One of my Finest Hours Part 2

Cometh the year 2012, I had to work in a different Department. It was a new building; the officers were also new. The Department was an important one in the Ministry of Home Affairs as compared to Rehabilitation Department. The work involved dealing with administrative matters related to the paramilitary forces. Although, the work was challenging, yet, I could not digest my transfer. To put it bluntly, I missed working under Palki Nehwal and Soni Lalwani. Honestly, I was closer to Palki Nehwal. For reasons which cannot be explained but understood, I missed them terribly. My rebellious streak and my indiscipline came to the forefront. It landed me in trouble. I did not like the new atmosphere. My performance dropped drastically. In the Rehabilitation Division, I used to submit an average of ten files in a day. In the new division, I struggled to submit even one. Soon, I was reprimanded for my attitude. I got a warning for my indiscipline. Nothing new for me, but considering the importance of the Division, it became a serious matter. I had altercations with my Reporting Officer at regular intervals.  I considered him a rude person. He considered me an upstart. This went on for a while. Soon, I got information that turned things upside down. It was related to my transfer order. As mentioned earlier, one of the things mentioned in the transfer order read, “No request for retaining the above officers would be entertained under any circumstances. This holds with the approval of the Secretary”. Subsequently, I came to know, I was the only official who was transferred. Other officials were retained in their Divisions. I also came to know that the said officials had problems related to discipline. All hell broke loose inside me. I confronted the administration on the matter related to my transfer. I was told that transfers and retentions were prerogatives of higher officials; an official like me should not question them.

I said, “These are not in conformity with the official order.”

I was politely told that it was the standard official language that was routinely used. I was furious but had to return empty-handed. Seething with anger, I submitted an application requesting a transfer to the Rehabilitation Division because the other four officials were retained against the order of the Secretary. I remember having written, that, not following the order of the Secretary was a serious offense. It took my officers by shock. My request was rejected. Meanwhile, my relations with my officers deteriorated. In my anger, I took full advantage of the situation and absented myself frequently. That was unacceptable to them. They did not know what to do. I did not budge from my position.

 

One day, I was severely reprimanded by my Reporting Officer. He warned me of taking strict action. Quietly, I went to my room and applied for Voluntary retirement on grounds of harassment.  It hit every officer hard. I had dared them in their den. I also accused the concerned officials of causing me severe psychosomatic problems. I submitted a copy of the treatment received from Safdarjung Medical Hospital. All the concerned officers got scared. It was an unprecedented situation.  I was determined to leave and they did not know what to do. They blinked. I was subsequently transferred from the Division. Wherever, I went, my reputation preceded me. No officer was willing to accept me. I became famous in my Ministry for the wrong reasons. For almost three years, I became an untouchable and a pariah. My request for voluntary retirement was not forwarded. 

 

Meanwhile, a personal tragedy struck me. In the year 2013, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. She expired after a few months. I was devastated. In complete disarray, I did not know what to do. I wandered like a vagabond. My psychosomatic problems became worse. I just survived. At the end of 2015, I was transferred to Rehabilitation Division. More than, three years had passed. I had virtually forgotten Palki Nehwal and Soni Lalwani. I rarely met them in between. Out of sight became out of mind. Destiny had again beckoned me to meet them. This time, it was a different story.

 

            Although, I had to work in the Rehabilitation Division, yet to my dismay, it was not to be under Soni Lalwani and Palki Nehwal. I was given a different Section. I came to know subsequently, that I was transferred previously from the said Division on the instructions of the Director, Shri R.K Vinayak. I was understandably upset. I did not join deliberately. Days went by. I spent my time reading in the library. Soon after a call came from the said Division that I had not joined. I was instructed by the Administration Division to do so. Reluctantly, I went and joined. The Division was shifted to a new building at Janpath, New Delhi from Lok Nayak Bhavan, Lodhi Road.

My new Officer was a lady named Ritu Madan. She was a fat and aggressive lady. She gave me a mouthful for joining late. To my shock, Shri R.K Vinayak remained my Director. I understood, it was he who had briefed her about me. It took time for the dust to settle. I met Soni Lalwani and Palki Nehwal. They were pleased to see me. Palki Nehwal warned me about my new officer.

“Ussey saavdhan rehna, (be wary of her), she is a dangerous lady.” Her words were prophetic. Worse was yet to come. It came in the form of Shri KS Rajput. He was the Division’s new Joint Secretary. A bachelor by choice, but had a terrible reputation. In his introductory session, he had warned about indiscipline and a lackadaisical approach toward work. He went on to say that he had suspended 10 officers before. Normally, an Assistant Section Officer does not have to meet a Joint Secretary regularly. I felt I could somehow manage. I outscored my other two colleagues both in quality and quantity of work. Indiscipline remained a big issue.

 

 Ms. Ritu Madan did not like me. I could sense it from her behaviour.  Soon the sitting arrangements of the officials were changed. By a coincidence, my seat was placed adjacent to the room of Soni Lalwani.  Palki Nehwal was in a different room. Thereafter a group of Data entry workers temporarily was inducted. It consisted of young boys and girls. They worked as supporting staff. I did my work and kept to myself, but lacked enthusiasm. Time changed many things. KS Rajput became a terror. Every day, he would admonish an officer in the Section and closely monitor every staff. In my entire service career, I had never experienced a Joint Secretary who monitored the work of every staff member of the Section. He used to hold a meeting of the Section Officers and above daily. Everyone dreaded him. The atmosphere in the Section became very uncomfortable. Incidentally, Ritu Madan and Soni Lalwani were in his good books. He appeared to have a particular affinity for Soni Lalwani. Most of the officers were insulted daily. Soon, Soni Lalwani was made in charge of the Administration of Rehabilitation Division. She did the job with aplomb. My mother’s death had left me disturbed. It was compounded by the behaviour of KS Rajput. The only breather the Department had, was when he had to go out of the State for an official purpose. The atmosphere in the Section would then become jovial. Young girls, namely, Kitu Chandana, Shilpa Sharma, and Shrishti Gupta whose seats were placed adjacent to me, chatted with me in their free time. In course of time, they began to enjoy my company and me with them. It irked Soni Lalwani and Ritu Madan. My habit of humming while doing the work and Soni Lalwani’s singing inside her room in a low tone remained intact. The above-mentioned girls working adjacent to me complimented me on my humming.

Once Kitu said, “Sir jab aap gungunate hou, phir hum sab aapko sirf sunte hai”(Sir, When you hum, we listen to you intently).”

I replied with a polite ‘thanks’ and said, “It is a big compliment to me. At least it gives me the incentive to work in this hostile atmosphere.” They laughed unanimously. Old times had revisited differently. I used to help them with their work.

 

Ritu Madan continued to find new ways of altercations with me. One day, she complained to Soni Lalwani about my proximity to the girls. She became upset. In my spare time, I went to Palki Nehwal and gossiped with her.

One day she said, “Mr. Chowdhury, Soni, and Ritu do not like you to meet me. They become jealous.”

I replied, “I take it as a big compliment.”

 She laughed.

I said, “As long as you do not object, I will keep on coming. The day you object, I will not. It is a promise.”

 She said ‘Ok’ with a big smile. She also had her limitations. After all, it was an office, and the atmosphere had changed dramatically.

 

One day, probably, irked by my proximity to the girls, Soni Lalwani reprimanded the girls for no worthwhile reason. They had to endure it or risk losing their jobs. Amidst these incidents, my humming and her singing continued. One day, while humming and being engrossed in the work, she stood behind me. I was oblivious to her presence. Later, Kitu Chandana, told me that she was intently listening to my humming and gestured for them to keep quiet. When my humming stopped, she went away.

 

 Meanwhile, my relations with Ritu Madan deteriorated. I promptly requested a transfer from the Section. It had a devastating effect. Ritu Madan took my application for transfer to KS Rajput. It was rejected. Up to then, my indiscipline was condoned, because, I had supposedly outscored my colleagues as far as the quality of work in the Section was concerned. My transfer application had hurt Ritu’s ego. Along with RK Vinayak, the Director, they instigated KS Rajput. Although my work output was good, my discipline remained poor. 

“Why was I not told about this before?” asked KS Rajput. Thereafter, he went for the jugular. He blamed Soni Lalwani, who was in charge of the Administration. She wrote a note against me. My attendance register was sought. Absenteeism and late coming became my Achilles heel. I had no defence against it. KS Rajput initiated disciplinary proceedings against me. The Administration of the Ministry gave me a memorandum and threatened me with a major penalty. For the first time in my career, I became scared of losing my job. After consulting senior colleagues in the Ministry and a lawyer who dealt with such matters, I was advised to submit a medical certificate of my treatment, consequent to the demise of my mother. That was the only defence I had. It came to my rescue.

Initiating disciplinary proceedings against an official who had undergone treatment due to the demise of his mother is not an easy thing to do. The Administration kept my proceedings in abeyance. Meanwhile, Soni Lalwani talked to Palki Nehwal about my predicament. Palki was advised to counsel me. “He won’t listen to me, I know, he will listen to you,” she said. 

One day, Palki Nehwal took me to a canteen and counselled me.

“Just talk to KS Rajput once,” she implored. “Tell him about your problems, he would surely listen,” she said.

Reluctantly, I accepted her advice. I had no other option. One day, I summoned enough courage to talk to him. He was receptive to me and gave a patient hearing. I told him, consequent to the demise of my mother, I was disturbed and it had adversely affected my work and discipline.

To my surprise, KP Rajput relented.

“OK, Mr. Chowdhary, I will give you one opportunity. I will closely monitor you. Do not give your officers reason to complain,” said he. I breathed a sigh of relief and went back to my room. Ritu Madan and RK Vinayak were delighted at my predicament. I was demoralized. I had to bow down.