American author, journalist, and activist Ta-Nehisi Paul Coates wrote in one of his books, “This officer, given maximum power, bore minimum responsibility.”
A look at the present state of affairs in Goa seems to confirm what Coates articulated in his book, Between the World and Me. In recent years, Goa has suffered due to a tainted bureaucracy alongside an equally tarnished political class.
The latest addition to this troubling narrative is the senior-most bureaucrat of the State, Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, who has been transferred out of Goa. Goel found himself at the centre of controversy following the alleged conversion and purchase of 1,875 square metres of land in Aldona village. His transfer occurred just days after the High Court of Bombay at Goa issued notices to him and others in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) writ petition challenging the purchase of the land for Rs 2.60 crore after it was converted from orchard to settlement. The most surprising aspect of the land conversion was that he had made notings on the file regarding the land he himself purchased.
Earlier this year, Goa’s highest-ranked police officer, Director General of Police (DGP) Jaspal Singh, was transferred to Delhi after his role came under scrutiny following an outcry over the demolition of the Agarwadekar house at Assagao by a builder using bouncers in June. During the inquiry conducted by the Chief Secretary, the then Anjuna Police Inspector Prashal Desai, who was placed under suspension, submitted a report stating that the DGP allegedly threatened and pressured him to facilitate the demolition of the Agarwadekar house on June 22.
Last August, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) suspended then Deputy Inspector General (DIG) A Koan, IPS, for allegedly misbehaving with a female tourist at a well-known pub in Baga, Calangute. The IPS officer, who had been posted in the State government service just months earlier, reportedly misbehaved with a woman after entering into an altercation with her friend. In an inebriated state, he engaged in an argument with the woman and her friend. However, after nearly a year, in July this year, he was reinstated and transferred to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
In January 2013, then Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sanjay Singh was transferred following a request from then Chief Minister, the late Manohar Parrikar. The IGP had allegedly allowed a foreign woman to drive his official car, and a photograph of her doing so was posted on social media. The Chief Minister was also displeased with the officer for frequently attending parties at clubs and for suppressing a shooting incident at a high-profile club in Morjim on New Year’s Eve in December 2012.
The infamous drug mafia-police-politician nexus has made headlines for years, yet the House Committee report of 2013, yielded no significant results.
During a debate on Herald TV last year, a retired senior police officer remarked, “In the last five or six years, we have had so many bad officers who are thrusted or pushed on us. Being from the AGMUT cadre, they were pushed into Goa, and they have not only miserably failed but have also spoiled our force.”
Speaking on the floor of the House during the monsoon session of the Goa Legislative Assembly, Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao stated that the law and order situation in the state is deteriorating, with criminals acting without fear and some police officers allegedly involved in criminal activities. He was pointing at the involvement of police personnel from various ranks in activities ranging from harassment of tourists to siphoning off money paid as fines by motorists.
However, the political class cannot claim to be holier than thou, as they are equally tarnished by their involvement in activities that require bending the rules. From land conversions to illegal construction and the perpetuation of corruption, politicians have mastered the art of ‘survival of the ruling class’. How else can one explain the ‘washing machine’ syndrome, wherein anyone facing allegations of corruption and criminal activities emerges as a clean figure once they join the ruling political dispensation?
Without a doubt, the same syndrome operates in the case of bureaucrats, who repeatedly tarnish the image of their services for personal gain and then escape accountability. It is a clear deal of “you scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours,” resulting in no meaningful outcomes from investigations into the numerous allegations against bureaucrats or politicians.
Citizens must remain vigilant regarding the politician-bureaucrat nexus to foster a healthier society. Wherever required, the public should call out such misdemeanors and approach the courts. While the two pillars of democracy have failed, citizens alongwith the judiciary and the fourth pillar – media, should work towards safeguarding the State.