This refers to the article, “Ask these babus what they've done to India” (May 18) by Joginder Singh. The Indian bureaucracy is known for its inertia the world over, and is yet to come out of its colonial hangover. The immunity enjoyed by the bureaucrats in India could have been fruitfully used by them for initiating pro-people and hassle-free schemes which would have benefitted the country immensely. But these immunities have been largely abused to the hilt to garner more power and influence. All the well-intentioned circulars and rules are followed in their breach with impunity, and this brings carelessness and callousness.
The general impression about Indian babus is that the well-connected bureaucrat's inefficiency and incompetence is tolerated while the efficient and the honest are made to suffer. Professionalism is missing and officers want the rules governing them be diluted so that they can ‘play' well on their home turf.