ULTAPULTA
Letter and spirit

Jaspal Bhatti

What’s wrong if Buta Singh has openly recommended the transfer of a few officials of the Railways Department? In my opinion, Buta Singh, the honourable Governor of Bihar, deserves an award for transparency in government functioning.

He has written a letter to Laloo Prasad Yadav seeking the transfer. The Opposition has been making a lot of hue and cry terming the Governor’s action "highly improper".

Had he made secret calls or sent coded messages to the Railway Minister, it would have been sacrilegious. Buta Singh rightly feels proud of what he has communicated with Laloo.

Today if some minister or official grants some favours after accepting reasonable bribes at publicly known rates what is wrong in it. It helps in creating a transparent working environment. In fact if some favour has been done to a kin of a VIP without accepting a bribe, then the matter calls for a judicial inquiry. Then the Opposition will be justified in kicking up a controversy in all available forums "Dekho bina rishwat liye hi apne aadmi ki badli kardi".

Any public servant showering favours without proper bribes creates unequal opportunities and that is something that is against our fundamental rights.

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