SHADES OF BLUE

SHADES OF BLUE

By Pamarty Venkataramana

They catch them young. At the training center stage itself. Are groomed. Equations of caste, region, affinity and the like garnered from clerical staff, screened. Understood. A game-plan is set. About a hundred ‘Lutyen’s ki toli’ molls, social circuit butterflies and a few suppliers of goons and other paraphernalia of parallel governance are on payroll of the ‘master-at-large’. All their postings are followed up, meticulously. Those who do not succumb to moolah are felled by honey-trap. Rarest-of-rare, conscientious ones, who do not succumb to either are threatened with dire consequences with the aid of goons-on-call. Plum postings are auctioned, divided, apportioned between the accomplices of graft. A red carpet is unrolled. The monarch of all babus reigns.

And, babudom, as even the civics student or avid film-goer knows today, is the mistress of political-class. They control all policy-making, procedural-wrangling and checkmate-tricks in corridors of governance. The lowliest among them all rises to highest position, as a mark of respect to faithfulness – as a virtuous quality.

They are a cosy circle. Of power, fire-power, clemency too..! Be it auctions, tenders, rate-contract s, disciplinary-proceedings, privilege-motions, pressers or diplomatic communiqués, they author the text. Speech-writing to strategic-counselling, they are the guardians of illiterate, semi-literate and even a few highly educated netas. Or, so they convey, to their political bosses.

Who is the master-at-large? The puppeteer? The vilest citizen ?

Well,it does not take long to conjecture. You will maybe, find one in your vast circle of political contacts or on-screen heroes of public weal..

End the farce. Redress public grievances. Re-set the system.

True,the Judges are appointed by politicians, under present system in vogue since long decades. Leaders are elected. The ministers are selected. But, as depicted in that immortal BBC hit-show ‘Yes Minister!’, it is bureaucrats who run the show. Behind the curtains. As a ventriloquist, so they perform. But, who owns their good conscience? No prizes for guessing right. ..

See through shades of blue..!!!

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Pamarty Venkataramana
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1 Comment

  1. Short & Sweet with sharp sting

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