Dear ministers, please make sensible, realistic remarks

The fact that some of our government ministers are in the habit of making public statements in the heat of the moment or out of sheer emotional outbursts is not a new phenomenon. However, recently three statements made by three responsible ministers caught my attention, made me wonder, whether these spoken words carry any value at all.
When the Finance Minister said that a new wage board was unnecessary and journalists were earning more than civil servants he began to draw repeated flaks from the journalists' community. Question is, how and where did he get the details about journalist pay scale? What were his bases for making the comparison between journalist and the salaries of the civil servants? How does he know how much salary a journalist needs to run his family?

*** Our law makers are not private citizens. Off the record and in private they may say whatever they desire but when it comes to make public speeches or declarations they must shun ignorant and abusive rhetoric, unrealistic and pointless demands and mudslinging at their opposes. ***


Then comes the Food Minister's fuming demand for removing the Chief Justice in the wake of the much talked about verdict and the observations based on the 16th Amendment. This writer failed to grasp the actual reason behind his anger, especially when there was absolutely nothing about edibles or food related matter in the CJs observations. In fact, it was utterly pointless to get involved when the country was so worried with its food reserves and imports in the face of back-to-back natural calamities.  Like our respectable Finance Minister, he too has faced the line of fire in the past few years quite often since he held the Office of the Law Minister. His assault on the judiciary clearly undermines a fundamental principle of governance. More to it, he is yet to come out clean over the controversial wheat procurement scandal. His attacking rhetoric and whimsical demands has often put the government in embarrassing situations.
The last in line is about an impossible dream dreamt by our Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader. Widely believed as a hard working and efficient minister, he has said that all damaged roads and highways will be repaired and be made serviceable before Eid-ul-Azha for smooth and safe travelling of homebound passengers. The minister's statement not only spanks of tackling a colossal challenge, but in reality, is impossible. Unlike any time before, this year the overall condition of our roads and communications system is at its worst. On one hand unprecedented heavy rains have seriously caused damage to our roads and highways while on the other rail tracks in many different places have gone under water in the recent spate of floods.
To be more specific, currently some 23 points of different national and regional highways stretching as long as one to three kilometres are under flood water. Rising water levels coupled with river erosion wiped away some 18 points of northern roads and highways. Moreover, the old unrepaired and damaged roads have become nearly unusable.

*** Question is, how and where did he get the details about journalist pay scale? What were his bases for making the comparison between journalist and the salaries of the civil servants? How does he know how much salary a journalist needs to run his family? ***

Whatever, In tuned with the minister we too hope, all damaged roads and highways to be repaired before the Eid for unimpeded movement of trains and motor vehicles -- but in case if rain or flood resumes to disrupt the repair work , what then? Does the Roads, Transport and Bridges authority has enough manpower, resources and also the most up-to-date technology to meet the challenge for fixing roads scattered throughout the country before Eid?
Given his hard working abilities a salute, had he only stated that he and his people concerned would try their best to repair the roads while apologising in advance -- that would have been enough.
In the light of the stated three incidents regarding ministerial statements is that -- government ministers are responsible public office holders , and it is widely expected that their statements conforms with reality and pragmatism. Similar to their positions their words carry weights.
The three ministers mentioned along with a number of other verbally attacking ministers are mostly well educated people; many of them were important career bureaucrats and important public office holders. That said -- when it comes to meeting-the-press many of them seems to stumble over their words and speech by ending up spewing passionate or angry words leading to irrelevant or impossible public statements.
We have witnessed how one of the top ministers of the ruling party was sacked over an abusive criticism about Hajj pilgrimage in 2014 while triggering countrywide protests.   
In addition, apart from making public remarks carefully they should also be restraint while responding to scathing remarks of abusive opponent party leaders. An insult doesn't have to necessarily be met with another insult.
Last but not least, our law makers are not private citizens. Off the record and in private they may say whatever they desire but when it comes to make public speeches or declarations they must shun ignorant and abusive rhetoric, unrealistic and pointless demands and mudslinging at their opposes.
It is never too late to learn to control ones' tongue and with our ministers it can start from today. Not only blind loyalty, it is careful speaking which would do only good to themselves and the government they serve. Remember that famous quote -- when you have spoken the word, it reigns over you. When it is unspoken you reign over it.

The writer is Assistant Editor, The Daily Observer