When demonetisation drive has already triggered rampant round of discussions on corrupt officials, I would like to divert the attention towards the life of honest government officials. Their agonies are unending and there is no taker for their plight. They are silent witness to lot many corrupt practices and can give a helping hand to govt machinery for smooth functioning of a nation. Let’s refer to the plight of one government official working with an autonomous body of Ministry of HRD who is paying a daily cost of being honest to his duty by losing his health, wealth, character and most important- his mental peace!
This Mr Clean officer is continuously being harassed by his seniors and co-workers, who work hand-in-gloves, to accomplish their self-seeking vested interests.
His role keeps on changing every month without giving any specifications/ reasons. His work station too keeps changing in short tenures as he disallows his employees to earn through wrong channels.
Eventually, over a period of time, he starts living on the mercy of his officials with his job description changing every month.
He often plays the role of whistleblower when he gets to know about rampant irregularities in his office, only to get penalised in his endeavour to keep his office working clean. He continues informing his authorities, senior authorities, member secretary and chairperson about such malpractices along with suitable proofs, but all in vain.
All through this process, his trust on Satyamev Jayate doesn’t get shaken and he continues his fight. His co-workers lure him to join their endeavour but he maintains a distance from them. This is because his values never allow him to compromise.
In return, he gets transferred from one location to other frequently, from south to west, from north to east and what not. The cost of his honesty is being paid by his family who feels tormented with such penalties. He gets trapped in concocted plans of his co-workers. Still he doesn’t lose hope and continues fighting. His seniors keep tormenting him after issuing memorandum after memorandum. And he keeps replying to them without breaking the chain. His corrupt colleagues get frequent promotions and this poor fellow is asked to make endless waits for the same.
The corrupt senior authorities take the mileage of absence of transfer policy in his office and keep scaring this poor man of the same.
His other co-workers keep luring him to earn money via illegal means to safeguard his future. But, he being strong on his principles, refuses to compromise at any cost!
With his limited saving, he takes court’s shelter too. But the power and money-hungry officials here too use their power and govt money to emerge out as winners of the game. They bring entire corrupt machinery together. They hire the best of the advocates to prove this innocent man guilty through hook or crook.
They initiate unwanted inquiries, ask their co-officials to travel from one headquarter to another to chalk out right strategy, pay hefty fee to advocates while wasting lakhs of government money.
And this common man, amid all ‘rich and royal’ officials, start dying a slow death. His blood pressure keeps fluctuating. His visits to doctor keep increasing, his medical bills continue to rise and his family’s sufferings refuse to end.
Now, Mr PM, can you please answer the following questions, as they could end the plight of such honest government officials?
What should an employee do if the entire staff is indulged in corruption?
What should he do if the senior authorities do not lend their ear to his grievances?
What should he do if all corrupt officials join hands against him?
What should he do if despite having all proofs, he still gets transferred quite frequently for one or the other reason?
What should he do if he feels demotivated and gets suicidal because there is no senior authority who takes a positive stand after listening to his grudges?
Looking forward for a reasonable solution from a man who has made a mark on global world with his prudent moves and who is looking forward to a clean India!