THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Three months into entering office as District Collector of Thiruvananthapuram, K Vasuki talks about how freedom of responsible speech is essential for a developing nation and her dreams to become an IAS officer.When did you first dream of joining the IAS?
I don’t know when it hit me. I always wanted to be in a job that allowed me to serve people. My first option was to be a doctor, then it was a lawyer. I even contemplated being a journalist. After school, I ended up at the Medical College. There, I saw a lot of problems in the system.
There were also infrastructure lapses. This was a wakeup call. I realised as a doctor, I wouldn’t be able to take care of this. IAS officers like Radhakrishnan sir who did amazing Tsunami relief work influenced me.
You were also the executive director of the Kerala Suchitwa Mission in Kerala. Do you think Kerala is on the right path towards proper waste management?
I think the Kerala Suchitwa Mission is a revolutionary strategy which has not been adopted anywhere in the world. So, I strongly believe, if this strategy continues, it can actually become an international model.
What are your ideas on freedom of speech and expression?
In this era where social media is vibrant, you form an opinion without knowing the correct information which is a very dangerous situation. People forming opinions on Indo-China relations without even knowing what is actually happening in the ground is not a healthy scenario. I feel this trend is being picked up mostly by the youth.
What is your favourite quote on ‘freedom of speech and expression?’
“Let’s agree to disagree.” With freedom comes responsibility. There needs to be a balance. Our freedom ends where somebody else’s nose begins.
This right to freedom is not complete if it is not heard. Don’t you think this is obvious from the number of protests happening in front of the Secretariat.
It’s not true. The pleas of the people are being heard. In Kerala, politicians and bureaucrats are accessible. Government machinery needs administrative reforms so that it can deliver service in a much better way. It’s being done and worked on by the committees that are formed for the same.The controversy over Mersal had come to an end. Now, Padmavati is facing issues. What is your opinion?
It depends on what the film is trying to communicate.
If they are saying that it is based on true events then they will have to stick to the facts. There are films which are based on true events, but are works of fiction built up from these true events. It depends on what the film claims. We cannot have a film which says it is based on true events, but distorts history.
On the World Press Freedom Index, India sinks to the position of 136, which was 133 in 2016. Also, attacks on journalists like Gauri Lankesh indicate the indirect curb of free speech.
That is a very unfortunate issue. Regarding press freedom, I think in Kerala, media, however is given enough freedom to be critical. I think this is a healthy trend. People are able to raise their voice here.