Rules are not made for all times. After independence the democratic governments have changed many rules. Anti-people rules get avoided over time. In today’s time body shaming is seen as a crime. Even the term disabled are not used. Differently abled is the term used now. These are changes brought by time. Representatives are elected to bring out these changes as per the times.

Once when Kamaraj was Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, he had to visit a flood affected area. The people of a particular area came to him with many complaints. Immediately he ordered the Collector to provide a lump some money for that. The Collector said that as per the present rules this much amount cannot be provided. Kamaraj told the Collector that rules are made to benefit the people and therefore that rule is changed and the amount allowed is as per the order of the CM. Leaders who know the hearts of the people will react in these ways.

An Adivasi youth lost the job as Forest Beat Officer just because of an old guideline that stipulates that those with buck teeth is not qualified for the job. Buck teeth is never a hindrance for working. Now these defects can also be rectified through dental surgeries. The Adivasi youth had also passed the written and physical test. It was after that the person was rejected just because his teeth was not aligned. He was rejected because PSC guidelines says that persons with buck teeth must be avoided.

The Forest Minister’s response was that he has sympathy for the person. Who needs a sympathy which is of no use? How many persons are being given temporary and other types of jobs by the government? The Minister should have tried to give another job for this person. People expect such things from a minister who knows the hearts of the people. And not the reply like that of a bureaucrat.

The Adivasi youth who was denied job, Muthu, lives at Attappadi, deep in the forest. The shape of his teeth became like this because of a fall he had during his childhood. The government is indirectly responsible for not providing medical heath to that child at that time. The buck teeth can be rectified by an operation costing Rs.18,000. The government must take initiative to provide that medical treatment. A private hospital has come forward to provide free medical treatment.

How many crores of rupees are spent on the welfare of Adivasis. Not even a fraction of that amount is needed to help this youth. Who must solve the issue of a person coming from the most backward community other than a communist government? First of all the CM must intervene and provide a government job at least temporarily. After that we can think of taking case and changing the rules.