The statement by the helpless home secretary of West Bengal, in the aftermath of the quid pro quo ‘deal’ between the Marxist institution and the Maoist insurgents, that India is a “soft state”, contains all the ingredients of a high-voltage incendiary comment, which might lead to a reprimand, if not to an ouster. The statement has already opened a Pandora’s box, coming as it does from the very civil servant who represents the face of the West Bengal government. But it would be sad if the home secretary comes to be slaughtered at the altar of a complex socio-political issue afflicting the demography as well as the democracy of India.

Let us understand the fundamental issue which seems to be ignored by all those who matter in the governance of a vast, diverse and complicated Indian system. In the years just preceding Independence, an entry into India’s civil service gave officials thereof a status and prestige akin to those of the high-caste Brahmins of yesteryear. It also gave them the absolute right to rule, regardless of their professionalism and efficiency. To make matters worse, the political class too discovered its inherent right to lord over the civil servants. The relationship between the two groups became a matter of mutual benefit.

Post-1947, the IAS, IPS and IFS stipulated that officers serve their allotted states till they are “selected on merit” for deputation to the Central government or some other place of their choice. Unfortunately, not all allotted states were to the liking of the all-India services officers. Thus officials joining the Central government would carry on in the indigenous El Dorado destinations such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Goa, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad, thereby developing deep roots in the culture of comfort. Some IAS and IPS officers also developed a propensity to eschew the ‘difficult’ postings in a ‘hostile’ and ‘turbulent’ Northeast. Slowly, the tendency to avoid states with ‘unfriendly’ polity and ‘turbulent society’ spread to the Indian mainland, thereby creating a situation which became more complicated as time passed.

Rampant corruption at the delivery and distribution end in the countrysides slowly and steadily built up a huge reservoir of disillusioned, disgruntled and dejected people. It did not take long for collective disappointment to turn into mass desperation.

The recent developments in the Maoist-infested states would clearly show how demoralized the IPS officer cadre and its subordinate rank and file are, and how desperate they are to leave the difficult areas for greener pastures. Delhi undoubtedly is the magnet of the country. It is the best room of the ‘house of disorder’ where all the goodies of life are easily available. For some of the Central government personnel, any posting east of Mughalsarai is considered ‘punishment posting’. So much so, that Calcutta for them is a “nightmare”, Patna a “war zone”, Bhubaneshwar “remote”, Guwahati a “jungle”, and Shillong, “where is it”?

The edifice of civil service appears to be weakening by the day. It is time to take drastic corrective measures. In times of turmoil in a diverse demography, in areas affected by violent forces, it is the probity and professionalism of police officers which come into play. The recent utterances of the home secretary of a turbulent Bengal that India is a “soft state” can be criticized, but cannot be castigated and condemned owing to the all-round degeneration of the system, and the conspicuous politicization of the police and State machinery across the country. Rather, the statement calls for a strategic review and planning for curing a malaise that runs silently and deeply in all spectrums of the lives of 1.14 billion people. It is time for action. It is time for political restraint and reconciliation to revive the economy and to bring about inclusive growth and prosperity.