tehelka 

Fine, the first Act of the tehelka episode is over. The first round was lost. By George. There have been opinions -- sharply digital, fortunately. People either say -- yes, those involved must be sacked or it is no great deal as no commitments were entered into.

Neither Jaya nor Laxman has stated anything that was ethically incorrect. So their innocence is proved. QED. But of the officers -- yes, departmental action must be taken against them. Their conduct is deplorable.

I am going to take the case of these "indefensible" people. We are victims of an unkind environment. So My Lord! here is my argument..

Who was he? Chawla. Yes, Chawla was his name. The more I struggle to remove him from the memory, the less I am successful. I was forced to meet Chawla. Several times in the course of last fifteen months.

My garage was broken into. Fittings in the car were stolen. Loss was estimated at five grand. The loss could have been more. There was a pointer in the last statement. I failed to recognise at that time. I should have kept quiet. I didn't. I said I had insurance. A comprehensive one at that. Insurance is meant for such exigencies.

So I preferred a claim. All my troubles started then. The surveyor had to be called. He was not answering the telephone. When I ring up his office, he was believed to be in his house. When I ring his home, he is in the office. When I call both simultaneously, he is somewhere on the way or out on business. The FIR had to be lodged. That was done with great difficulty.

What do I do after that? I ask the Insurance people. Chawla was my node at the Insurance office. He said you wait. How long?  Till you get a disposal. Getting tired and giving up the whole affair was also a kind of disposal - I didn't understand then. I was persistent.

Three  reminders and four months later, when Chawla was tired of giving  me the same excuse, I was asked to produce a certificate from the Police. The stolen articles could indeed be not traced. Why would the police issue such a statement? The stolen goods could not be traced in six months -- ok, maybe they are located after four  years. What would Chawla do then?

After lot of coaxing, several sieges at the SHO, I obtained the certificate. I assumed Chawla  would not like to see my face any more and therefore dismiss me fast. No. I was mistaken -- again.

To make the long story short, six months further down the line,  there was a whisper of a flicker at the end of the tunnel. Chawla promised the cheque will be posted by Registered AD to my last known address. Why would that not be given to me immediately on hand? Because we do not know who you are. No witnesses or affidavits would let him change the decision. The postman is a better bet and the postman alone can take the risk which Chawla did not want to face. I was hurt. It was the proverbial last straw.

I told, "Mr Chawla, you are engaged in a public utility service. This does not insist that you be efficient. You made me feel like a fool. You insulted. And I tolerated, with no recourse to remedial  action. I have been thrown into a corner. My blood is boiling. I need to discover an outlet for all the pent up outrage. Look, I am also engaged in a service infrastructure. Like you. It does not matter if it concerns electricity, water supply, sewage or whatever. I also entertain public, complaints, brickbats -- never bouquets"

"I reckon I did not deserve the treatment meted out to me. I do not want to take this lying. You have to pay for this. I am sure the tables will soon be turned. One day I will be sitting in that chair. And you will be sulking in front of me. I shall have the sadistic pleasure of teasing, torturing and tonsuring  you. I shall enjoy denying your case"

"Gentleman!" said Chawla " You may however be denied that pleasure. I am sorry to advise such a situation is purely hypothetical and highly improbable. One should learn to recognise and act on the signals. That being beside the point leave me at my work. Other clients waiting"

"People say that public servants cannot be efficient. When you pay nuts you get only monkeys to work for you. It is presumed that if you pay decent, you ought to get experts. Far from that. You get smarter monkeys!"

Chawla said that whatever he did was within the framework of the rules. "That is the problem with you guys. You are gate keepers. You place umpteen obstacles to stop people on the way. You have no means to find out measures to get things done or improve productivity" 

To which Chawla  recalled that he was not being paid to be generous. His business was very clear. That was the hint for me to get lost.

"You  fellows  shall  not escape punishment. I am not going to complain to your boss. Neither am I calling the police, CBI or the IB. I am going to make you pay in your own terms. From this micro second I shall find excuses to delay cases for everybody in my fiefdom"

My dear reader! It is possible I have blown my top on you. You thought it was not called for. You rang up my home. I was in the bathroom. You called my office -- I was in a meeting. I ditched the appointment you fixed with my PA after lot of persuasion. Believe me I did not opt for this disgusting disposition by choice. It was thrust on me. Honestly, I was busy -- always busy fixing things with a Chawla or a Chopra, Ahluwalia, Sayal, Gupta or a Sayani. Agreed, it is despicable. You cannot battle this rot alone. This kind of degeneration has to be fought by all of us together. If you mount an effort do count me in. If you do not want to, let us part company -- now. I shall go my own way --