Democratic Culture

Democratic   Culture

(  Contributor  :   hcp  )

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A recent circular of Maharashtra Government requires that babus ( govt officers ) should stand up from their seats, every time a MLA , MLC or an MP , enters and leaves their office

Ostensible reason offered :

Government officers must treat elected representatives with " Honour " and " Courtesy "

That circular contains many other " DOs " and " DON'Ts " for government officers , while dealing with elected representatives

I shudder to think about what next the Government would want these officers to do  !

May be garland the MLA on arrival and walk-up to his car while leaving  ?

Or , that a Secretary must get up and offer his chair to a Minister who walks in and himself shift across the table and occupy the visitor's chair  ?

{  In the past , we have had instances of officers tying the shoe-lace of a Minister !  }

That makes me wonder :

What is the " Character " of a Democratic Institution ?

Who is responsible for building this " Character ",through personal example  ?

The following instances may provide a clue :

>   During my tenure as General Manager - Powai Works at L&T( 1979-87 ),

      whenever Mr Holck Larsen or Mr N M Desai ( Chairmen , at different

      times ) , walked into my cabin , they insisted that I do not get up from

      my seat !

      On many such occasions , they would start pacing the cabin from

      end to end , telling me or listening to me - as I continued sitting !

>   Whenever Mr Holck Larsen visited Madh Works , he would just peep into

      my cabin and say ,

      " Parekh , carry on with your work . I know my way around the factory "

      Then , he would just walk out and go around the factory , all alone ,

      meeting and greeting hundreds of workers , at their work places !

      He just insisted that no Supervisor / Foreman / Manager should stop his

      work , in order to accompany him  !

      I wonder how many of our Ministers today , go around their offices ,

      or their constituencies , without a retinue of Officers  !

>   I even recollect an incidence when Mr Holck Larsen said :

     "  Parekh , can we go and try out the food being served in Workers

      Canteen ? "

     Then , when we reached there , he insisted on standing in the queue

     with the rest of the workers , to pick up his food-tray  !

Incidentally , talking of a Manager having to vacate his chair for his boss ( a

practice , which , I believe is still prevalent in many organizations ), I remember an instance when we hired a Maintenance Manager from one " Sethji  Controlled " company

After a few days , I heard of severe resentment in that department

When I inquired , I found out that he had the habit of asking his subordinate managers to vacate / offer him their chairs , whenever he visited those section !

I was left with no choice but to ask him to resign  !

"  Yathaa Raja , Tatha Praja " ( People will emulate those in power ) , is true even today

I request others to comment / submit their own experiences of what goes into making a Great Organization

By contributing their own similar experiences , they would be telling  Managers and Ministers :

" Here is how we can imbibe a Democratic Culture to transform India "

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hemen  parekh

10  August  2015

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