The monster of corruption

If Omar makes a resolve to fight the monster. The desire is great, but the task is herculean.

Making resolutions is human. Every person has a desire to excel and hope to be successful in life and wishing good for mankind can be the noblest of all wishes. Leaders and rulers are unique in many ways, but they too have every right to ‘wish’ and make resolutions. However, graciousness demands that their wishes should always espouse progress for their followers and subjects. Their wishes should not carry any agenda of ill will, malice and in no way should be egotistical. In present political scenario of squeezed space for values, no political system can stand chipping and fragmentation of its political constituency at any cost. Though, a fair level of unnoticed enthusiasm and dynamism, sometimes make even most selfish politicians and leaders to come out of the hard shell of insensitivity and make them wish and hope beyond boundaries of political egotism.
Omar Abdullah is young, articulate; with a political legacy of great significance and above all he is Chief Minister of this troubled state located on the cross roads of regional and political variance. Like all of us he has many desires, wishes and hopes to fulfill his dreams, and obviously his wish list like any reasonable human being keeps on changing and updating with turn of events. Particularly, for last two years his priorities, wishes and hopes are much more different than what would have been his earlier aspirations. He has a political carrier to keep in shape against all odds; a state to be looked after well under the most pressing situations; and his people to be provided with just and genuine administration in an atmosphere of considerable levels of corruption and nepotism. So, his wishes have to be and are in conformity with his responsibility and prevailing situation within the state. His latest wish list is dominated by his two new-year resolutions for the year 2011 and the resolutions are – ‘Not to allow violence to engulf Kashmir again in summer of 2011’ and ‘to nab ‘big fish’ involved in corruption’. If I could hear him properly, he had drawn a deadline for accomplishing his resolution regarding corruption–Midnight 31st December 2011. Mr. Abdullah made his cherished wishes (resolutions) public while addressing a function of rural development department at Jammu. 
Avoiding violence of any kind cannot be achieved merely by making a resolution; instead it requires a multi pronged strategy of considerate administrative reforms, justice and equality in every aspect of governance. It is constitutional obligation and moral duty of head of the government to create conducive atmosphere of peace and amity, so that violence is kept out of this beautiful valley. Last three years situation of turmoil has put many imprints on administrative setup of the state, both adverse and introspective. Three seasons of confusion is a pretty long experience for any inefficient and indolent administration. For present system of governance which claims to be improved on many fronts, containing any likely exploding violence should be an effortless task. But, it seems the present dispensation has not learned its lessons well from earlier confrontations of last three summers. Compassion towards common people seems to be a far cry and justice appears eluding almost every area of governance.
No one can challenge the intentions and a fair degree of straight forwardness of Mr. Omar Abdullah, emanating not necessarily from his political lineage and affiliation, but out of his enthusiastic and energetic persona. His resolution and wishes can be genuine but his system seems failing him. His instruments of governance are plagued with hypocrisy, and sycophancy. His inability to move freely (because of security constraints) and contact his people personally makes the situation much worse for him. Genuine public and basic problems faced by them don’t subsist and exist in trendy posh localities of Gupkaar, Rajbagh or many other places of significance but reality can be trailed in lanes and by-lanes of demonize localities of city and other far flung area of the valley. A mere visit by Mr. Abdullah in disguise (strictly in cover) to any public place like bus stands and government hospitals within the state will give him the first hand feel of actual state of affairs, enabling him to establish factual standing of gap between facts and the situation of fabricated myths regarding governance. People are to be owned not alienated, and provided with best possible amenities within the existing means and resources. No magic wand can keep the violence at bay but surely addressing people’s sufferings and their genuine demands will help in restoring peace and tranquility.  
As for Omar Abdullah’s second wish of dealing corruption and nepotism with iron hand, goes, many political dispensations in this state earlier made long, but never lasting statements, under the influence of political euphoria. Even towering leaders like Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah failed to tame the monster of corruption and nepotism remained unchecked. Others, who were politically least consolidated and had many strings of political conspiracies and frills of treachery attached to their governance made corruption to flourish as an industry and nepotism to grow for their political survival. If it won’t amount to exaggeration, their main instrument of governance was corruption and nepotism. Governments in recent past tried their best to jump on the bandwagon of anti-corruption but failed miserably as their own political arrangement were severely plagued with virus of corruption. Inability to contain ugly elements of dishonesty and many other political compulsions made them  ‘eat the humble pie’ in the darkness of ambiguity. Corruption has engulfed not only the organization of governance and administration but the whole society of ours is corrupt in one way or the other. We were number two in corruption a couple of years back; may be by now we may have graduated to number one position and overtaken Bihar in this notoriety.
Mr. Abdullah! It is a herculean task, not only to be wished, desired and made part of New Year resolutions, but demands a huge political will beyond your own personal dedication and resolve. Your New Year resolution to nab ‘big fish’ of corruption by the year end is a huge personal political investment in present contemporary political industry attributed with deceit and pretense. How far you will able to take your political system and administrative structure with you on this sacred mission, only time will tell?
Hopelessness is a sin. If both these resolutions are made in good faith and with good intentions, then we all as a nation should stand with  Omar Abdullah and wish him luck for success and fulfillment of his treasured wishes. Aameen.

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