20.9.10

UmaShankar IAS ,the game plays on

No bureaucrat in the history of the Indian Administrative Service has enjoyed public support even remotely related to what Mr.Umashankar does .What he did ,what was done to him and what followed is as we are fond of saying "history"...His reinstatement has been proclaimed as a success of public opinion and the humbling of the power centres under people power .

In truth what seems to have happened is a clever cover up.Here was an IAS officer ,known to be honest .When he raises certain embarassing questions ,the govt cleverly in a seemingly malicious move dumps an obvious loop holed case on him and suspends him.The expected trail of events follows . There is outcry amongst few organisations ,there is an outpouring of support in the press and then ,the govt in what is seen as softening ,constitutes a committee to probe the charges .The outcry continues . The govt totally gives up and reinstates him .So far so good .

What the govt has done is infact diverted the limelight from the issues he has raised and instead brought it to focus on the issue of his removal and reinstatement only.Now that he has taken charge ,the cries have fallen silent in most parts and the few remaining voices will fade out soon.Why should he have been given charge when the probe was still pending ?Who will follow up the charges that he initially raised ?He himself seems to be busy in answering queries regarding his religious practices .

Let us hope that these allegations will not gather the dust of the celebrations of his success ...

poongulali