511. The Chief Minister's Route

"This is the route from your home to the Secretariat. This is the route to the party office. If you give your approval, we will clear these routes" said the Security Officer.

"Clearing the routes means?" asked Tamilmani, who had been sworn in as the Chief Minister only that morning.

"We will regulate the activities on the roads."

"Regulating the activities means?"

"We will clear the shops on the pavements" said the Security Officer, hesitatingly.

"Ok. Show me on this map the spots where the pavement shops are located" said Tamilmani.

The Security Officer pointed to some spots on the map.

"Can I travel through some other route - through roads that don't have pavement shops?"

"Yes, sir. You can. But the length of the route will be three kilometers longer" said the Security Officer.

Tamilmani was silent for a few minutes, reflecting on the choices before him.

The Chief Minister's Personal Secretary, who was listening to the conversation, told the Chief Minister, "Sir! There is a proposal for constructing a commercial complex and moving the pavement shops to the shops allotted to them in the complex."

"Yes, I am aware of it. That scheme was conceived by me when I was the Minister for Urban Development, five years back. But the new government, that came to power after us, dumped the scheme, since the ruling party felt shy of implementing a scheme conceived by the previous government, run by a rival political party!" said Tamilmani,

"We can implement it now, sir."

"Yes, we are going to. But it will take a couple of years for the scheme to be completed. If we evict the shop-owners from the pavements now, how will they earn their livelihood, till the new complex comes up? No, I don't want their livelihood to be affected" said Tamilmani to his Personal Secretary. 

He then turned to the Security Officer and told him, "Please finalize the alternative route shown by you. But, even in that route, not a single hawker should be evicted. There should be no hardship to anyone else, either."

"I will do accordingly, sir" said the Security Officer.

"Sir! You have made a public statement that since the finances of the government are under strain, every government department should focus on cutting costs and reducing the expenditure" said the Personal Secretary, hesitatingly.

"Since I will be traveling through a route longer by three kilometers, the fuel expenses for my car, and for the security vehicles that lead and follow my car will be considerably higher. Thus, I will be going against my exhortation to the government departments. Isn't this your point?" asked Tamilmani, with a smile.

"Yes, sir. The media and the opposition parties will make this an issue."

"Whether they make it an issue or not, the fact is that this arrangement will lead to increased expenditure!" said Tamilmani. He then asked the Security Officer, "How many security vehicles will accompany my car?"

"Nine,"

"Is nine a lucky number? Reduce the number of vehicles to six. This will even lead to a decrease in the fuel expenses" said Tamilmani.

"It can be done, sir. But..." The Security Officer hesitated.

"I understand your concern. I appreciate the importance of security. But, think of it this way. If we have twelve vehicles instead of nine, won't it enhance the security? But we have settled for the protection given by nine vehicles, haven't we? Let us tweak the arrangement a little more and accept the protection given by six vehicles" said Chief Minister Tamilmani.

Thirukkural
Section 2

Materialism

Chapter 52
Assessing Before Acting

Verse 511 (in Tamil):

nanmaiyum thImaiyum nAdi nalam purindha
thanmaiyAn ALappdum.

Meaning:
One should examine the benefits and the harm resulting from an act and should execute the act in such away that it yields only benefits. 

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'mudhalvar sellum vazhi' by the same author.)

Verse 512
Verse 510