June 12th, 2017 has to be a red letter day in the history of the civil services in India. For the first time ever 65 retired bureaucrats from a cross section of All India Services, who had occupied the highest echelons of the government, have written an open letter to Prime Minister Modi protesting against the growing authoritarianism, vigilantism, suppression of free speech, lawlessness, targeting of minorities and intellectual intolerance that has become the calling card of the present govt. at the center. Such a protest is remarkable because it did not happen even during the Emergency. The reason perhaps is that the Emergency was perceived as primarily directed at the country’s political structure whereas the current actions of the BJP are seen to be destroying the social, cultural and legal foundations of the country, ripping apart a social fabric and communal harmony that has stood the test of time, inspite of countless riots and killings.
It is not in the nature of civil servants to speak out, constrained as they are by draconian Conduct Rules and an overpowering political dispensation which is a toxic mix of punishment and patronage. ( This is not to defend their silence but to explain it). The carrot of a post retirement sinecure also has something to do with it, but it is not the whole explanation. Your average bureaucrat has few concerns beyond his posting, the perks attached to it, his Annual Confidential Report and empanelment at the Center. If he does not speak out on seminal issues it is not because he does not want to offend the powers that be ( and see !), but because the idea never occurs to him. His is not the silence of the lamb but the silence of the honey-badger, who doesn’t give a shit ! The habit persists even after retirement: forget writing letters, posts or articles, they are even reluctant to comment on them ! Since my retirement in 2010 December I have published more than 150 posts and articles, but I can count the comments by my colleagues and peers on the fingers of two hands. Bureaucrats are used to living in a cocoon of perks and privileges and are loath to step out of their comfort zone. So when 65 of the most senior ones decide to go public and raise their voice it is time to take them seriously: the state of the nation’s affairs must be close to breaking point for them to have broken with their nature and tradition. The significance of this letter does not lie in the fact that it will achieve anything or get a positive response from the govt. but in the fact that the civil service has stood up to a powerful Prime Minister for the first time. It is a timely message to Indian society at large, especially to the apprehensive but silent supporters of liberal and democratic values. It signals that the time has come for them- the artists, academics, writers, intellectuals, media, retired Generals- to also organise themselves and speak out, before they are silenced for ever.
There will inevitably be sceptics and trolls who will deride and traduce this effort ( the counter campaign has already begun), asking questions like: What were they doing while in service ?Why did they wait to retire before speaking out ? What will writing a mere letter achieve ? There are answers to all these questions but it is not necessary to give them here, because such trolling is the classic diversionary tactic of the BJP sympathisers- attack the player, not the ball. The issue is not why they spoke out now, but whether they speak the truth and whether they have done the right thing by speaking out. The answer to both is an unequivocal YES.
There is hatred, violence and fear abroad, on a scale never experienced before in this country. The machinery of the state colludes with vigilantes of all hues and the law abiding citizen is left to their mercies. Institutions are being destroyed systematically, both from within and without. Non-state actors dictate our diet, clothes, relationships, films and view of history. The apparatus of the state is used selectively to suppress dissent. The validity of a faith is tested on the crucible of just one religion only. It appears that the country is being given a simple binary choice- Democracy or Development ? ( Actually, it should be phrased Democracy or Promise of Development, since no real development has taken place in the last three years. But even this doesn’t really mater, because the choice is also being dictated by Big Brother). In any case democracies don’t work on binaries and this is not a choice but an ultimatum. This letter has been long overdue.
A couple of caveats, however. According to my rough calculations there would be about 2000-2500 surviving retired IAS officers but there are only 65 signatories to the letter. Mr. Jawahar Sircar and others should have made a greater effort to involve more of these officers in the campaign- they would have found very wide support. 500 signatures would have negated the criticism already being made- that these 65 are a minuscule minority and do not represent the civil services. After all, the BJP respects only numbers, not ideas! Secondly, the signatories should immediately issue a public appeal to political parties not to co-opt this letter into their anti-govt. campaigns, and they should scrupulously keep them at arms’ length. Politics is the kiss of death for any citizens’ movement.
This letter will probably have no impact on a government and a party that keeps on winning one election after another, and sees this as the only validation it needs. But it will come as a mild shock to Mr. Modi who, like all authoritarian figures, likes to bask in the sunlight of public adulation. It will further affect his image in the global media, already disapproving of his style of leadership and human rights record. It might just provide another slim arrow in the Opposition quiver which was woefully empty till Mandsaur happened. But if you’re waiting for the govt. to take note of the letter and alter course– don’t hold your breath.
Breathe in- and speak out.
| The author retired from the IAS in December 2010. A keen environmentalist and trekker he has published a book on high altitude trekking in the Himachal Himalayas: THE TRAILS LESS TRAVELLED.
His second book- SPECTRE OF CHOOR DHAR is a collection of short stories based in Himachal and was published in July 2019. His third book was released in August 2020: POLYTICKS, DEMOCKRAZY AND MUMBO JUMBO is a compilation of satirical and humorous articles on the state of our nation. His fourth book was published on 6th July 2021. Titled INDIA: THE WASTED YEARS , the book is a chronicle of missed opportunities in the last nine years. Shukla’s fifth book – THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER’S DOG AND OTHER COLLEAGUES- was released on 12th September 2023. It portrays the lighter side of life in the IAS and in Himachal. He writes for various publications and websites on the environment, governance and social issues. He divides his time between Delhi and his cottage in a small village above Shimla. He blogs at http://avayshukla.blogspot.in/ |
I could read this outspoken piece only today. Am surprised that, as Mr Shukla points out, there is neither comment nor criticism nor agreement from even the perpetually aggrieved nuts and bolts of the steel frame. In my own experience, the major reasons for the loud silence of the steel frame has to do with postings and with corruption. A good posting can make life in a government job tolerable and could be lucrative, while a bad posting can be harrowing for the family as well. The politicians fully understand this and make the most of this weakness of its upright servants. Most people in the bureaucracy (including the so called technocrats) make a lot of money on the side and obviously share it with the elected fellows, exemplified so plainly with the net worth of politicians going through the roof in just one term. So the politicians are happy with corrupt officers. It allows them to call the shots and be accountable for nothing. It is openly acknowledged that today government departments are being run by politicians. But when these ‘hardened’ officers / officials get posted in key positions, the steel frame merely shrugs and carries on with its fake earnestness. It is indeed a shame that only 65 retired civil servants signed this important open letter out of the many thousands out there. Like many other good intentions, this too may well be a case of Too Little, Too Late. To expect that the government will heed (leave alone reply to) this letter would be asking for too much.
Thank you for this piece, Mr Shukla. These words sum up what has been increasingly distressing me – ‘There is hatred, violence and fear abroad, on a scale never experienced before in this country.’ In my whole life I have never used words like Hindu, Muslim and Christian as frequently as I am doing today. I never knew that dissimilarities and distinctions of caste, creed, language, culture, lifestyle, and a whole lot of parameters I never knew existed, were to be flaunted or hidden, as the case may be. This is clearly not the India people of my generation grew up in. For me, it almost seems as if I’m living in some other country – so unfamiliar is it becoming. All the ideals of democracy, all the wonderful ideals engraved in our Constitution, all the ‘different threads of our country forming one tapestry’….. everything seems now to be gone. What’s worse, one cannot open one’s mouth anywhere in public lest we be branded anti-National. Disturbing is the huge number of uneducated youth – the young have no idea of the great men who once walked on Indian soil. They have no breadth of mind to absorb the visions of great Indians. They are caught in a trap of no education, untrue and incendiary statements of the ruling political party, the ubiquitous cell phone, no money, and no future. Add to this blind hatred and the resulting fear…
I’m so grateful to those who put their signatures to the letter to the PM. At least, cushioned off as you all are, you were not afraid to speak. I do believe that every action bears fruit….and this one is sure to do so, if not now, but one day it surely will. Thank you.