When governance becomes more about ego than service – with emotions dying in files, with the face of power becoming void of empathy, democracy becomes a machine with more rules and less relationships.
The greatest tragedy of our time is not that society is filled with injustice, but that empathy is being lost. In a country where governance should have been a symbol of “service,” the very word “bureaucracy” has now become synonymous with “arrogance” and “lack of foresight.” When this nexus of power and bureaucracy combines with insensitivity, the system takes on a ruthless appearance.
For the average citizen, the government today is no longer a living institution, but a machine—one burdened with rules, not emotions. To resolve even a small problem, one wanders through a jungle of files. From picking up the phone to answering it, every step is a wall—the name of that wall is bureaucratic insensitivity.
Faces buried in files and lost humanity
The bureaucracy’s original purpose was to facilitate citizens, provide transparency in administration, and ensure uniformity in policies. But gradually, this class became confined within its own confines. By remaining close to power, it transformed “service” into “power-sharing.” Today, officials have become representatives of power, not representatives of the public. Decisions on files are now made not with compassion, but with a mindset of “who to please and who to avoid.” This mindset has robbed governance of its vitality.
The bureaucracy has now cultivated an “administrative arrogance” that treats any criticism as hostility. Files are held up for months, appointments are delayed for years, and when asked for answers, the statement is “in process.” This “process” has become synonymous with excuses. The public’s questions are answered on paper, but the answer to justice is lost in the void.
The glare of power and the darkness of responsibility
Power is inherently attractive. It empowers individuals, but it also tests their character. Unfortunately, the politics of our time has mistaken this power for a “privilege,” not a “responsibility.” Those in power remain active as long as they receive praise.
But in moments of criticism or disagreement, their tolerance crumbles. This is the horrific manifestation of insensitive power—where public suffering is reduced to statistics, and empathy dies in the language of statistics.
Every time a tragedy strikes—an accident, a riot, or corruption—the ruling class issues a few tweets and statements, dismissing their “duty.” Meanwhile, the administration on the ground produces only reports, filled with data and not empathy. This situation undermines the very spirit of democracy, which begins and ends with the “people.”
The roots of insensitivity are also in society
Insensitivity has become a disease not only of the administration but also of society. Today, videos of accidents are made, but few have the courage to pick them up. It’s easy to applaud the suffering of the poor, but difficult to help. This is the same mentality that has created a deep divide between the government and the public.
While those at the top talk about “policies,” those at the bottom talk about “bread.” In between is the bureaucracy—a wall, not a bridge. This is the tragedy that is eroding democracy from within. This communication gap between the public and the government could one day shake the very foundations of democracy.
The journey from a public servant to becoming a “government”
There was a time when government officials were called “public servants.” This term now sounds like a joke. Today’s administration has become so procedural that it has forgotten humanity. In a world of files and laws, “sensitivity” has become an exception.
It’s a disturbing truth that the very system created to serve the public now views citizens with suspicion. Officials are increasingly suspicious of public intentions rather than providing them with services. This suspicion is against the very spirit of democracy.
This psychological disconnect between bureaucracy and power is now deepening social inequality. Roads reach villages only when votes are needed. Teachers are hired in schools only when the media clamors, and medicines arrive in hospitals only when a ministerial visit is scheduled.
This insensitive system turns the life of the common citizen into a “torture of waiting” that never ends.
Not a failure of governance, but a collapse of sensibility
This culture of insensitivity has become a permanent companion of power. Power only seeks “control,” it doesn’t know how to “listen.” This is why governance has become about “ruling,” not “understanding.”
Democracy survives as long as dialogue and empathy prevail. But when both power and bureaucracy become disconnected from the people, democracy becomes a mere formality—a celebration held every five years.
We have forgotten that the essence of governance lies in humanity. Laws are useful only if they protect humanity, and administration is legitimate only if it accepts the suffering of its citizens as its responsibility.
Today, every department in our country has plans, but implementation lacks sensitivity. This is why plans have become mere “report cards,” not a means of relief.
The challenge of neo-democracy and the path to reform
There is a need to make power synonymous with service again.
Both officers and leaders should understand that their positions are not privileges, but responsibilities. Behind every decision lies life, not just rules. Files are meaningless unless they reflect human stories.
The time has come to make emotional intelligence a policy imperative in governance. Training bureaucrats should not only teach protocol but also empathy.
If the pride of position is not combined with the spirit of service, then every policy will remain incomplete.
The need today is not for “inefficient administrative machinery”, but for “humane administration” – where the suffering, dignity and life of the citizen are at the centre of every decision.
Call to revive democracy
The true reform of our time would be to restore compassion to bureaucracy and power. The severity of the law must be accompanied by the tenderness of humanity. For history bears witness—wherever the government ignored human suffering, revolution responded.
The beauty of democracy lies in its compassion, not in its harshness.
If today we are not able to revive humanity amidst bureaucracy and power, then the next generations will remember us as an “insensitive era”.
And then perhaps this question will resonate –
“Have we made governance more important than humans?”
Therefore the call of the time is –
The administration must learn to see the person before the process.and listening to power before governing.
Dr. Satyavan Saurabh,
Poet, freelance journalist and columnist, All India Radio and TV panelist,
Haryana
Thursday, October 30, 2025