Wednesday, October 24, 2012

AVENUE FOR CORRUPTION


Is the government serious about curbing corruption? Why this question? I will first narrate a story of Akbar and Birbal before I speak about what prompted my question.

Akbar was told that one of his courtiers was corrupt. He discussed this with Birbal as there was no evidence to prove this. Birbal advised that he speak to the concerned person telling him to stop such practice. Akbar told that instead of that he would put that person on some job where he will have no chance to indulge in this. Birbal told him that no matter what you may do unless a person feels from within not to indulge he will find ways to do so in any position. Akbar challenged Birbal that he would prove him wrong.

Akbar put that corrupt courtier on job of recording waves of river Yamuna touching shores from dawn to dusk. After few days he asked Birbal if that man had found way to make money. Birbal confirmed in affirmative. Akbar did not believe him and told that he would ask that courtier. Birbal told that unless he granted that man royal pardon, he would not tell truth.

On being asked that person denied but after a lot of cajoling and grant of royal pardon, he confessed that he was making money. He told that after a couple of days of this boring job he started telling boatmen who crossed in front of him that they were hindering him in carrying royal orders. So they paid him in cash or in kind to hush up their crossing that place.

My idea to narrate this story was that we need to inculcate in our people that it is incorrect to indulge in corruption. It could be by proper education raising moral awareness or / and harsh punishments to guilty to deter others. 

But the actions of government point to the other way. Just to quote one example as how corruption avenues are being created, limit of 6 LPG cylinders per year on subsidized rates per connection has been laid down with rider that one address will have only one connection. This as it is had loopholes for corruption by dealers who could use dormant users for benefit of those whom they may like to oblige. Now it has been announced that one address can have two connections if there are two kitchens operational at that one address. This will be verified by officials of LPG supplier companies.  Do I need to say any more on this?

13 comments:

BROKEN STAR (bck agn) said...

Indian can find nyways just to make money...corruption is in our blood.....it takes a fresh start to create a new ideology....so, it will take tim be4 it ends in totality.

Shilpa Garg said...

Corrupt people will always find newer and innovative ways to cheat... it's in their DNA and somehow they can't change themselves!!

Anonymous said...

this is everywhere. not just on the highest level. but on the lowest levels too. i wonder where the feeling of general welfare have gone

hamaarethoughts.com said...

its sad in spite of all progress we made there is some kind of greed which makes people do that ..it starts frm home ..
we live here is foreign land..n I m surprised by honesty in people .. banks .. or stores ..you get correct change even if you pay more .. companies send you refunds on bill when there is some change in price,,
why r these people so honest I always think?? is it fear of law??
they are genetically different ??
... I got a refund of $500 from a company whom we pay mortgage .. the property taxes came down ..to give relief to owners.. "back log" .. the checks were issued to owners of the house..
would we do in our country?? ..I lost my card and somebody swiped 1500 dollars frm my bank in half an hour .. I made report to bank ..they .. told me to fill a form ..and 1500 was deposited to my bank.. the bank wud take care of the culprit.. was a police case now..
I doubt if I our banks do that!wud our police do that??
... its pathetic I wish I cud say same thing for my country and be proud of it.
but its not!

Manish said...

Great story about Akbar and Birbal. The moral we should learn is that there is no way humans can be permanent;y corrected in their morals, but yes the System can be because system is man-made. Important is that in every acts of corruption there is a beneficiary and a deprived person. Governance system must have means to protect the deprived and advance his agenda through proper transparent investigations.

Revacious said...

Pertinent points you raise here. uncle. Indians have lost their moral compass when it comes to corruption.. but I think more than individuals, family members are to blame here. If the family of an authority figure refuses money earned in the black way, which public servant will indulge in it?

Tranquility Speaks said...

I feel the laws in India aren't strict enough to bring the guilty to book. No one fears wrongdoing I guess. Be it breaking traffic rules or blatant money laundering. Everyone gets away with it. Which isn't the case in some of the biggest countries of the world. Also, the citizens of these countries aren't deprived of the basic necessities like food, clean water, shelter etc. Which primarily drives such motives.

vinny said...

yes, avenue for corruption!

Jack said...

B S :

We should make a beginning at least to control this menace, isn't it? Take care


SHILPA :

We should follow demand and supply principle. If no one is there to pay it then the demand will surely be contained. Take care


FIREFLY :

It is such a pitiable situation. We need to think of ways to curb it. Take care

Jack said...

PUNAM :

It is a BIG IF. We need to cure this cancer which is eating up our vitals. Take care


HARMAN :

It is really so sad that we wish to copy them in every other way but in this. I strongly feel that if this continues there will be a civil war in future. As it is we are seeing such strife in some areas,though it has taken different hue now. Take care


MANNU :

Unfortunately our government does not seem keen to get to the root cause of this. I remember famous words of our late PM Rajiv Gandhi that it is only 25 paisa out of 1 rupee sanctioned for progress of backward which reaches them. So what was done about it? Take care

Jack said...

REVACIOUS :

How I wish that we can understand this and build moral values in families! Take care


TRANQUILITY :

I strongly feel that laws should be simple to be implemented and judicial system should be independent to complete trials within laid down time frame. It is so sad that even those who have enough still want more and indulge in this practice to amass wealth. Take care


OLDFOX :

You got the point very clearly. Take care

Bhavana said...

Un perfecto point!!! Context, story, perfect way to illustrate how corruption occurs!

Jack said...

BHAVANA :

Sad, isn't it? Take care