Abodh Sharma
Jammu, Sept 6: Amidst several events that shook the conscience of the city during the last week, the posting of the new Chief Education Officer has perhaps been the most celebrated event in Jammu, generating huge unwarranted euphoria.
Sycophants have converted this routine posting of new CEO Jammu as a festivity that is being celebrated with repulsively exaggerated enthusiasm. The scenes observed at the CEO office as the incumbent Tarsem Lal assumed office resembled victory rallies of politicians after winning elections, or those seen when political heavy weights set out to file their nomination papers.
Three days after he was posted as CEO Jammu replacing Natha Ram, who was posted as Dy Secretary in the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education, Various delegations of teachers, masters, lecturers and others have been pouring in to congratulate Tarsem Lal as if he had accomplished a maiden feat by being posted as CEO Jammu. Interestingly, many of these delegations have been escorting cameramen from local television channels along and the news of his assuming office has been telecast repeatedly, with the CEO himself obliging with on camera bytes.
"I was taken aback by the uncalled for show off by the sycophants… after all it was just a posting" said Dalbir Singh, a retired Government employee. "I have seen many an officers assuming charge at many postings during my service career, but this show off is ridiculous" he added. Meanwhile, an insider said, the new CEO had himself been calling his loyalists to arrange delegations to visit him.
"I happened to be in the office of CEO for my personal work when a populous delegation of lecturers arrived with boxes of sweets and garlands to congratulate the new CEO; It looked very repulsive" said Kuldip Raj, also a lecturer. "Such was the euphoria that the members of delegation parked their vehicles haphazardly in the compound of the office and cars of visitors were struck in the mess for hours till the 'overjoyed' members of the delegation left" he said adding, "all of them had shunned their classes and other responsibilities to celebrate the joining of the new CEO."
Strangely, while the administration has in the past put many a Government servants under suspension for absenting themselves from their places of postings, a sizeable number of teachers, masters, lecturers and even principals are being lining outside the office of the CEO to mark their attendance before the new incumbent rather than in their designated offices. |
