You
have been warned - this is a rant. You try finding logic in it at your own
peril.
The
place where I work decided suddenly that it would like to be approved by a
government agency. So far so good. It is a compilation job of enormous proportions
– area (carpet area, to be precise), no. of rooms, no. of toilets (for men and
women), areas for laboratories and on and on and on … These details are
secondary to the goals of the institution, though I must admit, some of them
are enablers.
But,
my rant is about something else. At the outset let me tell you that I have paid
my taxes as honestly as I have understood the laws. The details the institution
is seeking – under duress it appears from the government agency – from its
employees have nothing to do with its goals and most importantly it is of such
personal nature (like how much income tax the employee has paid over the past
five years) an employee may seek redressal for parting with such information.
It also asks for the names of employee’s mother and father and notably, not
that of his/her spouse! Bank account (which one, in which my salary is credited,
I presume) including its IFSC! Also, AADHAAR number and PAN number, and the
irony is the Indian Supreme Court is beginning court proceedings to decide the
legality of AADHAAR. Timing? So perfect!
The
problem is not with the information per se but the time pressure to put it up
in the form. “You had to do it yesterday!” is the tone of the request! Some request.
Why
would a government agency looking to certify an educational institution needs
the income tax details of the institution’s employees, that too, over the past
5 years? Beats me. Can it at all come under the heading “Essential data”? I
doubt it. I do suspect that the government agency has computing power and
memory storage much in excess of what is legitimately required, and is filling
up space by asking for unnecessary data, which would, if only people are
conscious, will give them the creeps!
Anyway,
I will be sitting in front of my computer this evening just giving what is
asked, knowing full well that there is no justification for these details to be
asked and no reason for not giving it when asked. Such is the condition of an
Indian citizen.
Raghuram
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