Playing Santa with a clause

Good Governance Day has been marked for December 25. Too bad it’s Christmas! The government may have been correct in its own right in deciding to celebrate the birthday of former Prime Minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee as GGD but for many, cheer in the season to be jolly could have been lost. That’s clearly playing Santa with a clause.

A lot of faces among public servants are bound to turn red and green — Christmas colours of joy by contrast. Their break broken, there will be many a silent protest inside from the babus on Sushasan Divas for sure. For a working day in the middle of a holiday season is certainly bound to throw social plans awry and tear one away from family time. Wonder if such treatment can evoke optimum performance at work, a must for good governance.

Rather than demarcating a day to send the message of good governance, effort should be on to make it a continuous process. Certainly not just a day which showcases good by highlighting the achievements and activities that the government of the day is duty bound to perform.

Delivering addresses, organising exhibitions, releasing brochures, dossiers depicting efficiency and awareness programmes do not cut much ice in this cold month. Rather, people should be reached out and made to feel the warmth of the government all through the year via citizen-centric initiatives for them to keep the faith, come Christmas.

Simplification of procedures and processes will surely lead to effective and accountable governance and that is something the powers that be need to ponder to foster awareness among people. Also, holidays/ festivals of all faiths need to be respected for the citizens to feel inclusive. Or is this the new testament? Jesus Christ!