THE MULTI HEADED MONSTER CALLED CORRUPTION The greatest problem facing the nation at the present is that of corruption at every step, in all walks of life. And the belief is, we remove corruption, from the political system and we are in for a wonderful happy life, an Utopian society. But is it as simple as all that? To understand what removal of corruption means we have to analyse what we mean by corruption. In the broader sense when we use the term corruption, we usually refer to money changing hands illegally, to get something which in itself may or may not be legal done. For example, getting a document, a certificate, a passport etc. which you are legally entitled to, is being withheld by some official or the other, and you are forced to bribe for whatever reason , then this is corruption done to get what is legally your entitlement. And in another case you bribe to get something that you are not entitled to, or to flout some rules for some benefit, or to get an out of turn favour at the expense of others , say at a tender bid, or getting a ticket, or information which gives you an advantage over others, etc. is also corruption. The recipient of the bribe, or commission as it is sometimes termed has indulged in a corrupt deed, and is called a corrupt person. But to think that by just tackling this form of corruption, by strict watch over the officials, and with strict actions against the corrupt we will change the system is being naïve. Mere removal of either politicians or officials from their positions will not solve the problem As long as these are to be replaced by the same old system, of either being elected in case of politicians, or by selection on the case of officials, by the very people who had brought in the ones that were removed make very little sense. Those politicians elected by the electorate who voted the earlier ones , either out of party or personal loyalty, or out of ignorance of what was happening, or because they were a party to the misdeeds, or because they benefited directly or indirectly in a corrupt system or some such reason, will again burden the nation with similar unworthy people., and so also in the case of unsavory officials, who will creep in with the help of cronies in high places. And to think, that, corrupt people have to be replaced at all levels , to ensure justice, and proper service , right from the lowest level of administration to the highest level of the government, and also in the private sector is a formidable task. That being so how will we ever get around this ? We have to admit, that, the real patriotic honest people are out numbered by the mass of people who are corrupt at every level of the system. If the cancer of corruption has to be removed from the body of the nation, it cannot be done piecemeal. If the desired results are to be achieved, then the whole system has to be tackled, and that will be a handful. Corruption has other forms also. Corruption that also emits in the form of thoughts, words and deeds. Besides financial corruption there is corruption of the mind which has resulted in the crimes against women, ill treatment etc. of women, and the ever increasing crime in general ,everywhere. Unfortunately, corruption has not spared even the education sector, be it exam papers, in admissions in staff and teachers appointments and so on. And the problem in this case is the corruption rampant in the police departments, the loss of moral values in society, the lack of control of wants and desires. To set right these aspects of society, will be a big challenge. The basic sense of sacrifice, and thinking of others before oneself, is something to be aimed at . Unless the mindset of society changes, or the majority of people realize this, no drastic change can be expected. Why has India witnessed this steady slide downhill of our cultural, moral, human values? Maybe the very modernization, the changes in the wants, of the present society, are responsible to the changes in the values of people in this present age. Consumerism, is at an all time high, and with the availability of top consumer products after globalization, the latest products , being advertised in ever form of media, makes for a growing demand for them. And that leads to fall in ethical and moral values when one’s incomes and assets fail to fulfill the wants, and desires, and results in the temptation to resort to corruption. The life style of the affluent section of society instills a sense of jealousy, envy, in the less privilaged, which results in the rise of crime, as a means to achieve things they cannot afford to have, legally. Crime against women is a by product of such expectations, and wrong values. And unless all these aspects of what is prevailing in the present outlook of society, are taken care of,no changes in the system will be possible. Eradication of corruption, can only take place with the coordinated will and effort of every man women and child, specially the so called leaders of various groups, activists, parties that dot the landscape, and not just by the efforts of the AAP. AAP can only lead the way. If the people want to redeem themselves and the nation, and rid themselves from the this multi headed monster eating up the very fabric of society, they have to wake up now, before it is too late, and maybe we can yet have an India which we are proud of, and which finds no place in the list of the most corrupt nations of the world.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 07:17:39 +0000
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