Indian bureaucrats worst in Asia?

Many transfers in few years -- that's what Govind Khairnar had to show for his honesty. In 1985, as a ward officer in Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation he had taken on the Chief minister's son by demolishing his hotel. He finally had to put in his papers.

Says G K Khairnar, former Deputy Commissioner of BMC, says: "I wanted to root out corruption. But then when I tried to do so, I could not exist in the system"

But he might be an exception. Many believe an honest babu is hard to come by.

While most bureaucrats are silent on the damning report by a Hong Kong-based  Political & Economic Risk Consultancy,  politicians have rushed to their rescue.

Says BJP leader Sushma Swaraj: "They are the worst." Congress MP Vijay Darda, however, says: "We can't say that they are the worst. A lot of reports say they are good."

None the less it is a dubious title, but some see the lighter side of things. 

Nikhil Kumar, former Commissioner of Police, Delhi, says: "At least the Indian babus should be happy that they are first at something."