This is the second post on the topic. Please read my earlier post for an introduction.
With what honour and dignity, the unwanted were shuffled
An ICS (Indian Civil Service) officer whom I considered from appearance to be the smartest, more than fifteen years my senior, was transferred from the Executive to the Judiciary for reasons unknown. Wise enough, he had already completed the required judicial training so he had to be posted as District and Sessions Judge. He was posted in Lahore. Within a few months, the Chief Justice of the province started receiving reports that he never started his court work on time, did it in a leisurely fashion. The Chief Justice came to his Court on a working day at 9:30 am (at the time starting time for courts was 9am). The courtroom was empty. The Chief Justice walked into the judge’s chamber, found the judge on a reclining chair, one attendant pulling out breeches from the right leg the other doing the same with the left leg. The judge explained that he cannot start work without doing half an hour of riding in the morning. The Chief Justice took no time in sending him back to the executive.
The same officer proved excellent executive officer, and after over ten years when he had become qualified to be a Central Government Secretary, he was called upon to clear the pending files of Health Secretary who, for various reasons, could not dispose of a single file during the month and his room was full of it. He immediately made the unusual request, to be provided with two additional attendants. When the Government asked the reasons, he refused to give any. He was provided two attendants. On every file he wrote ‘Approved’ and passed on the file, as he had done with the breeches. He completed the work within a month. His colleagues asked him the reason for doing so. He gave the reply which, I had learnt in the first three years of my executive service, but only from ICS officers, let the subordinates do what they want to do and let them learn from their own mistakes, that is ultimately counted in life as experience. What a lesson in grooming an officer. The last that I saw him was a picture as a member of the Election Commission with the Chief justice of Punjab, who was then probably a Judge.
In a prestigious cantonment club, there was an altercation between officers of two poles. The matter went out of hand. A file was moved. It reached an ICS Chief Secretary for orders. The Chief Secretary recorded “since when the club matters have become official matters?” No one could provide an answer to that.
I am reminded most of the time of a case, reported also, where an Inspector General of Police submitted a note to the Chief Executive of the country that he had at the club approved the transfer of his son from the mighty force to the Police force, which the Chief did. I was the member of the bench which did not disapprove of it because then the bureaucracy had left enough loopholes in the law to ruthlessly manipulate it.
While receiving training and posted in East Pakistan we were made temporary members of Dacca Club. The area donated to it then was less than ten acres. With time it was increased to over 150 acres, then reduced to its original size. Nawab of Dacca was denied membership of it. The Anglo-Indians were freely granted membership. No fuss ever.
In Lahore, there was a prestigious club located in between Aitchison College and Governor’s House. It presented an impressive view with its brightly liveried attendants and garden umbrellas all around. There used to be a band playing most of the time. All so clearly visible from the Mall on account of 4 feet enclosure wall. People with imagination and experience could say then that ‘Lahore is like Paris of East’.
The most high and mighty, on taking over power in the province in 1958, applied for membership of the club. It was refused to him. In no time he got every trace of the club removed from there and the place was utilized for putting up dull-looking training institutions. With the beauty and glamour of the club gone nobody could even with the wildest imagination see any impression or trace of Lahore being similar to Paris.
The Chief Minister of a province on hearing complaints that forged and fake certificates and degrees of qualification and learning were available plentifully in the country made the statement that ‘degree is a degree, the question whether it is genuine or fake is immaterial’. Had not our Supreme Court already accepted it as an enforceable principle, this could have gone as a wild joke. For courts performance please refer to “Judiciary Leads in Diluting its Own Ethics”
The Chief Minister of a renamed province while casting secret ballot showed it to the public on television with entries made in it. When there was widespread protest about it, he explained that it was a small matter what was there to make so much a protest about it.
In the same province, long before, when Late Justice Samdani was in the executive, he was placed on duty to look after an election booth. On taking over charge he noticed that the enclosure tents all round were kept two feet above the ground. The view so made visible was utilized for identifying the voter from his footwear and lower portion of his garments as to for which candidate he went forward and voted. He got it set right. Within an hour he was transferred from that duty and all other election duty. Leadership produced from such practices could have no different opinion about the sanctity of secrecy of the ballot.
The Chief Minister of another province on which leadership of the country has been thrust was handed over a precious necklace as a token for aid to earthquake victims, by the consort of a visiting head of a friendly country. The necklace remained unheard-of for years. Ultimately the news spread that it continued to be with the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister finally admitted that the necklace is still with him but also cautioned that now that he has accepted that it is with him all news and discussion about it should end. It did end like the Begar camp news in the country in 1967. But there was a small news of a big event that the necklace had been purchased for Rs 600,000 by a Government agency which had no power or authority to make such purchases. So, the story ends.
At one stage news spread that an affluent influential conglomerate in the country was engaged in manufacturing all, or any type, of degree or certificate required by the applicant on payment of a required fee. I had at first a feeling of disbelief when a doctor in the UK in high position told me that a recommended doctor was sent to him for engagement in the UK. On being asked the candidate said that he had degrees of three medical colleges, and any could be used. A full-fledged trial took place. Top one and others were acquitted. It provided utmost relief to the country, its system, the performers, and to the achievers.
Years later, maybe months, top man and the same crime, a trial took place in New York and conviction was recorded impressive sentence of fine and imprisonment imposed. The usual shock and excitement, as follows such foreign news, took place in the country. The whole case was overhauled. Press reports now show that the trial judge charged Rs 45,00,000 for acquitting them. A retrial followed with similar conviction and sentence. What follows in prison will be a different story to tell.
Experiences of a Lifetime 