Saturday, January 29, 2011

India Against Corruption

Social networking sites and email chains are pleading support for 30th Jan 2011 rallies organized by “India Against Corruption”. A number of prominent people and religious leaders support the cause and protests may influence the anti corruption bills. Waking up to fight against corruption is a good first step by Indian public. While waiting to see the impact of Anti Corruption rallies in sixty cities of India, common public can take concrete steps to curb corruption:

• Say ‘No’ to agents asking bribe for Driving License. Discard the driving license if obtained using corrupt means and get a new one without paying any bribe.

• Pay traffic violation fine and avoid under the table transaction.

• Set a single price of properties. Make cash (black) and white parts history.

• Stop paying kickbacks for winning government contracts.

• Construct buildings, bridges and roads with appropriate material instead of using that money to bribe for the approval.

• Declare income honestly and pay required taxes.

• Just pay the required fee for birth, death or marriage certificates.

• Use talent and merit to get a job. Let losers use money and/or contacts for jobs.

• Vote for honest and capable candidates.

The list is endless but fundamental principle is the same. Be honest and do not use illegal, unethical or corrupt means. Kill the corruption by NOT becoming part of it. Corruption will cease from our society if all of us follow our ancestor’s core value system i.e. honesty. 

What do you think?

References:-

35 comments:

Tanvi said...

It is a Nobel thought ... and not impossible but definitely difficult. Everyone is in some sort of a hurry to get where ever they are going .... and hence the Bribe! It is a ripple effect ... The whole country will have to stop it - in Unity - for us to see any real progress.

shuchita said...

I think we definitely need to take steps on individual basis if we want something to happen but I think it's a very very long time before we see anything concrete happening especially in the infrastructure sector

BK Chowla, said...

Good post. But, there goes a saying--Unless, Gangotri is cleaned up, Ganga will get polluted water(I cant translate this ).
The initiative taken by the activists is a great development which all must support and I feel it will goa long way sending a msg to the corrupt ones sitting in powerful positions.

Deepika said...

Corruption isn't a cause.. Its the root. And yes it can only be eradicated if started from the smaller ones like traffic chalaans and little issues.. Good post.

raji said...

This seems like a 'silver lining' ;hope for the best.:)

Choco said...

Great post! Live responsibly and be the change. Isn't it? :)

Tanishka said...

We all know corruption is bad and that we must be honest and avoid any illegal means... Do we need a rally to implement it?? Well no... I don't think any movement or any rally would help... We should rather get into action if we really wish to bring about a change.

Sh@s said...

If each of us can say NO to it even in testing times then it can work otherwise a good effort like this to drill in some morality and social responsibility goes waste.
Hope for the best.

PriPat said...

GOsh!!!!
well I would be really surprises if Indian follow all these!! Its next to Impossible in India!!
Corruptions have become integral part of our life... if v do not accept it v r burned alive.. just the resent case of the man who was burned alive in the adulteration scams!!

And bout cancelling the licence... god I wanna drive.. !! last month my friend said I will take a licence without bribing... I tell u he visits the RTO daily but haven't got the licence yet..!!

Major revolution is required otherwise all is impossible...

Neeha said...

I hate corruption.That's the reason why India is not developing,I support this.
But don't know whether it improves the situation or not.
Thanks for sharing.

Shari said...

I loved the post just basic and wonderful steps. If people from any country starts to follow these steps they ought to become better nation. :-D

kiran sawhney said...

You know out of things you have listed, in few, I actually did not have to pay bribe to get work done. And they are 1, 2, 7.
6 and 9 also applies to me.
It is a well written post.

NRIGirl said...

Good listing @A!

I don't recall paying bribe to anyone for anything anytime. But I am sure indirectly part of what we paid was distributed among the concerned people as their "wages".

The only difficulty these days is that since they openly accept bribe as "fee", it is difficult to know what % of your amount is actual fee and what % goes to their pockets. Everyone wants their job done and so not too many are questioning about it - including me...

Amrit said...

@Tanvi,

I agree it is difficult. Do we have a choice? Big changes need difficult tasks. Ripple effect is the main thing we need to tackle. Your comment is very legitimate.

@Suchita,

Yes. All of us need to take steps on individual basis and collectively too. It is going to take a long time before we reach there but we have to start somewhere. Good comment.

@BK Chowla,

Translation: - Kill the beast at the origin. But where does corruption originate…is it public or politicians or public servants or all. I think we all are responsible up to certain extent. And I do agree it is a great initiative. Thanks. Glad you liked this post because you are an expert on political posts.

@Deepika,

Thanks. Corruption is the root of various problems and we have to tackle at all levels.

@Raji,

Yes. Let us try and hope for the best.

@Choco,

Exactly. You summed up perfect. Thanks.

@Tanishka,

Exactly. We need to take action. Rallies will help to change laws. But we do not follow laws anyway. But Rallies do generate awareness.

@Sh@S,

Yes. All of us have to say ‘NO’. I completely agree. To reach ALL, some people will have to start.

@PriPat,

If India needs to change, Indian will have to follow it. NRIs following these would not help. I do believe Indians are sick of living in corruption and need change. Once they decide to change, they will. That is the revolution we are looking for. Your friend will get the license eventually. It happened with me too but I did not give up.

@Neeha,

Corruption is one of the reason for slow development of India. As nations grow, corruption reduces but that does not seem to be the case with India.

@Talha,

Steps are basic but concrete. I agree with you completely.

@Kiran,

Sure. For most of my list, you did not have to pay bribe. But my list is not complete. These are common examples. Passport office, Tax office..everywhere I went in India bribe was expected but I did not pay. Very frustrating but things worked out at the end.

@NRIGirl,

It is simple. If you got a receipt for the money you paid that is fee. If you did not get the receipt then that was likely bribe. Now you recollect. Because no one questions, India has become one of the most corrupt nation – 2G scam, Housing scam, CWG..you name it and there is corruption.

chitra said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
chitra said...

A,
I got my ration card without paying anything but had a harrowing time getting it. Any thing here we have to pay extra.If you don't pay, undue delay or things like applications get lost in the offices. How long can people wait? Greasing the palms starts from bottom to top.So cannot complain anywhere. Common man is always at the receiving end. I have gone thru' this.

Anjuli said...

What a superb post!! I have seen the ravages of corruption- definitely a good thing to start turning the tide against it. Of course it is never easy, but once the root is pulled- it will stop the weed from continuing to grow.

BK Chowla, said...

Well,some of you have referred to getting a ration card without bribing.
For your information, most of us want a ration card as a support to residential proof. Just in case you dont know--A ration card issued by the Govt dept is NOT accepted as residential proof and hence it has lost it's bribe value.

Bikram said...

WEll what do i say to that.. HIGH HOPES i will say , i better not write more jsutin case all those people sayi am a traitor.. because that what u are called bringing out the problems :)

corruption is in our GENES its never going ot go away .. NEVER mark my words

good points u have put there But when it hits you on the head then you know ...

sorry for the rude comment

Bikram's

Insignia said...

Well, we will do our bit and hope for the best

Anonymous said...

A very great and noble call to wake up INDIA... and get rid of corruption!! I totally support the cause but the last time I went to India I had to bribe the customs people at the airport to get my luggage out... (the very first hour of me being there) I was travelling alone and had some jewellery and electronics on me (which was all my personal and I had all the receipts and the documentation that I got from Canadian Border Services to show) but the guy wouldn't let me go out of the airport - he wanted either 300 dollars or my cell phone (which was more expensive) so I had to give him 300 dollars or I would have been stuck at the airport! I did check the law... There isn't any such law that banned me to bring my personal jewellery or electronics to a trip to INDIA!!

To be honest, it will take centuries... but as they say Der aaye durust aaye! at least it's a start... but how are we going to pursue this? You can't get anything done without a bribe... want a birth/death certificate... and you need it for a job application, passport, visa, anything you are so time constraint!! you will not get it without paying a bribe and at that point you need to make a decision pay bribe or loose your job, immigration application, whatever the reason is?! it isn't much effective if people stop "GIVING" bribe... it has to start with people who "TAKE" bribes... and start working the job that they are being well paid for!!

People are forced to bribe or else they won't be able to survive or function properly... I wish we can invent a safe "med" to brainfreeze people and completely remove the corruption GENE out of their system!!

Mannat!!

sm said...

unity of Indian citizens and fear in the mind of corrupt is the solution.

Amrit said...

@Chitra,

I agree. I had very tough time getting my passport because I did not want to bribe but eventually I got it. If none of us pay, there is nothing much government official can do and they have to finally get to work.

@Anjuli,

Fully agree. We need to kill at roots. The situation in India is pretty bad. On one hand, people are tired of it and on the other hand a lot of them simply become part of the system and accept it. The people in second category need to change.

@BK Chowla,

Thanks for the clarification. This will be helpful to people.

@Bikram,

I am not sure if corruption is in our genes. I remember when we were students, we were idealist. No corruption, no bribe. As we grew older, we became PRACTICAL and started following the system instead of changing it. We have to become idealist again.

@Insignia,

That is absolutely right. We have to do our part.

@Mannat,

That is so shameful to pay 300$ to get your bags. For almost ten years now, there is no custom duties any more. No one can hold you on customs. This is the kind of corruption/crime that hurts Indians and specifically Non Resident Indians. I know someone who was harassed by police in Delhi and after returning to the USA, she complained to the authorities and apparently an action was taken against that policeman. Policeman is supposed to protect and not harass. What happened to you is beyond corruption in my opinion. I really like your idea of inventing a medicine to make people honest.

@SM,

Very rightly said. One sentence but it says it all.

R. Ramesh said...

wow wonderful post buddy...know the path is difficult but at least v can all try...i saw a blogger rachna appealing to people to join a march against corruption..boss..am proud of our bloggers yar....a pat to all..

dr.antony said...

Good dreams,I would say.
But still,dreams are the beginning,
and then,chase the dreams!
If we change,the world will follow.

Felicity Grace Terry said...

I've seen a few posts about this on Facebook but didn't feel as if I know enough about the situation to comment so many thanks for this information and for supplying further reading.

Anonymous said...

Nice list. Be honest. Very true. I am glad I am keeping my Indian License. :D

My comment didn't come thru before I guess... :)

Bhargavi said...

umm.Maybe there should be some magical pied piper who'll blow on his pipe and the corrupt politicians will follow him down the cliff like vermins.. Oh,I'm just hallucinating :-). Very noble thought and a good effort. Hope.

Irfanuddin said...

very true... fundamental principle should be " be honest n don't use illegal, unethical and corrupt means... most important, "never become a part of corrupt system"... if we do this on our part, it will not take much time to make the things better

Reagads,
irfan

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