Being humble doesn’t cost anything

Dear Editor,
Being an officer in our society is seen as some kind of feat equivalent to being a king, especially the APCS cadre.
Not everyone, but some of them act as if the office they are serving belongs to their forefathers. The kind of arrogance and superficial attitude is actually very funny, foolish and childish.
For example, an elderly denizen goes to the ADC office for some paper renewal for the third time or so, and the officer, instead of working for what he gets paid, is busy chatting with others. The elderly person asks the officer: “Can you please at least sign the papers?” To which the officer replies, “If I don’t sign the papers, what will you do?”
Is that the kind of reply expected from a civil servant? That’s why the recruitment process of the UPSC is more genuine as they check the morality and the character of the candidates too.
Second example: In this case, the same elderly person goes to the circle office for renewal of some papers, and by mistake forgot to knock while entering the king’s durbar.
The king says, “Don’t you know you have to say, May I come in, sir?” and asks the elderly person to go out and come again in front of some audience. It would have been different if the officer was of the same age as the elderly person, but he was way younger.
Moral: Government service is to serve the public, not ridicule them for simple reasons. If you can’t help them, at least don’t insult them. Being humble doesn’t cost anything.
The incidences mentioned above discourage the public from trusting government employees.
I am a petty officer, and I see dozens of people of various ages in my office. I try helping them by any means possible. If I can’t, at least I offer them tea.
PS: It’s been a few years since the incident occured.
Sincerely,
Taba Boda,
Junior Engineer,
UD & Housing Dept,
Itanagar