Rewarding honesty

There is a silver lining in the indefensible suspension of Durga Shakti Nagpal by the Uttar Pradesh Government. The wave of public outrage, the intense media scrutiny, and the support she has received from within the bureaucracy are signs of growing intolerance with the capricious and autocratic ways of a venal and vindictive political class. Nagpal, who was punished ostensibly because she threatened communal harmony by allegedly supervising the demolition of the illegally constructed wall of a mosque, may have been a victim of crass communal politics. As someone who was active in cracking down on a local sand mining mafia with powerful political connections, it cannot be ruled out that the action against her was motivated by vendetta as well. True, there have been previous instances of upright and fearless officers attracting similar spontaneous demonstration of support — G.R. Khairnar and Arun Bhatia are names that immediately come to mind. But these men struck a chord but largely among the middle classes in Mumbai and Pune. In contrast, Nagpal — a young woman who is all of 28 — has emerged as a national symbol of honesty and courage.

The core function of a bureaucracy in a democracy such as India is to administer the business of government in the form of implementing laws and policies. In order to be able to do this effectively, it is important for it to be strong, independent and free from unlawful interference. While there are many honest bureaucrats, it is undeniable that this country suffers from an unhealthy neta-babu nexus. At its worst, this manifests itself in the form of bureaucrats actively conniving with their political masters to break the law. But what happens all too often is the turning of a blind eye – bureaucrats, fearful of transfers and postings to more arduous or less glamorous posts, allow politicians to bend the law and feather their nests. This is why we must celebrate those bureaucrats who pro-actively implement the law and are willing to suffer the risks of doing so. Nagpal, from all accounts, is one such person.

In her case though, the public campaign against the State Government’s action has also cost the ruling party dear. But shaming alone cannot work. With the Supreme Court hearing a public interest litigation over her suspension and reports that the Centre is considering tweaking the All India Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules to prevent the arbitrary suspension of officers, there may well be something concrete that emerges from this sorry episode. There is a need for innovative measures to foster the integrity and independence of the bureaucracy. These could include minimum tenures in a post with the proviso that premature transfers may be effected only if there are compelling reasons to do so. If the civil service is insulated from the threat of political arbitrariness, the honest civil servant will have nothing to fear except the law.

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