When Sex Moves from Groins to Brains...

When Sex Moves from Groins to Brains...

Zubair Ahmed

One may have scruples, but nothing prevents two consenting adults from having sex in offices, lodges, government guest houses, bathrooms or even in cars; as it's not a cognizable offence. But when sex of senior government officers moves up from their groins and occupies the space in their brains, it assumes maniac proportion and become a matter for public concern. Even so, if it does not cloud official decisions, it remains within passable limits. But when it starts clouding the official decisions the situation starts going out of hand. A stage comes when the mania not only affects official decisions but also results in squandering public money to entice the gullible ‘victims’. Once it reaches that stage, the professional hawks take over and start exploiting the weakness of the man who sits on piles of money and his one signature can move lakhs and lakhs – of taxpayers’ money, from the government treasury to their kitty.

Sex in offices is not a new phenomenon by any stretch of imagination. It is used by both the sexes some times, just for pleasure. But the mechanics is not that simple either. There are smart workers who exploit the weakness of their bosses for money, appointment, transfer, relatives’ appointment, promotions and; also to get even with rivals in service. There are stories of sex maniacs who would keep their hardworking subordinates waiting outside their chambers for hours together when they are in the company of daily rated female workers enjoying tea and snacks; at the cost of genuine public work. Even officers of assistant secretary and deputy director level have many such tales to tell. It is a different matter that they would not say that on record, for obvious reasons.

The system of Daily Rated Mazdoors has eased the situation for such hawks that look for pretty women for DRM and keep them in offices instead of sending them to fields for work. In every office such DRMs can be seen and their behaviour and attitude itself would tell the story. One need not gaze at a crystal ball to find such characters. A look at the list of selected candidates in the appointments of daily rated mazdoors in various departments would tell a lot of juicy stories. 

But it starts pinching all the more when elements of coercion enter into it. The world is full of contradictory characters. There are four pure, chaste and moral women for each licentious woman in the society. They find it hard to adjust with a morally corrupt system where they have to respond positively to the amorous overtures of their bosses to obtain even their legitimate dues. If they don’t respond positively, they are harassed, insulted and humiliated. Their ACR’s are spoiled and promotions held up. There are many such stories.

The new financial rules have put enormous powers in the hands of the Heads of Departments and the secretary level officers. There are reasons to believe that such powers are misused to obtain sexual gratification too. Lately, cases have come to our knowledge that girls are flown down to Port Blair by big time business who fly in, obtain large orders and in return provide what the benefactor wants; money or women.

The sporadic episodes of sexual exploitations in workplaces that appear in the media are considered abominations and the character of the victim is always deemed dubious, where the perpetrator gets away clean or the issue is settled with interventions and negotiations by leaders and politicians. The issues never got serious attention beyond the police stations where cases are filed and withdrawn.

The malaise has reached a stage where it has started hurting the simple, innocent and hardworking women employees who wish to remain faithful to their husbands and family values.

These were till now discussed on social media, drawing rooms and in coffee houses; though in hushed tones. Its good to see Lt Governor setting up an high level committee to inquire into a complaint of sexual harassment of an employee of APWD.  The Committee will also look into any violation of various statuary obligations at any level of the Administration and submit its report within 7 days. Till the truth comes out, character assassination of the complainant or the alleged will only gratify the hunger of rumour-mongers.