HERITAGE ON STAKE FOR INSATIABLE FEW

The above picture shows the affection to a particular model and brand of an officer’s after change of his office he changed the service provider from his erstwhile administration to new administration. Before leaving his erstwhile office a new Tender has been floated from CESTAT office and the same vehicle of the same owner is regularised for his majesty’s use.  

Vehicles are being procured under “1% Incremental Scheme” from a rent-a-cab service provider who provides vehicle for officers to use as per the tender. They all are supposed to be quasi-judicial and see the name plate it is in white colour. It is not permissible and it is an offence. It should be in yellow colour as well has having valid RTO approved with T-permit and marked in all sides. But, if it will be so, then their so called fake status will degrade; hence, statutory conditions have deliberately been violated. The monthly bill for the said hired vehicle is Rs.42,500/- plus taxes as applicable.

Yesterday there was an article which depicts one incident which relates to Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri. When he became Prime Minister, Govt. of India allocated a new Government Vehicle for his use. A few days later his kids requested the driver to take them on a joy ride around Delhi for sight-seeing. Honorable Shastriji came to know about this incidence the next day and he called the driver along with logbook. He then called his attendent and gave him money to deposit it in the govt account, towards the cost of ride of 14 kms. enjoyed by his kids in the govt. vehicle. 

Instances are many, In our CBEC, the current Member Service Tax Shri K. K. Sharma, is known for his integrity as well as simplicity. When he was ADG-DRI, Mumbai, a number of times he has given his own vehicle to his staff for search Seizure, Surveillance and use to walk form office to his residence, without any protocol or any publicity. Whenever he used to visit to Pune, he used to travel in Ordinary State Transport bus and from there from auto to his relative’s house. Similarly, Shri. Y.G. Parande, when he was Commissioner Mumbai-II and Mumbai-III, he used to travel in Mumbai Local train and out of Mumbai in train in 2^nd Class sleeper, without any protocol.  The simplicity of Ms. Shanthi Sundaram, madam, the then Chairperson CBEC, who use to travel from her residence to office in New Delhi State Transport Bus, and the ambience in house is so simple, no one can imagine how simple a life she was living, although being a Member and Chairperson of CBEC.

Obsession to Gandhiji’s photo in the visitors waiting area of office or inside the cabin or quotes will not deter the insatiable greed and tainted approach by misusing their positions and powers which shows their double standards of saying and doing different.  There are so many in our department, who we know and admire them, one among them is Shri. R. Gopalnathan, when he was member and Chairman, whenever he paid visit to any Commissionerate out of Delhi, stays only in the office Guest House and  even use to wash his own cloths and offers 50 paisa or 1 rupee coin for ironing his cloths.

Currently, it is demise of the great culture, the way some officers misuse their power and positions to enrich himself at the cost of revenue acquired property not for his present generation, but even  his future generations to come. Not even spare to become a member of any elite club whether it is BCCI, Garware Club, Mumbai Cricket Club, NCPA Club, and wherever posted in any city their eyes were fixed to become the member of that city’s elite club to enjoy and raise their standards of living.

The respect is commanded by the Authority for his acts, attitudes, behavior approach towards government machinery as well as pro-revenue / pro-staff but it is unfortunate that the Corrupt Officers demand forcefully, that their staff should pay respect for his / her authority, though their conduct is not high enough or in many cases inappropriate  to command such respect from subordinates, as well as from the trade.

The above facts are just the tip of the iceberg. Incidences are too many; CESA Mumbai is constrained to bring such incidence because during the erstwhile tenure of Shri R. Sekhar, entire staff working under him lost their own voice due to his oppressive approach towards all his subordinates.