Safeguarding the Social Guardians will be a moral booster

The recent alleged attack on a Mandal Revenue Officer (MRO) in Musunur Mandal of Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh (AP) is a glaring example of growing nexus between politics and business. It is reported that the MRO who was performing duties in regulating the sand mining activities, was ill treated by the staff of the local representative in connivance with sand mafia. It drew reaction from the Revenue Employees as they boycotted their duties and demanded action against the political representatives. This issue merits our attention as MRO is reported to hold a record of being a hardworking and sincere officer. If so, occurrence of such incidence sends wrong signals to the people and bureaucratic circles in the newly formed state of Andhra Pradesh.

What are the ramifications of this development? If ignored, people, may perceive the state is incapable of protecting their interest as th ebureaucrats are not given due protection from the politicians. To that extent, the service delivery gets affected as the political pressure stifles bureaucracy. If this trend is not nipped in the bud, there is all the possibility that the politicians are encouraged to interfere in the working of the bureaucrats, thereby hampering the development activities being planned by the current government. Secondly, people may think that the government is incapable of curbing misappropriation of natural resources by the private people, leaving the public interest to mercy of the private players. Of late, it is not uncommon that politicians and business exhibit similar interests in enhancing their status through extracting the ‘state resources’. One should not forget that the previous UPA II government was voted out of power due to such controversies. The incident also has a gender dimension as political interference may negatively impact the performance of the women officers. It proves to be a retrograde step so far as women empowerment is concerned.

In parliamentary democracy, political executive and the bureaucrats must work hand in hand to accomplish the goals of development. While political executive is to formulate policies and design the public programmes, it is bureaucracy that implements them at micro level. In case of blurring of these boundaries, there is all the possibility of emergence of tussle between these branches of the government as is evident in Musunuru. Good governance hinges on the effective public servants who are committed, dedicated and honest. Bureaucrats with iron-will (positive sense) are instrumental in achievement of development goals. The politicians are accountable to the electorate through the bureaucrats (called street-level bureaucrats) as the latter are involved in the implementation of public policies. Moreover, the bureaucrats are the bridge between the government and the people. Thus policy making and policy execution is interlinked; hence the situation needs to be improved to arrive at reconciliation between politicians and bureaucrats. The government should intervene at the earliest to narrow the chasm between the political executive and bureaucrats. The CM should take measures to correct the situation by officially honoring the MRO for being upright. This instills confidence in the administrative community and boosts their morale in the public. On the other hand, the political leaders should be advised not to interfere in the working of the officials without reasons.

It has been a year since the new state was formed. There are miles to go to reconstruct the state in terms of its administrative apparatus and shaping the policies to attain good governance. Take a glimpse from the history of undivided AP. Governance reforms were introduced in the United AP in the mid-90s under the leadership of current Chief Minister of AP, Chandrababu Naidu. Governance requires on the part of the government to ensure ‘rule of law’ and ‘freedom from undue political interference in the bureaucracy’s functioning’. In the absence of adherence to these principles, the Nava Nirmana Deeksha that was held in the last month by the Chief Minister remains a distant goal? The Second Administrative Reforms Commission in its tenth Report- Refurbishing Personnel Administrationemphasized the freedom for the bureaucrats from political excesses. The role of bureaucracy cannot be undermined in laying foundations to the state and building. Attaining good governance is possible with administrative reforms. Ensuring this freedom should become a policy priority to the Government of AP.

Jeremy Bentham, a political philosopher, viewed bureaucrats as the ‘Guardians’ of the society and the interests of the common people. If these guardians are not safeguarded, how can they perform their role as Social Guardians of the society? Therefore the situation warrants the speedy intervention of the government to take stern action against the offenders. This will go a long way in rectifying the damage done to the political executive and administrators. After all, it is interest of the public that prevails over that of the private! Is CM listening?

By C. Jeevan Kumar

The author is Assistant Professor, Department of Public Policy, Law and Governance, Central University of Rajasthan