Whispers Forum

DEBATE (1) BABU
The word Babu was earlier widely used as a term of respect ! It meant a literate person of good standing ! In Bihar and Bengal it was also used as an honorific in place of Mr. and Sir. Even now among the Marwari business conglomerates, the word Babu denotes the highest ranking person in the hierarchical structure of the Company, usually the Chairman ! However, the word Babu started being used pejoratively to describe English educated bureaucracy as class distinctions started disappearing between the ruling class of civil servants and the people at large, when after independence elected politicians gradually found their own place in the new governance system and started wielding greater power, and the bureaucracy got gradually reduced to being merely a tool in their hands. This usage reflected people’s as well as political class’s frustration with a slow moving, rule bound, cumbersome and self serving bureaucracy with less and less or virtually no accountability to deliver effective governance . The English movies ‘Yes Minister’ and ‘Yes Prime Minister’ , while being tremendously humorous further reinforced this image of an incompetent and blundering bureaucracy whose only objective was self preservation . It further enhanced this disdain towards bureaucracy in popular thinking. Today a situation has come where bureaucracy is being seen not as a steel frame of fair and good governance but as a hindrance to country’s stride towards development ! That’s why now there is a constant talk about creating an alternative structure of governance , composed of specialists recruited for short periods to cater to specialised sectors of government, and gradually replacing the entrenched bureaucracy constitued of generalists who are seen as slothful, status quo oriented, with risk aversion attitude, who tend to crush or whittle down any of the so called daringly innovative ideas that political parties or their ideological masters come up with. The current bureaucracy is also to blame for a large part of this situation , because it has bent backwards to accommodate the politicians, allowed themselves to be shuffled around like a pack of cards, and instead of giving bold and objective advice, have surrendered to the will of political masters to curry favour to get good postings . The result is an administrative mess, and therefore the politicians find the situation ripe to bring in their favourite persons as lateral appointees and gradually reduce the permanent bureaucracy to a redundancy . The pejorative use of the word ‘Babu’ by the press, politicians, and public at large, and even the Hon’ble PM in the Parliament is nothing but a living reflection of the deterioration and rot that has set into the bureaucracy, and unless the bureaucracy reinvents itself, it is a downhill slide which will eventually result in the replacement of current structure with a politically appointed bureaucracy which will change with every change of government, and work as a tool for the political masters, instead of providing a fair, objective, strong and long visioned administration which was envisaged by the founders of our democracy !
B Ghosh
“Another thoughtless Blunder ”
After PM’s ‘ Babu ’ jibe against civil servants , it is now the turn of Giriraj Singh, a minister in Modi sarkar, to sermonise : "Beat up govt officials with bamboo sticks if they don’t listen". Crass poverty of human decency in Modi cabinet.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)

The appellant sought to know whether action has been taken for the complaint which has been lodged on Google Reviews by Mohit Sharma for G.B. Pant Hospital. He also sought to know whether the complaint lodged on public platform on Google reviews would be considered and the reason if it is not considered so. The CIC observed that the reply provided the PIO was vague and was prepared without application of mind. The CIC expressed displeasure on such a conduct of the PIO and warned him to remain extremely careful in future so that such lapses do not recur. The CIC observed that appropriate reply has not been provided to the Appellant and directed the PIO to provide a revised reply to the Appellant, free of cost, within 15 days of receipt of the order and send a compliance report of the same to the CIC.
Comments
The PIO should provide a specific reply to the appellant. This case throws up the interesting question whether complaints lodged on public platforms such as Google reviews would be considered and whether action should be initiated.
Citation: Mohit Sharma v. Office of the Medical Superintendent, G.B. Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research-(GIPMER) in Second Appeal No.: CIC/GBPIT/A/2018/162506, Date of Decision: 29-01-2021
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is an expert on RTI matters and has co-authored the books RIGHT TO INFORMATION - LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Apart from her weekly article here, her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link: www.rtifoundationofindia.com

DEBATE (1) BABU
Modiji is trying to terrorise the bureaucrats by criticizing the role of the babus in the Lok Sabha.
Arvind Verma
DEBATE(2) BABU
The word babu has its origin in Bengal. After East India Company spread its wing in India, Calcutta became its main place of activity. Many Bengalis were employed by the company at clerical level and its supervisory level. Almost entirely Brahmins and Kayastha community persons. They used to address each other as babu. Mukherjeebabu, Ghoshbabu, Upenbabu, Arunbabu etc. So English bosses started refering to them as babus collectively. In fact many used to write their names as Babu Batuknath Chatterjee. People of Odisha and Bihar also address each other like that. Like Nitishbabu. It is only the 80s onward, certain groups started addressing civil servants as babus in derogatory sense. East India Company had nothing to do with it.
AK
Disposal in ITAT
Has disposal in ITAT increased of late, in anticipation of becoming faceless ?
Vijay Kumar

DEBATE(1) BABU
For ages Govt servants in particular those in Administration and parastatal have been called as Babus before Independence. There is no derogation in the word but rather it was an upgrading from the word servants. They were employed to serve the public but with arrogance and corruption they continued to enrich themselves.
They are like a mafia whose interest is to delay services, delay projects etc. and no attempt to improve the service. During Nehru dynasty rule almost 90 percent of Babus were part of the heavy bureaucracy who participated in fabricating fake news, Hindu riot etc. How many Babus challenged the corrupt ministers or their own corrupt colleagues ?
Same applies also to our judiciary which is not transparent and rarely takes action against a corrupt Judge. Narmada dam 's foundation stone was laid around 1950. Had Modiji not pushed this project, Babus were least interested. Fake history of India was written by communists. Did any Babu protest ? Atleast one Babu tried to leak news on the fabrication of Hindu terror and published a book .
Has any babu stopped Vadra enriching himself by illegal means ? One who tried was transferred several times but his colleagues were reluctant to support him. Time has come to remind Babus that they are public servants and the pay they get is from the public. So try to give efficient and courteous service to them .If there are constraints in providing service, plan properly.
Time has come to reinvent our IAS, IPS, IFS etc. It is the necessity of the day.
Shashi Desai
DEBATE (1) BABU
You can’t call an administrator as “Babu”.Modiji is working with selected bureaucrats and hence how can he lash out babus.
D P Devgan

Proof of payment made by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. against certain invoices raised by Supreme Advertising Private Limited was sought. The information sought relates to Petrotech-2016. The information is not available with IOCL, as all the records pertaining to the event were handed over to Federation of Indian Petroleum Industries (FIPI) after closing of Petrotech-2016. The PIO informed the CIC that all the payments, as raised by M/s. Supreme Advertising Private Limited for the work executed during the period related to Petrotech-2016, have been paid and there are no dues left on this account. However, the copies of documentary evidences in this regard cannot be provided, as the same is not available with IOCL. The CIC observed that the appellant is seeking information in his individual capacity from the IOCL regarding M/s. Supreme Advertising Private Limited. The appellant is clearly seeking the commercial information which pertains to third party and the appellant is not the authorized representative of SAPL to whom the information can be disclosed. The appellant had raised grievance with respect to some dispute of payment with SAPL (which is not a public authority). The information sought is of commercial nature between IOCL and SAPL. Nonetheless, the respondent has given the factual information to the appellant inspite of being third party information. The Commission further held that the information sought by the appellant in his RTI application is exempt from disclosure under Section 8(1)(d) read with Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of third party.
Comments
It is not clear from the order whether the Hon’ble CIC had tried to verify whether the appellant was a representative of M/s. Supreme Advertising Private Limited before denying the information under Section 8(1)(d) read with Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. The CIC has erred by not looking into the reasons why IOCL had already provided some information to the appellant despite being third party information. Further, the order does not mention who was supposed to hold the documents sought by the appellant, if at all they were to be retained.
Citation: Rohit Yajnik v. Indian Oil Corporation Limited in Second Appeal No. CIC/IOCLD/A/2019/118452, Date: 25-01-2021
Dr. Anuradha Verma (dranuradhaverma@yahoo.co.in) is an expert on RTI matters and has co-authored the books RIGHT TO INFORMATION - LAW AND PRACTICE and PIO’s guide to RTI. Apart from her weekly article here, her other articles can be read at the website of RTI Foundation of India at the link: www.rtifoundationofindia.com

DEBATE(1) BABU
I would like to opine that it is not a word that is abusive, it is the conduct, impression, and general opinion which matters. For example Mahatma Gandhi used word 'Harijan' for some SC section of the society. after some time the word 'Harijan' could not change the impression or opinion about the cast of the society.
Babu must have been a respectful word sometime in the past. But the conduct of the officers has degraded the impression over the period and hence become abusive. The Babus must behave to make it correct.
Om Prakash Parashar
“ Oh Kolkatta ”
Several States in line for assembly elections in quick succession, beginning with West Bengal in March end 2021. With bombs, land mines, murders, mayham, violence-free elections remain a pipe dream. The common man feels extremely jittery, distressed by the initial phase of electoral violence in west Bengal. Just the trailor.
Injecting venom of communalism into electoral rhetoric has exposed the political class. India’s secular credentials are at stake. With increasing number of rallies, mega rallies, road shows , the violence is bound to escalate as we go along. In absence of ethical code, politicians have no accountability. All consider themselves above law of the land. The political goons can get away after committing crimes. Rampant showmanship . Thoughtless bravado.
The Media has failed. There is no free press . The captive TV anchors and print journalists get paid for creating media hype and reading pre-scripted stories planted by paymasters. Open Secret.
Let voters exercise their right to franchise after carefully testing their political credentials. Let them rise above caste, community and religious considerations. Do not take these drama actors at face value. Politicians offering freebies, fake promises in manifestos and speeches, must be shown the door.
A K Saxena (A former civil servant)