Ethics Theory, GS 4, TLP-UPSC Mains Answer Writing
Whistle blower, who reports corruption and illegal activities, wrongdoing and misconduct to the concerned authorities, runs the risk of being exposed to grave danger, physical harm and victimization by the vested interests, accused persons and his team. What policy measures would you suggest to strengthen protection mechanism to safeguard the whistle blower?
व्हिसल ब्लोअर, जो संबंधित अधिकारियों को भ्रष्टाचार और अवैध गतिविधियों, गलत काम और दुराचार की रिपोर्ट करता है, निहित स्वार्थों, अभियुक्त व्यक्तियों और उनकी टीम द्वारा गंभीर खतरे, शारीरिक नुकसान और पीड़ित होने का जोखिम उठाता है। व्हिसल ब्लोअर की सुरक्षा के लिए सुरक्षा तंत्र को मजबूत करने के लिए आप कौन से नीतिगत उपाय सुझाएंगे?
Approach
Candidates can start the answer by basically explaining about whistle blowing and then simply suggest the measures for building such system and institution.
Introduction
A whistleblower is a person, who could be an employee of a company, or a government agency, disclosing information to the public or some higher authority about any wrongdoing, which could be in the form of fraud, corruption, etc.
Body
- Satyendra Dubey, an IIT graduate working on a segment of the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) Golden Quadrilateral in Bihar, who wrote directly to the Prime Minister’s Office exposing corruption in the project. He paid with his life for doing so.
- There are many commissions who recommended that a specific law needs to be enacted to protect whistleblowers like Law Commission of India 2001, 2007 report of Second Administrative Reforms Commission. In India, whistleblowers are protected by the Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014.
- There are various policy measures regarding protection of whistle-blowers but their implementation is very poor. It is important that policies should be implemented properly for their safety.
- Suitable legislation must be enacted to provide protection to innocent whistleblowers and the dilution of the act that is proposed by the 2015 Amendment Bill must be abandoned.
Policy measures suggestions:
- Establishing a confidential reporting system: This would allow whistleblowers to report issues without fear of retaliation or being identified.
- Providing legal protection: This could include laws that protect whistleblowers from being fired or discriminated against in the workplace, as well as laws that provide for criminal penalties for those who retaliate against whistleblowers.
- Providing financial support: This could include financial compensation for lost wages or other damages suffered as a result of blowing the whistle.
- Providing psychological support: Whistleblowers may experience significant stress and anxiety as a result of their actions, and it is important to provide them with access to mental health resources to help them cope.
- Educating the public: It is important to raise awareness about the importance of whistleblowers and the risks they face, in order to encourage more people to come forward and report wrongdoing.
- Submitting the issue as an anonymous person will protect the life of the Whistle blower.
- Specific training to teach workers their rights and about available internal and external protection programs, and for managers to learn these along with related skills, behaviours and obligations to act.
Conclusion
Hence, strengthening of the whistleblower protection mechanism will help in ensuring that the integrity of democracy is protected, cherished and upheld.
