Shiban Khaibri
Morality on sale, ethics on sale, politics on sale, political propriety on sale, loyalties and alignments on sale, medical seats’ question papers on sale, postings and transfers allegedly on sale and the list gets lengthier day by day in our country in general and our state in particular and interesting thing is that we tend to show off to be more religious and God fearing than before. Greed for money and lust is rampant though varying in degrees due to given and created circumstances. Stupidity follows greed which is followed by lies and manipulations and crying of martyrdom for being “falsely framed” and “becoming a victim of conspiracies”. One self styled champion of investigating journalism has put even his brand of “secularism” on sale to claim immunity from the long hands of law for “having sexual liaison twice” with his colleague of his daughter’s age, recently at Goa. This journalist hitherto feigning moral high has gone from laceration to slandering the victim. He too is reported to be enjoying political patronage. Hence political patronage too is on sale.
It is a thing to be believed, as per reports appearing in the media, that in our state – many from those, who were not only below the average in the school and college classes, in the exams with third grade ratings but even those who were declared as having not qualified the 12th standard, could manage medical seats to get rolled out as “Doctors” to “cure” the ailing and the sick. Incredible as it may appear and shocking as it may be felt that a high profile state functionary like the former Chairman of the Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE) is alleged to be involved in the scandal. This high ranking officer, making a mockery of the rules, procedures and the law of the land “smelt” fortune beyond his handsome salary and other perks, in his position and employed a bizarre type of modus operandi to “unearth” this fortune which reportedly touched a two figure in crores . A paid examination centre was established by him at a local hotel in Srinagar for more than 30 students to make easier their admission in medical colleges of the state. The accused went to the extent of heading a syndicate which was selling question papers for high pecuniary considerations. It is also revealed that nearly 30 candidates had coughed up around Rs40 to 50 lac per candidate and allegedly paid to the then Chairman BOPEE Mushtaq Ahmed Peer, to arrange a “convenient special centre “for them. As per reports, the concerned students were asked to come to the hotel a day in advance of the CET 2012 and were supplied the question papers. Then, they were asked to prepare for the next day , ie; the test day when they were dropped at their respective examination centres. They could therefore manage, albeit unfair means, to get admission in MBBS course. The satanic cat came out of the bag when a written complaint was received by the Police in respect of very dubious and scandalous means adopted in the Common Entrance Test (CET) – 2012 allegedly by Peer and his other cohorts. Peer stands arrested and the court has remanded him to the custody of police for ten days on 25th instant.
The Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi once said,” There is sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed.” With the ill gotten money, Peer is reported to have purchased property worth crores of rupees, one house at Jammu, two flats in New Delhi and 12 Kanals of very prime land worth crores at picturesque Boulevard in Srinagar. The question also is where from the parents of the said candidates got the money in lacs which they allegedly paid to the accused. A petty thief, when caught red-handed, is severely beaten , at times lynched by the people, but why is there no outrage by the people against such high profile and educated criminals who, by such acts, are grossly vandalizing the society and endangering the lives of the people by arranging by deceit and diabolical means, manning of a profession so noble and revered in the world by those for which they have neither any capability nor any worth .Satiating the greed for money in such ways is not only reprehensible but requires severe punishment from the fast track courts where hearings and proceedings should be conducted on day to day basis. The trust of the people is getting eroded fast in the system with the likes of Peer operating it and only a stern legal action and within a time bound frame, could assuage the hurt feelings of the people, in particular the drop out students who feel that their career stands marred as those who had no merit but the money power, made it to the prestigious professional course.
People have reasons to suspect whether such people can dare do this without the political patronage and backing as the accused had taints of follies and irregularities for motives purely personal during his tenure in the University of Kashmir where he is alleged to have purchased sub-standard computers which did not work properly causing net financial losses to the university. It is also alleged that while appointment of 1500 Patwaris in early 2012, norms were not adhered to for considerations. It is also reported that question papers for Patwar test were found in his residence by the police. On account of his political connections, Peer was reported to be aspiring for vice Chancellor’s coveted post in Islamic university of Science and Technology which is buttressed by the fact that the state government could not find any other person as worthy as he, in reemploying him as consultant of the Service Selection Board (SSB), the contract of which had to be terminated recently by the government following the police action against him. If this scandal would have not surfaced, it is likely that not only would have the accused managed his vice – chancellorship , thanks to his political masters but a few years later, would have been among the most eligible ones considered by the government for the constitutional post of a state Governor too and so on. People desperately aspire for education not being sold as a commodity in the market at a price as high as the buyer can manage to pay. Education may be left to be pursued by the hard working students – those who want to learn, know and possess the light of education, those who long to enrich themselves with the power of knowledge, by the zeal and ambition to dive deep in the ocean of education to become very useful citizens, enlightened and attain mastery in various fields in their own interest, that of the society and the country at large. Let no one dare to “sell” education , such should be the punishment awarded to those greedy, immoral and corrupt enemies of education who want to reduce it to a mere clumsy commercial entity and thus spread illiteracy, inefficiency and impropriety in the society. Many a great personality of our country who excelled in various fields reached those positions only on account of hard work to acquire knowledge even studying under the light of lamp posts in their localities. Money can purchase books not the knowledge, not the prowess of a physician not the invention or a discovery of a scientist, nor the skills of a pilot, not the legal oratory of a lawyer, not the considered wisdom and the intelligence of a judge and so on.
People should no longer hold such criminals in any esteem on account of their ill gotten money since they deserve to be ostracized, besides -those properties, acquired on account of loot and deceit; need to be seized to be made useable by the society, children and students in particular. Scandals, scams, rackets, kickbacks, loot and wastages are eating into the vitals of the society and the country. Let us all fight it unitedly and decidedly.
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