Invoking Patel, Cabinet Secretary pushes no-politics, no-communalism code

New Delhi: Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan on Monday while invoking Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's foundational vision for the bureaucracy underscored three key tenets for civil servants - distance from politics, strict avoidance of communal entanglements, and the duty to offer frank and fearless advice to the executive, even at the risk of causing displeasure.

Addressing the 18th Civil Services Day at Vigyan Bhavan here, Somanathan extensively quoted Patel's 1947 address to the first batch of civil servants, anchoring his remarks in the founding ethos of the services.

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He cited Patel's caution that a civil servant "must not take part in politics, nor involve himself in communal wrangles," stressing that any departure from this path of rectitude would "debase public services and lower its dignity."

The cabinet secretary made it clear that these were not merely historical observations but enduring standards of administrative conduct. He also highlighted Patel's emphasis on integrity, noting that no service can claim credibility without striving for the highest standards of probity.

On bureaucratic independence, Somanathan referred to Patel's 1949 remarks in the Constituent Assembly to underline that civil servants must be free to express their views "without fear or favour," even if such advice risks displeasing ministers. Patel had cautioned against reducing officials to mere executors of orders, asserting that the strength of the Union rests on a professional civil service that can speak its mind with honesty.

Somanathan noted that while individual officers may, at times, have "fallen short of these high ideals," the core ethos of a politically neutral civil service capable of offering impartial and candid advice has endured. He said the civil services have played a vital role in preserving India's unity, integrity, and democratic framework.

Highlighting their wide-ranging responsibilities, he pointed to their role in maintaining law and order and national security, collection of revenue, delivery of basic services, and, crucially, conduct of free and fair elections. He also emphasised their responsibility in ensuring that public finances are properly maintained and rigorously audited.

He added that while governance systems must evolve with changing times, the foundational values laid down by Patel remain constant and non-negotiable.

Somanathan, who began his address by quoting Patel, concluded by citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, linking these principles to the vision of a developed India by 2047.