After the end of PDP-BJP alliance, Governor rule is in place. In a democracy, such administrative arrangements imposed frequently is never considered a welcome step. Yet, when politicians fail their people and the constituencies such arrangements become necessary. And in a state like Jammu and Kashmir where corruption has crept into every section and aspect of the society and politicians are blamed to be the most prominent patrons of corruption this type of administration apparently gives a sigh of relief to the common man. In only a few weeks of being in power, the Governor administration like its earlier stints has decided issues that were left lingering by the so-called popular governments for years together. However, the present spell of Governor’s rule has come under a very difficult situation both on political as well as the administrative front. Lot more needs to be monitored and evaluated and then people can decide whether they had some respite from corruption and nepotism or not.
Well, this was all about the fall of political government and arrival of Governor’s rule. However, for long, a debate has been going on within the saner sections of the society, particularly among a vivacious section of the state’s government servants about their own rights of freedom of expression as envisaged in the constitution. In the contemporary era of freedom, throughout the world, the concept of employment and bonds between employer and the employee has radically changed to the extent of absolute liberation, definitely with specific provisos. But in our part of the world, the outdated conduct rules don’t blend with modern trends and waves of empowerment and emancipation. Unfortunately, the whole subcontinent has not yet come out of the British Raj hangover even after seven decades of their departure. We hold close and dear those rules or their variants that were enacted by the British only to subjugate us more severely. We have to and must come out of those punitive provisions within the contract of employment that do not conform to the fundamentals of natural justice and more precisely the constitution. Regretfully, this prelude regarding rights of government servants became necessary because of a recent spate between a senior IAS officer and his employers (the State Government). This argument has snowballed into a huge controversy where the officer concerned is adamant on pleading change in outmoded conduct rules even at the cost of his ouster and the government is well within its rights under existing rules to put him on notice. Interestingly, some politicians who otherwise during their regime failed to soften these rules and many times were on the forefront to suffocate their employees using the same stick are backing the officer concerned.
The young, intelligent and energetic officer is right in saying “I am sharing this to underscore the need for a rule change for the changing times” while making the notice public on social media. Strengthening his aspiration of change in a shifting world he further says, “The Irony here is that service rules with a colonial spirit are invoked in a democratic India to stifle the freedom of conscience”. We all stand and as a conscious society should stand for such a position. We must make the authorities understand that in a well-blooming world we have to have a better stand on freedom of expression for all. The colonial concept of loyalty and integrity incorporated decades ago cannot serve the purpose of good administration and an absolute loyalty. Instead, we have to inculcate the sense of security and empowerment within the service class that will explore the loyalist in them.
Having said all this about freedom of expression, however, this advocacy does not hold true for those black sheep who use their service career as launching pad to promote their nefarious political life. Off late a trend has set in our state where government employees, especially senior officers and trade union leaders after their innings in the government join the political bandwagon. This menacing trend has made many employees overambitious with designs to grab power. So, empowerment and freedom of expression and change in obsolete rules are right but if people exploit the situation and resort to tantrums that are unbecoming of not only the government servant but anyone who works for a package then the meaning and movement of change get lost in machinations of deceit. And truly this holds right for all, Mr Shah Faisal included!