Ministers in our country hold the threads of development and governance. They are propelled into such important position irrespective of their competence / knowledge to perform and deliver. This obviously results in waste of scarce resources which our country can ill afford.
Often acts of our Ministers border on the fringes and are even hilarious. The author recounts below some such cases which should make us think. May be we need them to undergo some training courses before thrusting positions of power on them.
Chasing Thermocols
Attempting to solve water crisis of Tamil Nadu, Co-operatives Minister Mr Shellur K Raju recently tried a novel idea of covering Vaigai Dam with thermocol sheets taped together to prevent evaporation of water. In presence of party colleagues, civil servants and journalists the incident was a failure as the sheets simply washed up on the banks due to wind velocity. The Honourable Minister even entered water but the thermocols did not obey!
There is nothing wrong in trying innovative techniques, but experiments are best left to experts and laboratories. Trying to grab media attention is of little use. One should consider the opportunity cost of such events. The Minister and his official’s wasted time could have been more productive elsewhere.
Walk on Water
In 1968 the then Honourable Home Minister of India Mr Gulzari Lal Nanda (two times caretaker Prime Minister) inaugurated a function in Bombay where one Sadhu Hatha Yogi L S Rao was to walk on water without sinking in. Tickets for the event were sold in black and people flocked in chartered planes to see this miracle. Of course, there was a disaster as the Yogi simply sank in the water!
Thousands of precious man hours of government officials must have been wasted in this event. May be the Honourable Minister had plans to utilize the miracle powers of this sadhu to solve national problems. One can simply speculate.
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali- the famed boxer was an Indian. It may be shocking, unbelievable for you, but not for our Ministers.
This is what Honourable Sports of Kerala Minister E P Jayrajan had to say in June 2016 on learning of Muhammad Ali’s death- "I just heard that Muhammad Ali breathed his last in America. He was a great sportsperson from Kerala. He flagged the fame of Kerala sky-high by winning a gold medal." 
Indeed this was a great obituary.
 
Criminal Background
It is reported that as many as 34% of ministers in states have declared criminal cases pending against them. Everyday we come across examples of their indiscretions. One may defend that one is innocent unless proved otherwise- but these data are indicative the malaise in our set up.
Citizens must be careful in exercise of their franchise. Ultimately those elected have to deliver.
One wonders- is our nation safe in such hands?
If not, then our system of filtering good from bad needs a re-look. The present government of Mr Narendra Modi has taken lot of initiatives. Cleaning up the temples of democracy is important for attaining Sushasan.