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Governance in India: A Theatre of the Absurd by Amrit Lal. Shirpa Publications, Delhi. Pages 206. Rs 160. OF late, governance or good governance, an idea floated by the World Bank, has become a buzzword. Good governance that encompasses an efficient and effective administration in a democratic framework is citizen friendly and citizen caring. The Common Minimum Programme of the United Progressive Alliance reflecting national concerns, promising transparent governance, along with the President's address, establishing the rule of law, repairing our social fabric and facilitating right ambience with "a smile on a billion faces" is a befitting roadmap for good governance. The book under review is a fine treatise, but with a misnomer. His anguish and frustration on the sad commentary of governance is reflected right from the first page till the postface. He opines that deterioration in governance got a kick-start in 1947. The trinity of our politicians, bureaucrats and lords of parallel economy has inflamed the structure of governance, and the whole system appears like a rudderless leaky boat. He builds the thesis that the "bureaucratic Darwinism based on survival of the unfittest" takes away everything. The sweet poison of sycophancy, privy to power buttons to enjoy exclusive rights, the alchemy of file-aria and unfettered protection of security (Article 311) are some of their hallmarks. As regards politicians, they have only one-point agenda "I, me, mine, myself first and always." They take recourse to populist slogans for governance, least worried to cleanse politics and, therefore, are always available even for one-night stands. The author avers that the parallel economy has become the mistress. Its writ runs much more than the Constitution - a form of truly wedded wife. The hawalas, capitation fees, benami transactions, suitcase-type donations, tax evasion, debt evasion, etc., to quote a few examples, are the pervasive operations which cannot be banished easily. The author laments indecent centralism of the federal polity. The high command is akin to God, and leadership is selected and rarely elected. On the one hand, if Governors, as glorified servants of the Union Government, enjoy royal shelters and Article 356 has been misused in over 105 cases, and almost all the 100 amendments have been made without consulting the states. Similarly, the Rajya Sabha is fast becoming a refugee sabha for rehabilitating potential vote catchers, thereby polluting healthy governance. The author vividly portrays ethos of work culture. Instead of observing "work is worship," all shades of civil services taking into account holiday packages celebrate the work shirk festival. Approximately 50 per cent employees join as pensioners, live as pensioners and retire as pensioners. Accordingly, hindrance to work and consequential productivity law is never considered as a crime — the sine quo non of governance. On corruption, he analyses that the mai-bap syndrome, license, permit and quota raj, syndicate of criminals and even bribing the God for favours has permeated all levels of society. As a result, contrary to Singapore where corruption has failed 100 per cent, in India, corruption indeed aids (mis)governance. He is also amazed that social cost of professional degrees is being neutralised by the UPSC. The syllabus for examinations is like clubbing lions and rabbits, or as good as Ram-ban. Besides, there are no minimum qualifying marks out of a whopping 300 earmarked for the interview. He has also severely criticised observing Hindi Divas in the face of fact that one of our Presidents and Prime Ministers could not address the nation in our national language. Undoubtedly, the author with academic skills in political science and English literature and a career civil servant, has left no stones unturned in portraying misgovernance with facts, figures and citations. But this is only one part of the governance system. He has miserably failed to highlight as to how the country witnessed phenomenal progress to ensure a robust socio, politico, economic and cultural milieu. In the absence of projecting tremendous journey undertaken during the last over 56 years, the general reader, especially the youth, can be swayed away and may lose inclination, faith and hope for building a Ram Rajya. Had the author taken the pains to provide a balanced and constructive view, the credibility of the publication would have really enhanced a great deal. On the whole, the book
nicely ponders over ground realities of misgovernance in India. |
