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When I was
a kid, I was often asked "What do you want to
become when you grow up?", and I used to say, "I
want to become the President of India!" Superman
was not known to me then. That was before I
joined a school. But, my ambition in life turned
out to be inversely proportional to my growth.
My father, like most of Bihari fathers, wanted
me to become an IAS officer. To his chagrin, I
neither had confidence nor interest to prepare
for Civil Services. I could never understand how
being a scholar in Chemistry or Geology or Pali
literature would make a good IAS/IPS officer. Of
course, the written exam is followed by
interview and a training on selection. But
anyway, that is not what I am here to discuss
now.
In schools, this topic used to be one of the
important questions for an essay- "If I were the
Chief Minister of Bihar!". And so, we used to be
well-prepared to fill the answer booklet out, if
our guessed topic featured in the examination
paper. I remember how we wrote at length about
our 'vision'. Thanks to my teachers who never
sent those answer sheets to the Chief Minister,
or he might have resigned from his post out of
embarrassment. In class VI, we were expected to
write at least two pages to get a decent 7 out
of 10. As we moved up the ladder, the expected
number of pages also came up with us.
For some pessimistic reasons, the teachers
called it an imaginary topic. And we were
supposed to write using our imagination. We
never did. We knew that they would never
understand the extent to which we could imagine,
or they should have kept 100 marks just for this
one. We always were realistic, like the author
who wrote the essay book. So, we wrote about law
and order, education, agriculture, employment,
communal harmony, good roads, electricity,
health, family planning and what not. Yes, then,
we did not talk of investment. That was
out-of-syllabus.
After the examination, we would come out of
school and brag, "I wrote 7 pages. I knew this
question is going to come. So, I revised it many
times last night." Then someone would take a
deep breath and say, "What if, umm.. say, I were
really the Chief Minister? Well, one thing I can
tell for sure, I would not be writing this paper
here!". And then so many wishes would follow the
thought that could bankrupt Santa Claus. From
riding a helicopter to staying in five star
hotels. Everything but law and order, education,
electricity and all. But then, this imagination
was worth 0 out of 10. And we knew that very
well.
Readers, this was just for fun. I know that we
all love our state and want to see it developed.
Some has this 'motherly' love which does not see
any fault in her 'raja beta', while some has the
'fatherly' love which is full of advices and
expectations. But, then all love and no
responsibility is no good parenting. I am sure
that those of us who had been advising the CM,
must be taking some actions on their part also.
Some are my 'bujurgs'. I respect their ideas. I
request them to forgive me, if I spoke more than
I should have.
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Comments: |
This
was really good from Kumod. I was
also wondering to see a lot of
suggestions to our new chief
minister from many writers. I really
appreciate Kumod to put this so
nicely. Once I had told to one of my
friend, with whom generally I use to
discuss Bihar, that there are lots
of planning commissioners are coming
up these days. I am sorry to all,
because I cannot put the thing as
nicely as Kumod.- Nawin, NJ, USA
- Jan. 18, 2006
Very well said, Kumod ji.
"Responsibility" is a term sorely
missing from many Indians lexicon -
a majority of them being our
so-called leaders. - Anil Kumar -
Jan. 18, 2006
If
I were the Chief Minister of Bihar
……..on a serious note
Most of the people in Bihar indulge
themselves for the sake of settling
down in their lives until the age of
60. In the process of settling down
majority remain always eager to
either pay lump sum or keep finding
someone to push a “pairvee” for
getting any kind of job including
constables, ASI or SI (law and
order), teachers and lecturers
(education), etc.. etc…. Trend is
still continued, and is not going to
change in coming years. In fact I
was one of the victims of 1996
lectureship selection in Bihar. One
of my friends who was also one of
the victims later became faculty at
IIT Delhi. I do not only blame Laloo
Pd Yadav for all ills, otherwise
entire Patna would not have been so
much “urbanized” without industries.
How can education system be fixed
where majority have crushed merit to
occupy a position for the sake of
settling down and are bound to
retire only after 2020.
How can law and order be improved
where majority have paid huge bribes
for the sake of just settling down
and now must be busy getting their
money back by any means. They are
also bound to retire by 2020.
Entire system needs renovation; THAT
is just impossible. If I were the
Chief Minister of Bihar, I would
have just ignored the old system
(e.g. Patna University), and would
have created a new system in all
fields, e.g. Building a new
university. - Sudhir Ranjan,
Taiwan -
Jan. 18, 2006
Kumod, I remember something very
different and funny which happened
with us in class VII or VI when I
was in Samastipur. One of our
History teachers who use to teach
history more like drama, while
explaining about the cause of 1857
Mutiny, explained "British treated
badly to Indian soldiers who worked
hard for British, sometime without
food. At time, these soldiers were
eating 'maand' (starch) while
leaving 'Bhaat' (rice) for their
British officers".
When question came in examination
"Explain why 1857 revolution
happened?", one student (actually
one of my good friends) wrote
"Because Indians were eating 'Maand'
and the British were eating 'Bhaat'".
- Kaushal Das -
Jan. 18, 2006
Once I heard a story that in China,
the government kills the people once
they cross 60 years old. It is just
a kid's imaginary story. There is no
truth in this story. Along that kind
of logic, I think we should get rid
of all the "career" politicians.
These supposed "public servants"
perpetuate the problems we face. I
am not just talking about Bihar.
They freely raise their salaries and
accept other compensation, while
their constituents can not put a
roof over their heads or food in
their bellies. Recently, I read in
the news that Rabri Devi and her
ministry owes millions of rupees to
Govt canteen, and refuses to move
out of 1 Anne Marg Bungalow, which
unless I am mistaken, is rightfully
the place of the elected Chief
Minister. This casts another shadow
over Bihar: former Chief Ministers
are allowed to be deadbeats and
squatters. - S. M. Khurshid Anwar,
New York, USA - Jan. 19, 2006 |
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