Without any personal prejudice to the ongoing debate and issue of alleged harassment caused by the Health Minister to a Lady Doctor in Jammu, the allegations by the doctor and counter reply by the minister, the debate and moot question here is about the apron, the minister alleges the lady doctor wasn’t wearing the apron, whereas the doctor says she was in social gathering so did not felt the need to wear it and the minister was rude.
There are different statements from different people about the issue, some supporting the doctor others standing with the ministers justifying his action. Therefore without having any proof that who is economical with the truth, let us not take sides.
But this episode really calls for a debate about dress codes for different professionals, people associated with medical field are suppose to put on white dress, those in legal professions’ black, people associated with defence and security forces also have a guideline for their dress codes. Every profession here is suppose to follow proper dress code while on duty, even where there is no such guidelines for any dress code then also people working there adopt self adopted pattern of dress and that may not be necessarily a uniform.
In our country every Public Servant is suppose to enter and leave his office on time, for every job in the country be it even of temporary class iv or labourer, there is minimum fixed educational qualification, fixed minimum and maximum age to join any job but when it comes to the politicians of the country, there is no guideline, rule. They are above the law, there is no fixed time for ministers to enter their offices and they also not accountable to anyone whether they come at 2 in the afternoon or 10 P.M late night
They may go to their office as and when they wish and if feel not, they can even call the officers at their home without any liability. Every officers be it senior or junior is suppose to own and display an identity card at least while on duty but most of the ministers and legislatures here feel that everyone must recognize and salute them whenever and wherever they go, obviously necessarily not with their performance of work but with the hefty security apparatus and coterie of sycophants around them.
When we say everyone is equal before the eye of law then why this double standards, why our politicians in these last 66 years did not make any such law to make them accountable and disciplined, why they always tried to burden the ordinary citizens with rules and law and always wanted immunity from law. Surely the officers must reach their offices well on time and should not leave their seats before the office hours and follow proper dress code ( if asked by law) but why our Mantris, MLA’s, MLCs, MPs do not follow any dress code, why they not legally accountable.
Though we should not impose any uniform for our Member of Parliament and Legislatures because they come from different parts of the country and state respectively but they should also have a dress code. Wearing a garland of currency notes by a minister in an official program is not acceptable, Under Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and RBI Act, 1934, the Reserve Bank of India have already stringently warned everyone that Banknotes should be respected as they are a symbol of the ‘Sovereign’ and no one should misuse them. A Minister may be allowed to choose whether to wear Kurta Pyajma, Dhoti or Jeans whatever he likes but not Currency Notes. I strongly support a well behaved dress code for politicians.
( Raman Sharma, is an RTI activist and can be reached at jkrtiact@gmail.com )