Holiday pooper: Delhi's babus are not happy with PM Modi's Swachhta campaign

New Delhi: Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of an India which was not only free but also clean and developed. Mahatma Gandhi secured freedom for Mother India. Now it is our duty to serve Mother India by keeping the country neat and clean”, the world heard Narendra Modi say along these lines at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday. Thousands of Indian-Americans responded “Yeah!Yeah!” These words now form the opening lines of the Swachhta pledge that lakhs of government employees will be obliged to take tomorrow, 2 October, to mark the formal launch of the Swachh Bharat Mission. Modi has decided to commemorate Gandhi’s birthday on a scale and style that no one in the Congress party ever imagined. For the first time, a national holiday becomes a national working day, albeit with a difference – members of the ruling political class and officials used to shouting out orders to their subordinate staff at best, will now be compelled to hold brooms and dusters, going around their offices or streets cleaning, that too in their daily business attire. Modi’s clean India intentions are no doubt laudable but in the immediate run, the move has had an impact on three levels – administrative, social and political – all leading in different directions. [caption id=“attachment_1739337” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  PTI[/caption] The Babus, many of whom who had so whole heartedly supported him during the elections and enthusiastically voted for him, are now muttering against him, for snatching away their off day - something considered to be almost a birthright. What has made it even worse is the order, in form of a circular or otherwise, that leave of all officials (already taken in advance, even if already outstation) stands cancelled and they have to report to work. Most importantly they will have to be a part of the photo-op and seen to be dusting and cleaning with a broom or some other implement. Given the fact that this is a top priority matter for the Prime Minister, the officials are well aware of consequent sensitivities. No one is willing to take any chances. So although they are cribbing, they will comply. However the order has disturbed their whole holiday schedule. Oct 1 Mahasaptmi is restricted holiday (every employee is entitled to two restricted holidays), Oct 2 Mahatma Gandhi birthday is National Holiday, Oct 3 is Dussehra, Oct 4 is Saturday and Oct 5 is Sunday. This gives them a clean five days off, without applying for any leave. Some had made travel plans. Train and air tickets already booked. Requesting anonymity a senior official told Firstpost that he had booked air tickets for him and his wife for Goa on 2 October morning. A hotel room was also booked. But all that planning has come to naught. The air ticket is non-refundable, as is the hotel booking. All direct flights to Goa from Delhi are booked for the whole week while even other circular flights are simply too expensive. The once avid Modi fan is so disillusioned he hates everything about his job now. Another RBI official who is going to the North-East via Mumbai on LTC, is thanking his luck that he booked an evening flight on 2 October. At office, they will be required to read a pledge “…I will devote 100 hours per year that is two hours per week to voluntarily work for cleanliness. I will neither litter nor let others litter. I will encourage 100 others take this pledge which I am taking today.” Two union ministers, Nitin Gadkari and Prakash javdekar who have been out of Delhi for about a week in light of the Maharashtra elections will return to the capital to take part in the Swachhta mission. Other Ministers and MPs have been instructed to go out into their respective states and constituencies. But beyond picking up a broom for a photo-op, there is no other innovative idea for a clean India drive. And if you thought life was bad for the babus, consider the plight of the All India Radio staffers who will not only lose their 2 October holiday, but will also have to work on 3 October because Modi will be making a Radio only speech. This will be the first such broadcast by any Prime Minister in the last few decades. The broadcast is intended to reach the millions in the hinterland, who do not access to have television. The order is applicable to all PSUs as well. A DoPT circular issued on Tuesday night has given some respite to those working in 16 central government buildings in and around India Gate in the Capital. These offices will be closed at 2 pm today and will open at 10.30 tomorrow. The launch function is at 8.30 am at Rafi Marg crossing in same area. The officials may be cribbing and even cursing but by taking these measures, Modi is sending a message to the people at large. He wants that connect with people. He is thus taking radio to communicate with them next day. It is something that should be picked by TV as well. The BJP leaders believe that in any case there would not be any news on Oct 3, Dussehra and Modi will use the opportunity to hog the headlines, yet again. He will also conduct an elaborate Shahstra Puja that day. By making a national holiday a working day for all government employees from secretary to peons, Modi is also testing the might and reach of the government just as he did for his Jan dhan yojna and his nationwide interaction with students and teachers on 5 September. He does not seem to care much for the opinion of the babus, at least for now. Public opinion in any case is against officials and if Modi is seen to make them work it could go in his favour. At the political level, Modi’s idea to make himself the true inheritor of Gandhi’s legacy, should worry Congress. He has successfully hijacked Sardar Patel and Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan from Congress and is now pitching for the biggest symbol of free India. By announcing that he has to dedicate a clean India to Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary in 2019. At Madison square Gardens, Modi indirectly likened himself with Mahtama Gandhi – it was Gandhi who made freedom struggle a mass movement and he (Modi) intends to make development and cleanliness a mass movement. Outside of the venue, an enthusiastic lady supporter cheerfully had said “Have you seen Mahatma Gandhi? I have just seen another Mahatma Gandhi in Modi.” That’s a highly debatable view, but the fact that Modi has found some supporters who publicly say things like that should spell more trouble for Congress. The party’s first family will make with the routine Rajghat trip, but Modi will do much more than that.