Editor,
Belittling government employees has become the latest fashion in this society.
They are often accused of being lazy, indolent, corrupt and ‘unaccountable’ to the public/work. Since bad apples exist in each and every sector of the society, careless employees indeed do exist in many offices. But what the critics cleverly consign to oblivion is the fact that there exist an infinite times greater number of employees who slog out in the offices day in and day out with utmost efficiency, honesty and sincerity. And can they name any particular profession or sector every affiliated member is a harbinger of honest work and accountability?
Had the individuals displaying such hatred towards government employees possessed even an iota of honesty and courage, they would have concentrated on the ills plaguing each and every sector of the country. Right from politics, medicine, engineering, bureaucracy, hospitality, judiciary, education and private sector and what not; all sectors pathetically lack minimum accountability. And the less said about the business and the industrial sector the better. Not only do they inflate the selling price of all goods and services, these unscrupulous people evade income tax, sales tax and property tax also in broad daylight. As if hoarding essential commodities are not enough so as to create an artificial crisis in the market, thereby increasing the price of the products and then selling it at a greater profit, this corrupt sector also raises the price of goods and services during festival periods (or during disasters like flood, pandemic, etc) so as to make a quick buck. Still the ‘enlightened’ individuals remain at the farthest distance from criticising these parasites and bloodsuckers of this society just because, unlike government employees, they hold considerable economic, political and muscular clout.
In contrast, government employee-bashing is not only an absolutely safe option, it is also the ‘in thing’ to be applauded by the lowest common denominator. What a shameless, disgusting, hypocrite, cowardly character-assassinating play to the gallery.
Lastly, the section of the population harbouring so much poison in their hearts reserved for the government sector should remember that, during natural disasters like floods (or earthquake, pandemic, etc) it is the government employees who remain at the forefront, providing relief day in and day out by risking their own lives in face of deluge disease or poisonous snakes.
Also, the whole foundation of Indian democracy is based on the unsung toil of hardworking government employees who not only prepare or correct voter list by visiting homes in every nook and corner of the society, but also conduct the great Indian poll by venturing to remotest of remote polling centres (on foot or by boats) and perform their almost two-day job often without minimum basic requirements of food, water, toilet, or electricity.
It is high time the society refrains from hanging government employees by giving them a very very bad name just for the carelessness of a few bad apples.
Kajal Chatterjee,
D-2/403 Peerless Nagar,
Kolkata