Day 55 – Q 3.
3. The citizen welfare society of which you are the secretary, has organised a party. The chief guest of the party is the local leader who hails from a dominant community. You know that the leader has got extreme communal views on certain controversial issues and his presence in the party might vitiate the atmosphere. You request the invitation committee to cancel the invitation as it might disturb the communal harmony in the society. However, other members of the committee tell you that the leader has promised substantial funding for the society in lieu of support for his candidature in the elections. Cancelling his invitation will not only cut the funding but will also be counterproductive as he might become the future MP of the region. You know that the financial status of the society is precarious and it requires immediate support. However, inviting the leader would compromise the very foundational philosophy of your society that is based on brotherhood and fraternity. You have to choose between survival and principles.
Now, answer the following questions:
- What values are at stake in this situation? Examine.
- How would you tackle the situation? Analyse. (250 words) (20)
Solution:
In the above case, secretary of the citizen welfare society is confronted with following issues.
- How wise it is to invite a person with strong communal views as chief guest?
- Possible consequences, if invited, on people and the society (Citizen Welfare Society).
- Need to maintain his integrity as well as integrity of the Citizen Welfare Society.
- Address funding concerns as well as external threats to survivability of the citizen welfare society.
Stakeholders: Me as secretary, Invitation Committee, Local leader, Citizen Welfare Society and Community.
Values which are at stake:
- Integrity of secretary when he is aware about communal views of local leader which are contrary to principles of Citizen Welfare Society.
- Honesty and Integrity of invitation committee members as they are willing to invite and support local leader candidature in return for financial support.
- Citizen Welfare Society’s commitment to the welfare of the people will be subject to question as they are willing to compromise on their objectives due to financial constraint.
- Values of Brotherhood and fraternity are likely to be undermined by the followers due to communal views of leader.
- Invoking communal sentiments and appealing to dominant community will undermine tolerance in the society disturbing peace.
How would you tackle the situation?
Though there is an option to request local leader to not to make communally coloured statements, with uncertainty in its acceptance, I would prefer to convince invitation committee to refrain from inviting local leader due to following reasons
- Likely possibility of leader making communally coloured statements would go against the values of brotherhood and fraternity which society stands for.
- Receiving funds and supporting his candidature will raise question on the integrity of the Citizen Welfare Society and will have negative impact in the long term.
- Showing political allegiance to someone who is communally biased will defeat the very purpose/principle on which the society was set up and surviving with such funding is no existence at all.
At the same time will come out with renewed and creative measures to meet financial needs of the society by strengthening fund-raising initiatives.
Best answer: Another Being
