalty and obedience has been put to litmus test.
Crucial they survive the heat and bounce back for their self dignity and self respect speaking in one voice with many former and retired officers taking the plunge for putting an end to the ordeal by the centre which is grossly unjust and unqualified at the very first instance. Process to roll it back should begin as soon as possible rather than it getting caught and lost in translation