Intellectual Slavery.

Whenever a State minister or Central minister of our country, come to address a meeting or inaugurate a function at an educational institute (An example), I see plethora of officials connected with the institute accompanying him/her vying with each other to be as close as possible to the minister, with folded hands trying to explain a point here and a point there. These scenes we see regularly being shown on TV, and published as a photo feature in the national newspapers.

The body language of these officials irritates me. They reflect an attitude of Servility. These officials go overboard, and reply to the queries of the ministers in a slavish manner, repeatedly uttering - ‘Yes Sir’. This is again annoying.

The leaders want this attention, and should they feel absent of it, they express their annoyance in no uncertain terms. Sometimes, the head of the institute is pulled up for not extending ‘due’ courtesies to an elected representative!

It is a pity that this culture is so ingrained in this country that a powerful intellectual lobby that is capable of influencing a public issue is wanting.

There are ever so many associations representing their interests, but always seem to work at cross roads, thus proving ineffective finally, and invariably end up as an affiliate of a political party.

The attitudes set by the political leaders, have percolated in all public and private institutes, be it an academic institute, a corporate or even a small school. This, I feel is the cause of Intellectual slavery. I mean this servile attitude.

I am not saying that the leaders should not be shown respect, but they can always be addressed with courtesy, politeness and uprightness.

They say, the pillars of democracy are the legislature, the judiciary, the bureaucracy, and the media. The legislature is instrumental in framing rules and regulations for governance and by their position enjoy enormous power. This power corrupts their mind and body. They misuse their power vested in them. They treat those officials who do not tow their line of thinking, with scant respect, and very often chastise them in public.

The officials, who are well educated, are by and large selfish; seek favours from these leaders for personal gains.

Those intellectuals who are upright, have belief in certain values and have a code of ethics are side-lined.

So, in every pillar of democracy, we have officials, calling themselves intellectuals adopting a servile attitude, thus causing damage and reputation to good and fair governance.

This phenomenon is not confined to India alone. I see this pattern in almost all the countries that are in the news for wrong reasons.

This intellectual slavery could be a cause for lack of visionary leaders growing into statesmen the world would respect.