181.The Whistle Blower

Chandran did not expect that his sending the letter to the head office would lead to such a consequence.

Chandran, working as a junior officer in a government undertaking, had been watching with shock and helplessness, the irregularities and corruption in his office..

On several occasions, he brought the violations to the notice of Sundaravadanam, the Branch Manager. But Sundaravadanam's response to Chandran's complaints was lukewarm. In course of time, Chandran realized that Sundaravadanam had also a role in the irregularities taking place in his office.

The office where Chandran was working was functioning in a rented place. The branch decided to construct its own building for the office and got the approval for its proposal from the head office. Tenders were called for constructing an office building on a piece of land owned by the organization.

The files relating to the tender came to Chandran, as per the work allocation in the office. Chandran scrutinized all the tenders received and forwarded the file to the Branch Manager, recommending that the tender of a reputed firm that had quoted the lowest cost be accepted 

The file did not come back to him from the Branch Manager. After a few days, Chandran came to know that the file was allocated to another officer. He also learnt that the tender was decided in favour of a firm, which had quoted a higher amount.

Chandran thought that it was a good opportunity to expose the irregularities practiced in his office and sent a letter to the head office, narrating the developments relating to the tender. 

A few days after Chandran had sent the letter to the head office, he received an email message from the head office that he was suspended, for violating the rules of the organization. 

Filled with anger and dismay, Chandran went to Sundaravadanam's office.

"Why have you suspended me, sir? What crime did I commit?" he asked the Branch Manager, angrily. 

"I have not suspended you. The head office has" said Sundaravadanam.

"I am only asking you to tell me the reason."

"Mr. Chandran! You wrote to the head office and they replied to you. Why are you asking me for the reason?"

"How did you know that I wrote a letter to the head office? Was it not because they told you about it?"

"What do you expect me to do?"

"I wrote to the head office, informing them of an irregularity that has taken place in this office, giving all the details. Instead of probing the irregularity, the head office has suspended me. Is this not preposterous?"

"Mr. Chandran! You should have known that your writing a letter to the head office directly was improper. As per the procedures in place, you can send any communication to the head office, only through the branch office."

"Through you, you mean! My complaint was against you. How could I have sent that complaint to the head office, through you?"

"You could have brought it to the notice of the Vigilance Officer, posted in our office!"

"He works under you. And, the entire office knows that he is your accomplice!"

"Don't use words like accomplice. Speak in a responsible way" said Sundaravadanam, angrily.

"What is going to happen next, sir?"

"Usually, the head office will constitute an enquiry committee to go into the charges against the suspended employee. It will take several months for the probe to be completed. But, the General Manager told me that since he was visiting our office on Monday, he would conduct the enquiry himself and take a decision" said Sundaravadanam. 

"He was the one who suspended me. And, he is going to question me about the allegations against me! It is clear that everything that has been taking place in this office has his knowledge and blessings. He appears to be your partner in crime" said Chandran, with disgust.

"Mr. Chandran! You are making one mistake after another. I can record that you made a wild allegation about the General Manager and take action on you."

"You will do anything, sir. You have the authority, after all!" said Chandran angrily and came out of the Branch Manager's cabin. 

'In a fit of anger, I spoke to the Branch Manager, making an allegation against the General Manager. What if the Branch Manager carries this to the General Manager and the General Manager acts against me? I should have been more restrained' thought Chandran, after he came out of Sundaravadanam's cabin.

On Tuesday, Chandran went to Sundaravadanam's cabin to meet him.

"Did you meet the General Manager yesterday? What did he say?" Sundaravadanam asked Chandran.

"Sir! May I ask you something? The other day, in a fit of anger, I said certain inappropriate things about our General Manager. Did you tell the General Manager about it?" asked Chandran. 

"Did the General Manager ask you anything about it?"

"No. he didn't?"

"How could he have asked you about it, when I had not told him what you had told me about him?"

"You mean you didn't tell the General Manager about it?" asked Chandran, in astonishment.

"Mr. Chandran! I may be unhappy with you about certain things you have done. But, it doesn't mean that I will carry your words to others and indulge in backbiting. I am not such a person. If I had conveyed your words to the General Maanager, won't that have prejudiced him against you and clouded his judgement, when he probed the allegations against you?"

For the first time, Chandran felt a respect for Sundaravadanam.

"When will the General Manager convey his decision about my suspension?" asked Chandran.

"Did you not check your mail? The General Manager has already lifted your suspension, after giving you a warning. You can go to your seat and attend to your work" said Sundaravadanam, with a smile. 

Thirukkural

Section 1
The Path of Virtue

Chapter 19
Refraining From Backbiting

Verse 181 (In Tamil)

aRan kURan alla seyinum oruvan
puRam kURAn enRal inidhu.

Meaning:

Even if a a person doesn't speak of morality, but indulges in immoral acts, it will be good if it is said of him "he does not indulge in backbiting."

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'chandiran seydha thavaRu' by the same author)

Verse 182 (Soon)
Verse 180