Society and government should treat engineers fairly, J

Srinagar, Nov 1 (UNI) Admitting that there are ''some black-sheeps'' in the engineering community, Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Finance and Planning said there was a need to treat this community fairly because of its contribution in almost every sphere of life.

''It is grossly unfair to paint the whole community black, ignoring its positive contribution,'' he said and added that even the Vigilance Organisation had singled out the engineering community as its main target in the much-hyped anti-corruption drive.

He said the engineering community needed to be treated fairly by the Government and the society given its positive contribution in almost every sphere of life.

Speaking at the 42nd annual general meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir chapter of the Institution of Engineers India here today, Mr Karra said despite being the driving-force of the development process, the engineering community has been demonised for the misdeeds of some black-sheep.

''I have objected to the way the Vigilance Organisation was going around in its anti-corruption drive as it was being perceived as community and region-specific action,'' he said.

The genuineness of the action had started losing its essence, as it was largely perceived as partisan, forcing him to come out against the way the drive was being carried out.

Emphasising that the black-sheep in the engineering community needed to be identified, isolated and taken to task, he made it clear that at the same time the anti-corruption drive should not be politicised or regionalised.

He said the selective targeting only brews resentment and decelerates the initiative. He said the irony was that when an officer or engineer was caught by default or design, the action was trumpeted so much that the person becomes an untouchable in the society.

''However, after some time when the same officer or engineer is exonerated of the charges, it get unnoticed,'' he said, adding that instead of making the anti-corruption drive a mud-slinging affair, a mechanism should be evolved so that no innocent becomes a prey and the real culprits do not get away.

UNI