Shades of leadership

Demonstrated leadership

In little more than three years of my stay in Arunachal Pradesh, despite my handicap of being a cynic, one has to accept that there are few young administrators who are serving with missionary zeal in this time and age. One has to acknowledge that all IAS and IPS officials don’t take their assignment to Arunachal Pradesh as a holiday package; there are few indomitable personalities with good intent to serve the society, without fear or/and favour.

To begin with, one has to give it to the spirit of the new deputy commissioner (DC), Sanjay Goel and the superintendent of police (SP) for capital complex, Surendra Kumar, for what they have achieved in terms of working with the team and for the people, in less than a year of service to the capital complex.

          One, we all have witnessed the tug-of-war on NH 52A expansion project since 2009 and it appeared as the most dreaded assignment  for the administrator wherein many of the seasoned administrators failed to deliver the goods but Goel made it look so easy and simple. He, we have seen him supervising demolitions along with Talo Potom, has just gone about bringing down the structures falling within  Right of Way; construction work is on fast track and all these have been done without much ado. This time, none have heard a soul of any stature crying foul unlike good old days wherein powerful lobby would meddle with administration and stop the process. Days are not far, when traffic would flow like river Siang- smoothly.

On the other-hand, SP of capital complex, Surendra Kumar has changed the image of the police force-from lackadaisical to dependable. In the recent past, law and order has dramatically changed for the better. Without dispute, it has come about with the effort of Kumar who took over the reign as city police chief.

It is interesting that Kumar inherited core team members from his predecessors at both Naharlagun and Itanagar police stations but there is sea-change in the quality of performance of this very same team. Perhaps, if memory serves right, all the cases that took place during Kumar’s tenure so far has been solved within month, if not few weeks or days.  In a very short span of time, Kumar and his team has restored semblance of law and order; commoners have come around to respect the uniform; and sure enough, criminals must be loathing the men in uniform.

Together, these two young officers-Goel an IAS and Kumar an IPS- has demonstrated their good intents for the good of the society. Most of all, together they have displayed what ‘well-intended’ leadership can do to a lackadaisical team.

Leadership sans decency

Last Friday’s assault on Director (School Education) Tapang Taloh has been one of the most unfortunate incidents in the recent past- not because a high ranking officer was physically attacked but because this shameful act was committed by young students’ leaders. Whatever may have been the provocation or frustration, it is absolutely condemnable to note that an elderly person was assaulted. To assault an elderly person like Tapang Taloh who has spent his entire life serving as teacher to thousands of new generation Arunachal Pradesh should go down as one of the saddest day. What kind of youth leadership qualities is being flaunted? Who are the role-models for such activism?

One hear that there was a dharna against Tapang Taloh even today; why weren't such rally organized earlier; are these organizations trying to justify their criminal act? Why do we have to label allegation of “seeking chai-paani”, after assaulting someone or after being arrested by the cops.  No effort would justify their juvenile acts.

We all agree that people in position of power are rude at times; let’s accept that they talk impolitely and snub you most of the time; officials do flex power; also, lets accept that it’s done by all-irrespective of community. However, least expected from well educated youngsters, contemporaries and elders are to sniff around for communal conspiracy for every acts of confrontation between two communities. We all need to discourage everyone whosoever is propagating the “communal theory”.

Why just single out the officers and officials for their attitudes. One gets the sense that officials have earned it to wear their attitude on sleeves but what about the arrogant, stupid young men on the roads that we encounter on daily basis with 'dare touch me' attitude? Does it mean that we go about thrashing that bunch of idiots/ rogues? Do we all have to become a cowboy to survive or live in this part of Arunachal Pradesh?

In this “power-flexing” game, let’s not forget that deceased family members are still seeking justice, Late Arki Taku’s wife and children need a bread-earner in the family. Hope high ranking government officials intervene to accommodate their desire.

------