If they are so brazen8230;

Here8217;s the source of my depression. So in a democracy which we tout as 8216;8216;mature8217;8217;, with a government which describes itself as progressive, and not regressive, and one which runs full page advertisements on Shining India, which talk of very upper class issues and portray the kind of families Dr Joshi is allergic to 8212; in an India which says she is better than China because her governance is superior 8212; is a rasta roko or a procession down Parliament Street complete with appropriate slogan shouting like 8216;8216;pradhan mantri ko choodi do8217;8217;, give the prime minister bangles the best way to put forward a legitimate point of view, and draw attention to dictatorial and authoritarian behaviour, which does not respect the norms of corporate governance being championed by the same government? Yes, it unfortunately does appear so, judging from the number of people who seem to agree with Gupta8217;s view point.

What is even more interesting to me is the context in which this article is written, about the ineptness of people who inhabit the corporate world when it comes to dealing with the government. Such an article would not have been necessary in the context of their dialogue with the government on issues of policy duties, licenses, other regulations, etc. Everyone seems to know how to work that; and by the way, that seems to works very well with representations and data and does not need the CII managing committee to lead its members in a march past North Block.

But in the context of an issue on protecting the autonomy of an educational institution that was set up as an 8216;8216;autonomous institution, with active collaboration with the central and state governments8217;8217;, the remedy seems to be different. Gupta8217;s premise about the IIMs being the nursery of the corporate world, and hence being of high direct interest to the corporate world, is also not a correct spin to put on it. The IIM controversy is about 8216;8216;mere8217;8217; stakeholders, acting as concerned citizens, who are saying please can we have some logic and rationality and real process in the true spirit of process, not the motions of process working. Let us talk about the possibility of embarrassing the government into action. It appears to me that this cast of characters on the government side of the drama is truly evolved 8212; they are way beyond embarrassment, or they would have discouraged their colleague a long while ago, from behaving the way he has, and continues to do.

The minister8217;s diatribe about 8216;8216;elitism8217;8217;, the totally illogical contention that autonomy and price control go hand in hand, the view that a subsidy culture can encourage excellence and accountability, is anachronistic. Especially when measured by the yardstick of how the very same government tries to position itself. If that does not embarrass them, what chance does anyone outside the system have? The minister goes on television threatening dire consequences to anyone who dares to disagree with him; who also uses sadistic little trump cards about placing a corporate surcharge on tax to fund primary education when, logically, he should divert funds from higher management education and fund primary education. His honourable colleagues in the cabinet, progressive men and women, have not been embarrassed enough by this to discourage him. Nor, of course, have they been enthused enough to defend him.

As a longstanding BJP voter, I must say that I am embarrassed to be one any more. However, I must say that the message that has been driven home more forcefully and without question, by the article, is that those who feel strongly, and those whom this move may concern example faculty of the institutions, should come together and work in unison to get their point of view heard.

The big question is 8216;8216;how8217;8217;? If, as Gupta puts it, statements made in 8216;8216;decaffeinated English8217;8217; are not the answer to this problem, neither is a morcha or any other form of embarrassment. But maybe this is also the beginning of a larger debate about educating ourselves about how best to build a stronger civil society in the new India. And that8217;s why it needs a wider debate. And that8217;s why I have offered my view as cannon fodder!

The writer is an alumna and a visiting faculty at IIM, Ahmedabad