|
Last
Monday, NDTV, India kept on showing ministers
sleeping in the Junta Durbar of Bihar’s Chief
Minister. Even with camera zooming again and
again on them, the ministers could hardly get
disturbed out of their sweet dreams. The
ministers were sleeping on duty when their CM
was attending to the public grievances, and they
were to listen and reply to the grievances of
the people connected to their ministries.
As usual, Dua in his Khabardar got a material
good enough to prove his point to make the
minister ‘kabardar’ and kept on talking. When
the reporters questioned CM about it, he could
only laugh it off. But can the CM take the
ministers to task for a misdemeanor for which we
used to fire the workmen while working in
industry? Nitish is now nearing two years in
office. He has not come out with any reshuffling
based on needs. Neither has he done any
restructuring of the cabinet for improving
performance. Junta Durbar can be a good way of
coming nearer to the ‘aam aadami’, if the
grievances are effectively monitored and sorted
out. But it can also remain as gimmickry with no
benefits to the people whom it aims to serve.
Perhaps the sleeping ministers don’t believe in
the affectivity of the junta durbar or perhaps
they consider it something initiated by the CM
to build up his own image, and they are not part
of the collective responsibility.
It is unfortunate. Ministers are the modern
kings or CEOs today. How can they sleep in
presence of the people whom they are to serve
and to whom they are answerable? Are they not
bothered about their image through all those who
are present and watching them sleeping or are
they immune to all these? Why should the master
or king bother about the servants/ subjects?
Frankly, I don’t know any of the ministers that
came on camera. Unfortunately, I tend to hate
the attire and fashion trends of the politicians
that they put on in public functions. I kept on
thinking. How can Bihar develop if their
ministers keep on sleeping?
And sleeping they are. Every day I visit the
official website of Bihar government.
http://gov.bih.nic.in/Documents/SIPB-Proposal-Status.pdf
I go into the pages of projects that have been
approved. I see the list growing in number. But
even after many reminders, the person in charge
of updating the data does not provide the
progress status. I am sure the people of Bihar
would have been happy to know if work on some
sugar mills or medical colleges and hospitals,
that are in majority in the list, would have
started. I still doubt if the list has many
serious investors. Why can’t a ministry just
follow the implementation of these projects? Can
my readers suggest if I must visit one day this
durbar to find out the answer to my question?
I have started wondering if I should stop
reading news and report about Bihar, as it might
otherwise affect my health badly at this age.
But how can I escape some news such as ‘did
Union Minister Plot Murder?’ in a national daily
that says Fatmi accused of conspiracy to bump
off Darbhanga Deputy Mayor. Unfortunately,
Manmohan and more so Laluji couldn’t find a
better Human Resource Minister for India than
Fatmi to whom all the top intelligentsia
including directors of IITs and IIMs as well as
Vice chancellors are to report on some or other
occasion. At least I don’t expect a plotter of
murder to hold that position.
I shall again request Nitish Kumar to be
shrewdly ruthless and smart to handle the unique
situation of a great state. This is perhaps one
of the last opportunities for the state and more
so for Nitish Kumar. Can Nitish take the
bureaucrats in total confidence for improving
the implementation of development works? Will
the bureaucrats of Bihar dedicate themselves to
take Bihar out of the misery, as we can’t expect
much initiative from their ministers? Most of
them are just not capable enough.
|
Comments: |
Mr.
Indra, here are my answers;
1. Can the CM take the ministers to
task for a misdemeanor for which we
used to fire the workmen while
working in industry?
Departure of Lalu Pd Yadav's family
from Bihar's Secretariat enthuse
many young officers, and they got
engaged placing the house in order.
Within 48 hours one of the officers
received good slap from one of the
powerful ministers of arriving
family. Case considered dead with
fan-fare and frustration in 72
hours.
In this case, First we need to know
the caste of the sleeping Ministers,
who are definitely frustrated with
working style of Nitish Kumar. As
per your writings, CM just “laughed
off”. This shows that minister
belongs to strong community; and I
think no action will be taken.
2. Junta Durbar can be a good way of
coming nearer to the ‘aam aadami’,
if the grievances are effectively
monitored and sorted out
Junta Darbar is completely a bogus
phenomenon. Present CM belongs to
the family of “aam aadami”. Your
statement will carry worth and
weight, when Rahul Gandhi becomes PM
of India and will be holding the
same Junta Darbar.
3. Are they not bothered about their
image through all those who are
present and watching them sleeping
or are they immune to all these?
No Bihari families in Bihar have
ever sacrificed their lives for the
development of Bihar. Average Bihari
families derive strength from their
children working and settling
outside Bihar. Parents are ready to
face any kind of hardship on the
streets of Patna, Muzaffarpur…, but
they want to see their children
leave Bihar as soon as possible.
Although education is becoming a
driving force at every nook and
corner of our society; literacy may
jump to above 70-75% in coming 10
years. But, like the past education
is totally unrelated to the
prosperity of Bihar and hence
significance of fire, passion,
dedication, determination,
confidence and image building
exercise in our personalities, thus,
are the lost words, when we come to
terms of setting our “ancestral
homeland” in order in Bihar.
4. Why can’t a ministry just follow
the implementation of these
projects? Can my readers suggest if
I must visit one day this durbar to
find out the answer to my question?
If Chief Minister is not capable
enough to put the state machinery
functioning properly for the benefit
of the people as well as the
Government, then this so-called
“Janata Durbar” which is catching
media attention won’t give you the
answer. Chief Minister should know
that people’s “self-fish” interest
and greed to get their work done as
soon as possible is the sole reason
to attend his durbar. They are Shri
and Smt. A, B, C, D…… from the
frustrating chaos of Bihar
considering CM as an ultimate
authority. This kind of Durbar won’t
solve the problem of 82.8 million
Biharis even in 40-50 years. I will
suggest you to visit CM residence
but don’t forget to carry your
digital camera. You will have your
lifetime experience with one of the
Chief Ministers of Bihar on the wall
in your house.
5. I shall again request Nitish
Kumar to be shrewdly ruthless and
smart to handle the unique situation
of a great state.
In readers write column, both in
Patna Daily and Bihartimes, hundreds
of Biharis have given the good, the
better, and the best suggestions.
But I am not sure whether CM knows
about that. Such request may be
worthless.
6. Can Nitish take the bureaucrats
in total confidence for improving
the implementation of development
works? Will the bureaucrats of Bihar
dedicate themselves to take Bihar
out of the misery, as we can’t
expect much initiative from their
ministers?
Recently I attended a gathering in
USA where former President of India,
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was interacting
with Indian students. A student
asked the question, “Please let me
know, who the India’s biggest enemy
is? The answer was “our
self-confidence”. Lack of our "own"
confidence has never allowed us to
assimilate total confidence
(building exercise) for the sake of
developing a village, a Panchayat, a
block, a sub-division, a district,
and a state particularly Bihar.
At present, E. Sreedharan (Engineer)
of Delhi Metro and K. J. Rao (joined
as a clerk in Election commission’s
office) are some exceptions that
need to be studied. - Sudhir
Ranjan - Oct. 20, 2007
This is much protest over nothing -
in other words making a mountain out
of a molehill. CM has rightly
laughed it off. A catnap during a
Janata durbar is not such a thing
that should be made into a national
news item.
If Dua and his ilk have any sense of
feeling for the well being of Bihar,
they should show the sleepiness of
their own journalist brethren in
their coverage of the killing of the
Bihari labourers in Assam by ULFA
goons.
What kind of Kumbhkaran are the
press of Delhi that they brush aside
the bomb blast in a Punjab cinema
hall where a Bhojpuri film was
showing? They go on showing the
allegations of racism by Aussies,
for trifling crowd antics - but have
no time for the gruesome murder of
hapless labourers trying to eke out
a living. They have their own sense
of priority. Unfortunately, that
priority is at complete variance
with Bihar's interest. The sooner we
realise this, the better it would be
for the welfare of Bihar. -
Thakur Vikas Sinha - Oct. 21, 2007
I have been a regular reader of
PatnaDaily and intently watched/read
the happenings in Bihar through
Patna Daily.
We have had serious arguments
regarding our birth place Bihar in
the readers write columns. I had not
been regularly reading PatnaDaily or
Bihar times for last 18 months. I
thought the situation has changed in
Bihar and the grass root changes
introduced by the current government
would definitely show its results.
In many areas it has not improved
and in 'many' areas it has.
I would like to be excused about my
lack of accuracy in recalling but
the following has changed the
socio-political fabric of Bihar for
ever:
50% reservation for women in
Panchayats (politics)
Opening of new university and the
schools project (education)
Speedy trials of the criminals
(Judiciary) and
fast track operations of the police.
The above has resulted in one thing
'stopping the downward spiral' in
our state. NO ONE CAN say that Bihar
is going down any more! Contrast
this feeling with the mass
depression/helplessness/phobia of
last 3-10 years ago in Bihar.
It is not just Nitish Kumar its the
people of Bihar who have done it.
There is a lot to be desired and
lots to be done. And we should all
carry on playing our part in
improving the situation. We must
build up on the gains of the last
election.
I have respectfully read the
articles by Mr I Sharma and have
learned from his knowledge, insight
and concern for our state.
Post 1967 politics in our state made
it morally bankrupt. And then the 15
years of the last government took
every drop of hope away from most
Biharis. Many like me had to 'run
away' from there to Delhi, Bombay or
USA or to the UK to pull rickshaws,
to work in the offices or in
hospitals and even for schooling -
people from all background migrated
from the state. 15 years of no rule
in Bihar had made several million
people of our state 'mentally
inert'. Mass social depression
prevailed in Bihar.
In the last 2 years a little ray of
hope has been seen by many people.
As regards the comment 'lack of our
own confidence'. 100s of years of
crushed confidence would not come
back in two years. Additionally, the
emphasis on 'our lack of confidence'
clearly reflects the same lack of
confidence in the person who makes
that comment.
I totally agree with the observation
that No Bihari has lost their life
for development of Bihar.
Can we not say all the people who
were killed or kidnapped have laid
their lives for us?
In many ways it is up to us to
interpret these events and learn or
ignore the message. Is this not a
tribute to the resilience of the
Bihari psyche?
As always I would suggest the best
way for us is also to count the
positives and the strengths of our
Bihari people (as other people are
doing for their states and
countries) beyond our caste and
religious affiliations.
I sincerely hope readers and writers
of the media invest at least 1% of
their energy on 'STRENGTH SPOTTING'
in our state and spend the rest of
99% of their valuable time and
resources on 'weakness diagnosis' as
they have been doing until now!!
In conclusion
a. Power always brings
responsibility (be it father of a
son or Father of a Nation)
b. And socio-political problems do
not change only by 'diagnosing
badness (socio political
Pathology)', 'straight spotting',
hope and commitment (core
ingredients of confidence) are
equally important.
Everybody has some straights and
some power our (including the
media's) role is to involve
everybody in these discourses to
remind each other that they have
both straights and power this
realization generates hope. -- And
this government has certainly been
able to show us that there is fire
underneath the heap of ash of the
Bihari Psyche.
As we all know fire is Power and we
would need to use it responsibly.
My sincere thanks to the PatnaDaily
team. Diwalee Mubarak to you all! -
Dr. A P Kapoor, Chartered
Scientist UK - Nov. 2, 2007
|
|
Discussion on this topic is now
closed. |
Return to previous Page |
