Modi’s example

Editorial-May 30, 2014,

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has got off to a flying start in his new job. Having risen to that position through sheer hard work and dedication to the cause he believes in, he seems to know what he is doing and what needs to be done to achieve success.

PM Modi has already extended the hand of friendship to India’s neighbours and stressed the need for unity among SAARC member states to overcome international challenges as a regional grouping. He has also demonstrated a desire to give domestic politics a radical shake up which it is badly in need of. In spite of being at the helm of a fissiparous, mammoth coalition consisting of as many as 30 constituents, he has appointed a small Cabinet. Ambitious politicians in his government may not be well disposed towards such measures, but the ordinary Indians must be really appreciative of his approach.

Above all, the new premier seems to have realised the need for separating his family from his job if he is to embark on an arduous political journey without encumbrances to achieve his goals. There have been several such leaders. Dr. Abdul Kalam is one of them. When he was India’s President, he even paid, from his private funds, for entertaining his kith occasionally at his official residence. He led so simple a life that on one rainy day, as the media reported, he woke up in the dead of night as a section of the Rashtrapati Bhavan roof started leaking and his bed got wet. He quietly went into another room and had the roof repaired the following day. What would have been the fate of the maintenance staff if such a thing had happened in this country? They would have been made to clamber up the rain-soaked roof forthwith to effect repairs at the risk of falling off or being struck by lightning; or all of them would have been fired before dawn. But, the same cannot be said of most other Indian politicians who are as corrupt and arrogant as their counterparts elsewhere, especially here.

The new Indian premier, no doubt, wants to build a stronger, inclusive India, but some members of his parliamentary team must be desperate to make the most of their electoral fortune and line their pockets. We only hope that PM Modi, by trying to restrain them, won’t face a mutiny as greedy politicians who savour power after a lapse of many years act like starved leeches thirsting for blood.

PM Modi has banned his ministers from hiring their family members as their personal staff, as we reported yesterday. This is another step in the right direction. Any institution where family connections or cronyism take precedence over efficiency and professionalism is doomed. Not even a wayside eatery could be run properly on that basis. India is somewhat lucky that it is blessed with a robust public service where square pegs cannot easily be catapulted into round holes unlike in this country where jokers are plucked from obscurity and made top officials overnight.

The recruitment of politicians’ family members as their personal staff is a big racket as is common knowledge. They draw fat salaries and enjoy attractive perks for doing little or nothing in return. In this country, they even become entitled to pensions after completing a mere five years in service. The only thing they evince a keen interest in is helping themselves to public funds as much as possible.

A country stands to gain only when the main criterion for the recruitment of officials paid with public funds becomes merit rather than family ties and/or purported loyalty to the ruling party or its leaders. PM Modi’s example is worthy of emulation.