| CUT SIZE THE BUREAUCRACY - NOT NUMBER | | | | of Indian democracy today is its dependence on |
| BUT THE POWER | | | | former bureaucrats for every thing. Except Lalu |
| "If you are going to stop the functioning of all | | | | Prasad Yadav, Sharad Pawar, Arjun Singh, |
| corrupt offices here, then you will have to first | | | | Vayalar Ravi or new minster Mr. Antony and few |
| stop the government offices from functioning | | | | other leaders from UPA partners, how many of |
| because most corruption takes place no where | | | | its ministers can win a Lok Sabha election or any |
| else but within the government..." -Bishop Mar | | | | other democratic election? Very few Congress |
| Powathil. | | | | ministers can win an election or have the history |
| What has failed? Is it the state, the market or | | | | of a public life. This is a very dangerous trend. |
| the people surrounded by it? Why do most | | | | India won freedom in 1947. Today in 2006 are |
| people support privatisation and sometimes even | | | | we better off or worse off with the freedom we |
| nationalisation? Because the bureaucracy often | | | | won from the British? Have we won any |
| fails to deliver what is expected of it. | | | | freedom? Seriously if we think we never won |
| Bureaucracy, wherever it is unchecked or | | | | any freedom or independence. |
| unmonitored, without any accountability, leads to | | | | The trend of depending on bureaucratic solution is |
| corruption at all levels. | | | | detrimental to Indian democracy. The unilateral |
| India's most corrupt organisation is its | | | | decision of the Prime minister to back a UN |
| Government. At the top level, it is the central | | | | bureaucrat for the post UN secretary general |
| government that is the most corrupt, followed by | | | | itself shows the prevalence of the tendency to |
| the central government departments and then | | | | undermine democratic process. Dr. Singh took the |
| the state governments. | | | | decision of fielding Sashi Taroor or the support to |
| It is well known how civil service question papers | | | | him was announced with out sufficient discussions |
| are leaked and the examination papers of the | | | | and any consensus. It is also surprising that a |
| University Grants Commission, the UGC/NET, and | | | | bureaucrat has been supported for the post from |
| the National Eligibility Test for college lectureship | | | | the largest democracy. |
| are available in advance on payment. | | | | The most coveted position that a young person |
| The business ethics of the Indian bureaucracy | | | | aspires in India is becoming an IAS officer or |
| generally functions on the basis of black money | | | | clearing the civil service examinations of the similar |
| and bribe. Bribe, black money, corruption are all | | | | grade. It is very surprising from the world's |
| accepted norms of government official practices | | | | largest democracy. We are not yet a democracy. |
| in India. When the Prime Minister openly admits | | | | We need to grow as a democracy. Conducting |
| that you can't do without middlemen in the | | | | elections every five years and having a parliament |
| defence deal, it is an open admission of defeat. | | | | and state assemblies and periodical elections will |
| Does this mean that he is also part of the chain? | | | | not make us a democracy. There is no |
| There is no doubt in anyone's mind in India that | | | | participation of people in our democracy. It is |
| the Indian Bureaucratic system is corrupt. | | | | bureaucracy that runs the show. It is surprising |
| Recently Bishop Mar Pawathil of the Catholic | | | | that, district collector and ministry secretary has |
| Church made an interesting comment. He was in | | | | more power than the democratically elected |
| the forefront of a campaign against excess state | | | | representatives and much more dangerous is the |
| intervention in higher education, and reacted to a | | | | discretionary powers bestowed upon them and |
| Left student Union threat of not permitting | | | | unnoticed by the political and democratic class. |
| corruption and closing down corrupt offices. Left | | | | The discretionary powers that they enjoy are |
| Student activists from Student Federation of India | | | | very dangerous in the context of India's pluralism. |
| (SFI) were opposing donation and capitation fee | | | | We must remove these powers and let the local |
| and higher fees charged by self financed colleges | | | | bodies and elected representatives take over and |
| in Kerala. Bishop Powathil told the agitating student | | | | let them decide and administer. Cut the |
| activists that "if you are going to stop the | | | | bureaucracy in to size not their number/s but the |
| functioning of all corrupt offices here, then you will | | | | power and discretions so that democracy won't |
| have to first stop the government offices from | | | | perish in India. It should never be an attractive job |
| functioning, because most corruption takes place | | | | option in a democracy. Increase the working |
| no where else but in the government." | | | | hours and punishments. We will have to |
| The most corrupt national bureaucracy is the | | | | strengthen the democratic process. We need |
| Indian Bureaucracy. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan | | | | institutions to train people as leaders and in |
| Singh is not a mass leader. He worked as RBI | | | | democracy and not the mass scale conducting of |
| governor and primarily a bureaucrat. It is not | | | | civil service exams. The kind of attention that it |
| surprising that his ministry has very few people | | | | attracts today has to go away. Let more people |
| who commands mass support or even people | | | | get attracted to careers and jobs outside the |
| who can win an election if the party that it | | | | government. |
| supports them if withdraws. The biggest tragedy | | | | |