I don’t want to change...

 

(With P.K.Biswal, Under Secretary, Finance and John Evans, Project Director, Crown Agents, UK . The DFID, UK had appointed Crown Agents, a consultancy firm to study and suggest for implementation of VAT in Odisha )

Most of the senior officers felt uncomfortable to accept the idea of VAT, but they, being in government job, could do anything, and were helpless. Some officers who had retired from Odisha Finance Service opposed, and wrote articles in newspapers. The newspapers loved to publish anything anti-establishment, the people loved to read anti-establishment stories. The dealers also did not want VAT.

The officers had served their entire service career in sales tax system, were well versed in the pros and cons, nuances of sales tax law; they were afraid of the change. The VAT along with reforms in the administrative structure would also strip them off the power over the dealers, and impede vested interests.

One day Mohan Kumar was discussing with B.B.Das. He said, “There are some who are writing against VAT, spreading misinformation and creating adverse opinion among the public. Those who are writing have not understood VAT and its implication. It will create difficulty for us to implement. Can’t any of us write about VAT to counter their misinformation?”

B.B.Das said, “Tell Sahadev, he can.”

Commissioner called me and explained the situation and told me to write on VAT. I started writing in the newspapers on VAT and tax administration. All the distinguished newspapers in Odisha published my articles. My consistent writing in newspapers made me familiar with the general readers, academics, business people and other stakeholders.

But the newspapers’ publishing my articles and my familiarity or popularity with the public was not to the liking of many colleagues and senior officers of the department. They expressed their displeasure in different ways and deeds. One day, a senior additional commissioner alleged before the commissioner, “Sir, Sahadev is a junior officer. How is he writing in newspapers? Being a government servant, he cannot write; it is against the conduct rules.”

He did not know G.Mohan Kumar had told me to write. Commissioner said, “I have told him to write, to neutralize the canards spread by some people. Let him do, it’s a good thing he does.”

Commissioner’s reply discomfited the additional commissioner. He said, “Sir, does he show you what he writes before he sends to the newspapers?”

Commissioner said, “Not necessary, he is free to write what he likes. I know he won’t write anything against.”

Commissioner called me after he left his chamber, for the daily afternoon session of checking VAT draft. B.B.Das and additional commissioner (Revenue) were present. Commissioner said, “You go on writing, don’t fear. I am with you.”

This additional commissioner wrote an article on VAT and got it published in ‘Sambad’. He had also made literal translation of English words, like the one the assistant commissioner, Bhubaneswar range did of G.C.Pati’s essay and it was not comprehensible. Soumya Ranjan Patnaik, editor, ‘Sambad’ telephoned me and asked the meaning of certain words used in the article. I explained the connotations and purposes of those words. He laughed at such uses. I said, “Sir, you have published it in your newspaper!”  He said, “You don’t understand, we have also a sales tax registration. We purchase newsprint and other taxable goods. Why should we displease a senior officer? If displeased, he may make a case against us, and we will be running to the courts. Better to publish his article and please him. Do the readers read all the news and articles published daily?”

After this one, ‘Sambad’ did not publish any of additional commissioner’s articles.

I continued my writing, especially when someone wrote against VAT I countered him and published it in the newspaper he had published his. I was trying to write in simple and lucid language so that a common man, the newspaper reader understood. My articles got attention of different organisations, trade and industry bodies, and tax bar associations, colleges and universities. I got invitations from them to be guest or speaker in seminars they organised on VAT and tax system. 

                     (In a seminar, organised by Institute of Company Secretaries, Bhubaneswar)

One day I was sitting in my office room. The secretary of an NGO met me and said, “We are organizing a seminar on VAT. Trilochan Kanungo is the chief guest. He told us to invite you to be a speaker. The other speaker is Nageswar Patnaik of Economics Times.”

A few days back, Sambad had published an article of Trilochan Kanungo on VAT. In the article he argued VAT would be against the interest of Odisha, the state would incur loss and the poor people would suffer. I response to that article I wrote one which Sambad published on January 6, 2005. (Odisha Assembly had passed Odisha VAT Act in December,2004, VAT was scheduled to be introduced in April,2005) On the article, the editor ‘Sambad’ commented in bold letters, “Recently, the veteran politician and economic expert, Trilochan Kanungo, in this column, raises some doubts on implementation of VAT in Odisha. He is of the view, VAT will not favour a poor state like Odisha. The writer of this feature has argued in favour, this may be taken as a reply to Kanungo’s doubts and apprehensions.”

                                       (The article was published in Sambad on 06.01. 2005)

I attended the seminar. After that, Trilochan Kanungo, when he passed by our office would drop in, meet me for a chitchat. One day he said, “You have reproached me in your article.”

I never did. I had great respect for him as an honest politician and an intellectual. His accusation surprised me. In my article I had also not mentioned his name. The editor took his name in his comment. But he did not relish the quote from “The Alchemist” of Paulo Coelho; I had given to begin the feature. The quote was: I don’t want to change, because I don’t know how to deal with change. I am used to the way I am.

I told I did not quote Celho with a view to hurting him. I began the feature with the quote to make the article attractive. It would get the attention of the readers. He understood.

I realised my writings, without my intention, were, sometimes, aggressive, but people liked it that way. Many readers and stakeholders had told me.

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