Our term is for 5 yrs, but yours for 25-30 yrs: Amit Shah to civil servants

The Union Home Minister said law should not be read as like a paper and its purpose and spirit should be understood

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday suggested all the civil servants should understand the importance of their role, saying "our (politicians) term is for five years, but yours terms is for 25-30 years" so they have a bigger responsibility. Stressing the need to adopt different ways of good governance to benefit maximum people, Shah, while addressing the concluding session of the "Good Governance Week" event here, also urged the civil servants to understand the spirit of the rules despite reading it like paper.

The Home Minister said even law should not be read as like a paper and its purpose and spirit should be understood. "Elected governments make law but it is yours (civil servants) responsibility to implement it. Understanding its spirit, you have to do the work of bringing it to the bottom. A special kind of trust has been placed on you people in our constitution," Shah said.

"All of us (politicians) who come here come for five years. After five years, the people of the country decide whether to give us the reins of the country or not. In this sense, our term is five years but you come for 25-30 years because the constitution has faith in you. That's why I want to tell you that you have more responsibility than us." He further said that the administration should run as per rule because it is very important but it is also important to consider the role of the particular department.

"If we understand this basic concept, we manage to solve most of the problems. We should not read rules like paper. We should understand its spirit and take decisions that are beneficial for the people of the country."