What are some dark truth of life as an IAS or IPS Officer?

Picture credit: quora.com

Please note that this particular post is not my content. It was written by an anonymous IAS officer on Quora.

I am a lady IAS officer (no longer dabang) was once posted as SDM in a district in Uttar Pradesh in 1999. The local ruling party MLA was quite young (then in his late twenties I guess), even educated (Delhi University alumnus as per his affidavit submitted to Election Commission) which means he wasn’t steriotypical politician and belonged to XYZ backward caste (mentioning required because its UP). He was the son of an eminent political leader in the district. Even his mother was then Chairperson, Zila Panchayat (first citizen of the district).

Once some of his supporters protested in my office complex (Tehsil) because of delay in process of issuing arms, liquor and mining licenses to them. I told them that the matter has been reported to higher authorities and they will take a final call on the issue. But their protest turned ugly when they started getting violent and damaged government properties of my office (threw away my files, paper weights and even manhandled my clerks and other office staff). Initially, I warned them that this would lead to dire consequences but they did not pay heed to it.

I tried to call DSP a.k.a Circle Officer of my area but one of them snatched away my mobile phone (those days there wasn’t any smartphone) and passed lewd comments. This angered some of my office staff and they asked them not to manhandle a lady officer. Even I couldn’t bear that humiliation and took back my mobile phone and called police. Before police could arrive, someone called that local MLA. MLA stormed to my office within 20 minutes with his goons. He even talked to in undignified tone.

He said, “ SDM Sahiba, Bacche hai inhe maaf kardo aur aap jaisi mahila adhikaari kaha baar baar ati hai. Phone he to le liya tha konsa gunah kar diya. Maamle ko pratishtha ka prasn na banaye (Miss SDM, they are youngsters.Female officers like you hardly get posted here. They just snatched your phone, and its not a crime. Don’t make it a prestige issue)”.

I politely replied to him, “Maninya Vidhayak Mahodaya sawal mera ek adhikari ke roop mein nahi balki ek mahila ke roop mein hai. Sorry Sir,lekin mein inko arrest karaongi chahe kuch bhi hojaye aur personally FIR karwaungi. Jail to pakka bejoongi. Yeh mere atm sammaan ki baat hai (Hon’ble MLA , the question isn’t of an officer but of a lady. Sorry Sir,but I will get them arrested even if I have to go to police station to lodge FIR on my personal capacity. This is about my self respect.)”.

He told me infront of everyone (even police had reached the spot) in my office chamber , “ Aisa hai madam zara thandi ho jao. Agar aaj inko jail hui to pura tehsil karyalaya mein aag lag jayegi.XYZ jaati ke logon ka apmaan sahan nahi kiya jayega. Apka career tabah kar dunga (Listen Madam just cool down. If today they get arrested, whole tehsil complex will be burnt down. Disrespect to XYZ caste won’t be tolerated. I will destroy you career.)”

I replied, “Excuse me? How can you even say this?”

He said ,“Aisa hai yeh angrezi na apne ghar jhadna. Yaha na chaelga yo.”(Don’t show off you English skills. These things don’t work here.)

And then what? supporters started hisJaikara (hero-worship). Police and Administrative officers acted as moderators and tried to prevent heated debate between me and the MLA. Some of his infuriated supported even smashed iron rods in my official Jeep (those days SDM used to get this vehicle). After this I immediately directed police to lathi charge on mob and promulgated Section-144 in my sub-division.

Next day this incident got reported in many local hindi newspapers. In some of them accused played the ‘victim card’ and the topic of the issue was changed to falsely victimization of a member of the backward community by district administration from manhandling a lady officer (issue taken to another tangent).

What is more depressing is when I was called up by DM Sir and inspite of asking about my version on the issue; he literally grilled me infront of top ranking officials in a closed door meeting and wanted a written explanation (showcause notice) on it and asked to personally apologize to MLA. He further asked “What compelled you to show such ‘adventurism’; better remember that you are public servant and he is public representative, How can you even imagine to argue with him? How dare you confront him? Remember yourlakshman rekha. How come UPSC is selecting such ‘breed’ of rebellious and anarchist lady officers? The sooner you get it, the better for your career.” He immediately gave charge of my sub-division to another officer and attached me to the district Collectorate.

I felt myself as an outcast within my service. No member of my own service supported or stood with me actively because caste factor was involved in it (passively some of them shared some of their own incidents when they were at loggerheads with politicians and advised me to just forget it as a bad nightmare and told me that I am ‘fortunate’ enough of for not getting suspended/punished after the incident). I was tagged as an immature officer. But most of my office subordinates and lawyers still protested and demanded arrest of the accused (the one who snatched my phone and passed lewd comments).

Later he was arrested but it took less than a week to get me transferred from the district (this was done to make things look a win-win situation to both district administration and the MLA) to Archaeological Department. I initially felt like resigning and was reluctant to get ‘used’ to the ‘doubted’ system, whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent but later I had to accept my fate and now believe myself hooked up in this crooked system (feels not an iota of shame in accepting it).

Lesson Learnt from the incident

My Seniors advised me that “better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt, because you yourself might get removed. No need to become crusader against anything or get melodramatic.” and so would I advise my coming generations of my fraternity. Only regret I felt was that my late nani, then advised me that if I were a man, things could have been different because I could have dealt with things in more ‘grown up’ manner.

After that incident I hardly got field postings or any post of public relevance. But I enjoy it as now I just waste my time sitting in state secretariat, having gala time here and away from such nuisance. Even can focus on my child’s education(my son recently told me that he wanted to become IAS officer thus he had heavy dose of scolding from me) and other household activities.

This election year even though that MLA was denied party ticket but now he is contesting from a national party. Hope public vote him again to power and so that he can become a cabinet minister. Results are to be declared soon. Long live, the great Indian democracy (no sarcasm meant). That misogynist officer and so called ‘Career Guru’ always gets rewarded for his ‘intelligence and wit’ and now heads a Rs 20,000-crore annual budget state-run authority and hasn’t been transferred from there for six years even after High Court direction (loopholes I guess). Hopes are high, he might become state chief secretary in near future.

Politicians have been lying to us. They say they are here to serve us, when in fact, they are serving themselves. And why?

They are driven by their own desires to get re-elected. Their need to stay in power eclipses their duty to govern.

I’d rather leave my office having accomplished something of value rather than to do Jee-huzoori so I could secure five years by entering politics and getting blessed (seat in Rajya Sabha or Legislative Council).

I always assure myself to do my duty with utmost sincerity because I believe if someone’s actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, he or she is a true administrator.

I just remember a poem by latePakistani poet Habib Jalib (my favourite poet); Mein Ne uss Se Yeh kaha isapt for that MLA and their bootlicking officers (sycophants).