Recognising positives in the course of life’s journey, despite the more obvious hardships and problems as negatives that people at large are compelled to encounter itself, reflects positive outlook towards sources causing undesirable situations. Doing so on every occasion and in all circumstances, not given to most people, is a matter of habit. Given the wide diversity on a plethora of counts by which the land’s diaspora take fascination to portray themselves in public domain, there being enormous scope for conflict and confrontation among the people for reasons, not all of which cannot be called frivolous, the habit of perceiving positives prompts one to liken it to the quality of mercy, which the Bard said It blesseth him that gives and him that receives. Both informed citizens and lay people take fascination to pass their remarks on many provisions in the nation’s Constitution and various measures by the successive Governments more often highlighting negative aspects while the intent of such provisions and measures cannot be doubted. In any case, the hallmark of Democracy is for the functionaries in the Government to put service before self.

The factor of transparency in both selection of individuals by respective political parties to contest in polls to elect people’s representatives to play the role of governing the land and functionaries for the executive arm of the Government is often claimed by the powers-that-be. However, other factors including trustworthiness and loyalty, as perceived in others, seems to override transparency.

Preference to the progeny of those heading the land’s various political parties to perpetuate the family hold on deciding in matters of policy and action is common knowledge, described by the term dynasty. Digging into pages of the country’s long history, one notices the birth and death of a large number of dynasties of rulers in different regions at different times. However, the contemporary political dynasties of some well-marked political parties seem to be holding on for much too long time. The mantle of leading the party is unabashedly passed on to the kin of successive generations. Next comes the openly practiced acts of appointing relatives as heads of various public bodies such as Corporations and Boards with clout and plentiful opportunities to siphon off cash from public funds.

In the foregoing backdrop, the clarion call given by the Prime Minister last week to his Council of Ministers not to appoint their near and dear ones for key posts in Ministries sounds more like a plea than a diktat. One cannot be faulted to recollect the expression that a leopard cannot change its spots, as the principle of service after self rubs off on the land’s netas, barring few exceptions.