One Congress chatukaar called D K Barooah, in his 1974 proclamation, stooped so low as to coin the ominous slogan :

"India is Indira and Indira is India".

Barooah soon got disillusioned and left the Congress in disgust. Who is interested in recalling the horrendous days of emergency,the age of sychophancy?

Unless, lessons are learnt, history is bound to get repeated. India failed to learn lessons. Results were obvious. It is unfortunately blessed with a new breed of sychophants to fill the void and relive the horror of autocratic emergency era .

The captive TV Media and BJP’s hired chatukaars in their rhetorics take pride in equating PM Modi with India and vice-versa.

Giving credit to PM Modi for someone else's endeavours , is sinful; an open affront to indians. But, the smart public understands everything and cannot be fooled.

India is neither Modi, nor is Modi India !

India means our Armed forces, farmers, the marginalised labourers, scientists,teachers , the bureaucrats, Police etc. It also covers celebrated criminals, politicians, their sychophants like the builders mafia,dons,criminals,rapists and hooligans who can incite communal riots, violence with foreign funding, at short notice.

The moot point is : Why should credits actually due to our Armed Forces , farmers, scientists at ISRO,DRDO etc be collected as political brownie points by our Prime Minister ?

Unfair, unjust, unmerited and inequitable.

Will PM Modi stop this and eat into others’ achievements . The public gets the impression that all TV scripts are written in the PMO,focusing only on one person.

War strategies are formulated by the three army chiefs and CDS, not PM Modi. Applauding Modi for all achievements in digital and print media breeds contempt.He is shown either while praying in temples or laying foundation stones.

Let me be upfront . PM Modi must lead the Nation in these hard times. There is no substitute for him.

But he must change his style of functioning by jettisoning autocratic, obdurate and egocentric approach with an overinflated sense of self-worth.

Let him follow the consultative approach in decision making.

A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

Drugs  pedalling and consumption are crimes in the country under the NDPS Act,1985. Ground realities  elsewhere in the country are shocking.  

In Varanasi,for instance,“ thandai ,pakoda,papad,samosas”mixed with “ bhaang" (Cannabis,hashish),are available with impunity .The organized gang of ‘pandas’ and fake thugs masquerade as pedallars. The authorities are not blind to such age old practices. CM Yogi is urged to ban misuse of prohibited  drugs and substances in the holy city which also happens to be PM Modi’s constituency. The NDPS Act 1985  applies to entire country without exemption. UP CM must demonstrate  the political Will  to clear up the mess from the entire Uttar Pradesh?

UP is not alone.Every  Indian state faces same problems. In hundreds of places  in urban and rural India, the menace is widely prevalent. All must be treated at par with Bollywood in taking punitive action.

A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

Farm bills passed in haste,without due diligence,deliberations and without taking the stakeholders on board, are unforgivable sins in a democracy. The ten trade unions  namely : NTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC have have extended their support to a nationwide agitation called by the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee  against the alleged  “anti-people, anti-farmer destructive  legislations pushed through by central government. This could lead to continuous  turmoil  at present juncture ,when the country is facing  heightened threat perception from hostile neighbours.

Punjab and neighbouring Haryana  fear that if big institutions start purchasing directly from the farmers, the state governments will lose out on the tax that these buyers have to pay at wholesale markets(Mandi  tax). Some experts argue that agents, who form the backbone of wholesale markets, would lose their income if large buyers start buying direct from farmers.These concerns must have been addressed before rushing through legislations  reducing democracy to a Number game. There is no room for " Royal obstinacy" in a democracy. Consultative approach is the key to success.

A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

Consider  their  hands-on experiences.

The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers have large public interface and can successfully manage the political class  and have  cosy relationships  with them. They have huge discretionary authority that is liable to be misused. Excellent  chances of  getting post-retirement assignments by encashing political contacts.

 The Indian Foreign Service (IFS) has been under-rated for several decades ,even though the IFS officers  have more legitimate income  by virtue of better pay scales and  handsome foreign allowances. But , their authority is confined to their domain. Being academically inclined,they have  better  oratorial skill.

Conclusion :

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Equipped  with wide administrative experience and project monitoring ,the IAS officers have the advantage of having a more  result-oriented approach.

Attaching IFS officers with ministers is waste of their talent. They are not cut out for such jobs.

 This is not to be-little the IFS officers.

If the IFS officers are considered worldly-wise, the IAS officers  can be considered street- smart.

A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

Hathras gang rape case has jolted the conscience of every indian. Such heinous crimes could not have been possible without the tacit support of political class. After PM’s belated intervention , CM,UP woke up to enhance the quantum of compensation from Rs 25 to 50 lakhs.

What is this awful thing going on in Uttar Pradesh,one wonders? The autocratic CM has a lot to explain. Incompetent administration and callous UP police fail to inspire confidence in lower castes. They are,more often than not, insensitive, incapable of taking decisions by defying political authority . Pliability to political masters,is considered a safe bet. Prized postings, no fear of transfers , suspension.

Haughty utterances by Hathras DM and the Police to victim’s family are shocking,unpardonable Who ordered forced cremation of the victim during graveyard hours and in absence of victim’s family members. UP,CM feels his job is over once delinquent officers are transferred / suspended.His experts do not advise him that transfers and suspensions of officers cannot be treated as punitive steps.

Unable to defend the indefensible, Chief minister,UP has now decided to refer the case to the CBI.But, the family of the deceased, is not satisfied. It demands a Judge-monitored, fast- track inquiry by the CBI. Is CBI losing credibility?A deep conspiracy is alleged by the ruling party.

The public is outraged. The Opposition led by the Congis take pride in activating  its dirty tricks department  for adding to the chaos and confusion in UP and for gaining political brownie points.

Unequal society, Political interference, callous Administration &Police ?

We are living in an unequal society, hierarchical , castes-ridden and in artificial silos . Upper castes are treated as the privileged class. Gang rapes,murders,domestic violence,acid attacks,dowry deaths are the new normal? Macabre pre-occupation of goons and misguided elements in Police force. Egalitarian society is a myth.

Situation  in all  Indian States , is equally reprehensible.

Is  there something seriously wrong with UPSC’s recruitment process and DOPT’s training module? Or, is the entire system flawed? Accountability and transparency are missing.

What steps have been taken to depoliticise  the top appointments in the States and reduce political interference in day-to-day policing  so as to improve the law and order situation in the states.

Will PM Modi please take the call?

A K Saxena ( A former civil servant)

Due to Covid-19 infections in the country, the Union of India must consider scaling down celebrations of the Independence Day functions both at Centre and States,at least this year.

This can be achieved by eliminating participation of children, old citizens (both vulnerable to Corona infections) and general public to enforce mandatory physical distancing.

Extra-ordinary situations call for bold decisions.

A K Saxena (A former civil servant)