Only in politics, and especially in India, are competence and performance irrelevant words.
I am reacting to the sacking of Laloo Prasad Yadav as the Railway Minister of India . He was, without doubt, one of the most competent ministers of the last five years. He was probably the best Railway Minister India has ever had.
Indian Railways is one of the most complex business organisations to run. It is the largest commercial employer in the world. Its scale is incredible. It carries a staggering number of people each day. Its historically been beset with problems with various Railway Ministers treating it as a gravy train (pun intended). It has suffered from chronic underinvestment. It has suffered from gross overmanning where its not needed and scarcity of talent where it is desperately wanted. It was making a significant loss.
Into this organisation , five years ago, stepped in Laloo. The rest is history. He seemed buffoon like and expectations were low. Instead he astounded the world by turning Indian Railways into a star. The story is too well known to be repeated. Sure he didn’t do it alone ; many thousands of railwaymen did it together. But, to the leader should justifiably go the credit. He became a much sought after speaker in universities to share the amazing success story.
And the reward for this success ? He’s been sacked. Yeah OK – it wasn’t because of his performance but because he walked away from the Congress alliance before the elections. But still, shouldn’t performance count ? To hell with political affiliations. The best man in the country to run the Railways is undoubtedly Laloo. Period. When will India have the courage to place merit and efficiency above all other considerations ?
Put the best man in the job. And see what happens to the country.
In, now, walks Mamata Banerjee. I can hear groans. But there were similar groans when Laloo took office five years ago. He taught us not to judge by outward appearances or first impressions. Maybe Mamata can surprise too.
But somehow, I find that difficult to believe. Time will tell. Meanwhile three cheers to Laloo Prasad Yadav.
I am reacting to the sacking of Laloo Prasad Yadav as the Railway Minister of India . He was, without doubt, one of the most competent ministers of the last five years. He was probably the best Railway Minister India has ever had.
Indian Railways is one of the most complex business organisations to run. It is the largest commercial employer in the world. Its scale is incredible. It carries a staggering number of people each day. Its historically been beset with problems with various Railway Ministers treating it as a gravy train (pun intended). It has suffered from chronic underinvestment. It has suffered from gross overmanning where its not needed and scarcity of talent where it is desperately wanted. It was making a significant loss.
Into this organisation , five years ago, stepped in Laloo. The rest is history. He seemed buffoon like and expectations were low. Instead he astounded the world by turning Indian Railways into a star. The story is too well known to be repeated. Sure he didn’t do it alone ; many thousands of railwaymen did it together. But, to the leader should justifiably go the credit. He became a much sought after speaker in universities to share the amazing success story.
And the reward for this success ? He’s been sacked. Yeah OK – it wasn’t because of his performance but because he walked away from the Congress alliance before the elections. But still, shouldn’t performance count ? To hell with political affiliations. The best man in the country to run the Railways is undoubtedly Laloo. Period. When will India have the courage to place merit and efficiency above all other considerations ?
Put the best man in the job. And see what happens to the country.
In, now, walks Mamata Banerjee. I can hear groans. But there were similar groans when Laloo took office five years ago. He taught us not to judge by outward appearances or first impressions. Maybe Mamata can surprise too.
But somehow, I find that difficult to believe. Time will tell. Meanwhile three cheers to Laloo Prasad Yadav.
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5 comments:
Hi Ramesh. I have been reading your blog regularly for some time now. And this is the first post where I had a difference of opinion and hence, a reason to comment :)
While singing Laloo's parises for work done as railway minister we very conveniently forget the scores of criminal charges against him and the Fodder Scam. This I think is the problem - the mob forgives and forgets too soon.
The turnaround in the railways' perfomrnace could very easily be an accounting trickery (and I am led to believe that more than anything else given Laloo's history of corruption). And the universities and B-schools who invited Laloo for guest lectures and for drawing case studies on the turnaround had an axe to grind as well - namely consulting projects for the Profs for the railways.
It almost felt like an 'I scratch your back you scratch mine' situation.
Hey thanks Ajay. Heartily welcome a different view - that's what a discussion is for anyway. Agree wholeheartedly on the dimension you have brought out. Laloo is certainly guilty of corruption and civil wrongdoing, although I don't think he has been criminally convicted as yet. My post was purely arguing for performance to be recognised, although if we bring the larger dimension you have rightly pointed out, he shouldn't have been a minister at all.
** sorry Ramesh, using this space for a comment not pertaining to this post.. this is to tag u on 'around the world in 80 clicks'**
Agree with U here.....LPY's ideas were simple but effective & the best part of it was tht he always took his decisions keeping the comman man in mind.
Lucid writing, enjoyed reading it:-)).
@Reflections - Thanks for dropping by and your kind comments.
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