Mohit has helped a businessman by quickly settling the bills for the supplies he had made to government. The amount was large and the payment relieved the businessman from the liquidity crunch he was facing. The businessman was overwhelmed and offers gifts to Mohit as goodwill gesture. Mohit refuses them. Shortly thereafter, Mohit goes with family to a hill station where the businessman has a hotel. He conveys in advance to the businessman that he would like to stay in his hotel and checks into that hotel. The hotel management, on instructions from the businessman, treats Mohit and his family as guests and refuses to accept payment from Mohit. Mohit does not insist on making payment.
Which of the following will be an appropriate view in this matter?
1. Mohit did no wrong in accepting the hospitality of the businessman.
2. Mohit should not have accepted the hospitality.
3. This issue is rather minor and involves no major issues of administrative morality.
4. Mohit did not take any money and might have stayed in a hotel with some empty rooms.
Official codes of conduct lay down that government servants should not accept gifts in cash or kind. Availing free hospitality in a hotel amounts to acceptance of a gift in kind. Hence, this alternative is incorrect.
The second option is correct. Mohit has to follow the official code of conduct. The code prohibits acceptance of valuable gifts. Further, Mohit had official dealings with the businessman who offered him the gift. Hence, he should not have accepted the offer. In fact, this is what he did on the first occasion.
It will be improper to take a lenient view of the matter. Mohit is clearly guilty of violating the official norm. No such violation can be treated as a minor matter.
Both the points made in the last option are unacceptable. Not only cash gifts but gifts in kind also cannot be accepted by civil servants. The question whether the hotel had vacant rooms is not relevant to the issue which is about violation of code of conduct. Hence (2)