A Civil Servant Remembers
The PUC (paper under consideration)
Is a d.o from the ministry of welfare
About the sixth schedule of the constitution
Being applied outside its proper sphere.
As the hon. Minister is already seized
This measure was hitherto only in operation
In the six state of the extreme north-east
Being too radical for the rest of the nation.
But now the chief minister deems it expedient
To have something unconsidered heretofore
(I know political expediency is the best argument
And I need that post retirement sinecure!)
So I have spoken to all the departments
The law department, finance and GAD
All agree with one voice without comment.
Of course they had no choice but to agree.
The only dissenting voice, as always,
Is the secretary of Tribal Welfare.
This man is unfortunately set in his ways
And has become a professional nay-sayer.
He should know politicians alone have the right
To fame public policy and enact law
They alone have the people’s mandate
A civil servant is only a cat’s paw.
A civil servant relies on circumspection.
Caution and prudence are his real métier.
A servant may use all his discretion
But he is still a servant at the end of the day.
Of course the secretary doesn’t agree with my views
He thinks we are guardians in the old sense.
For him idealism is sufficient excuse
To set aside prudence and common sense.
With so many years of service
He ought to have known better
It is that it should come to this.
But his views need not delay the matter
We can therefore forthwith comply
With HCM’s wishes and commands.
Before the next election comes by
The matter should be out of our hands.
Let the GOI deal with it as they deem fit,
Dispose it off in whatever manner they devise.
We shall reap the electoral harvest
Whether it be rejected or otherwise.
