The Matters of Grey

Insider Trading, Corruption, Nepotism, Favouritism, Conflict of Interest – these are all words one can hear often when Government/Politics is being discussed. These are also words that have enough destructive power to overthrow governments, cause great losses to society and sometimes even death. In an interview with Robert Frost, long after the Watergate scandal broke out, Richard Nixon shouted “When the President does it that means it is not illegal”. When Nixon would’ve directly/indirectly ordered the tapping of phones, was he fully aware of his actions? Did he know what the gravity of the matter was? When I first watched the interview, I found the incident too far to relate to. When the 2G Scam and the Coal Scam broke out, it still was all in the air. I knew it was wrong but I didn’t quite understand the core of it.

For more than a year now I have been working with a state government very closely. Associated with its highest office and with an extremely broad mandate, I have access to almost everything under its purview. While most of my time is spent trying to solve for problems in governance and then assist the machinery in their implementation, I often find myself in situations that are not entirely black or white. Sometimes, I’m in a meeting where I become privy to information I otherwise wouldn’t be, information that is damaging to some and useful to others. At others, I’m handed over a file that involves matters that are not just sensitive but also burdensome to carry (metaphorically). A lot of what goes on in the higher echelons of governments is not visible to the world outside. There are conversations, decisions, and strategies that influence a large section of the population, sometimes smaller, but happen in a matter of few minutes. Most of these aren’t public knowledge.

Recently, I met with an old friend of mine who was preparing for a certain exam conducted by the Govt. The exams have been scheduled and cancelled multiple times without any reasons furnished by the exam agency. My friend who is very passionate about the role and has been working hard now finds it very difficult to hold on to the career. During the conversation, I could sense the frustration and as a friend it is my duty to comfort and provide support. Now it so happens, that because of my work I am privy to the information about those exams. I am also privy to the information of what is happening with it. Furthermore, I do have the access to the calendar of the exams. When one knows the answer is simple, temptation is not hard to come by. What’s going to happen if I just tell this one small thing to my friend? It’s not like I’m causing great loss to the exchequer or even giving away some information on national security. One date, one number, it’s not much, no? In a matter of few minutes, I understood the gravity of Nixon’s statement so many decades ago. I nodded my head quietly and changed the topic. Little did my friend know that the conversation was a loaded one.

Insider trading is not a complex game of numbers and statistics, it is just one person talking to another. Nepotism is not a well thought out strategy, it is just a person looking out for a close one. Corruption is nothing but expecting favours in return of another. All of this part of everybody’s lives. What then is wrong with them?

Cut to last year. Many of us have at times travelled without tickets, in trains or in buses. Some of us have fought for seats and won against others. I was on a field visit to a district. Sitting with the district officer for state transport I was trying to understand his role and the functioning of the offices under him. I spent a couple of hours with him gathering data and insights over few cups of tea and some snacks. At the end of it, I stood up to bid him goodbye but knowing that I was there from a higher office, he offered to arrange for my transportation to another district (where I had to be) which I politely refused despite his insistence. I asked where I could find a local bus which would take me instead. He called his assistant immediately and asked him to escort me to the bus. The assistant taking long strides walked ahead of me. The bus which was just about to leave was stopped by him. He had a quick chat with the conductor and got me to hop on. The bus was a wee bit crowded. The conductor asked an old man sitting on one of the seats to get up to make place for me. I asked him not to but in vain. I sat down in the seat looking downwards to avoid the embarrassing eye contact I’d have to make with the people around. The old man got off the bus angrily shouting how he could be thrown out. The bus started. I couldn’t say anything. I wasn’t charged a penny for my ride either.

As I sat staring into space for almost two hours, I thought about what access, privilege and influence meant. The only reason for me to even have been on that bus was access. The only reason for me to have gotten a seat was influence. The only reason I didn’t have to pay a penny was privilege. A lot of us are born with certain privileges, this isn’t the same kind. This is a privilege that stems out of perceived power, one that is thrust upon you by the people around who either feel you are entitled to it and deserve it. That old man who had ensured he got to the bus station early, probably struggled to get a seat and then paid for his ticket was simply thrown out. Was my effort (of having access) of more value than his? Would any other person have received the same treatment as I did had he mentioned that he wanted to be on that bus? Would I have, had it not been for that quick chat the assistant had had?

Back to this year. A brainstorming meeting. We were discussing how we can keep track of the impact our initiatives are creating. The simple solution was to count the number of people as and when they get employed through the support of the Govt. But how does one do that? One of the ideas floated was to make it mandatory for everyone wanting to avail the support to have to register on a certain database which involves manual verification of documents. Simple enough. As an individual, if I was made to run to another office in order to get employed would it be very convenient? One of the persons even said, “If the Govt., is helping so much why can’t they just make the effort and come to the office? We should enforce at least this much” The decision never went through but had it been so, I would’ve been party to something very cumbersome and unnecessary. Not many who are closely involved in the functioning of the Govt., understand the nuances of their working. In small ways, the privilege seeps into one’s life. Why can’t the bus wait for just a minute more? I’m almost there. Why doesn’t this person just listen to my solution? Why won’t this information just be provided? I’m just asking for few “conveniences” in order to function better, for the people, for the Govt, for the society. Before you know it, they convert to why can’t this section of people just make it convenient for me to do/not do something?

Convenience of one person is a struggle for the other. Every time I encounter an issue that is even remotely grey, I go back to that old man who had to get off the bus. Had he been here, would he have been given the same treatment as I have/will receive? In matters of grey, I think I have been able to draw the line for myself. Though the line too is very grey, it is an evolving one.

For all those who work in the sector one of the most dangerous traps to fall into is the grey. How can you identify the trap? Empathy. Let the word sink in. Deep enough to understand its relevance and gravity. It cannot be compartmentalized to be used in certain cases alone. It is built consciously in everyday life. When you speak, when you walk, when you sit, when you buy, when you offer, when you party, when you sneeze, when you cough, when you laugh. Empathy has to be an all pervasive aspect. It is easier said than done. But awareness is the first step, no?