NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
THE STATES
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES
SEARCH REDIFF

Search the Internet          Tips

Don't blame corruption on others

Corruption is here to stay in India, until you and me decide to stop paying bribes.

The cancer of corruption has become part of our society and it is spreading. But we Indians are learning to live with it, rather than fighting it.

It is slowly eating into our long cherished social values, but not many of us seem to be worried.

May be it is the way we are, or may be we are waiting for Lord Vishnu to come and clear the mess as we have always been told " Yada yada hi dharmasya ... ".

Why blame the government or politicians, when you and me do not hesitate in giving bribes to get away after committing minor or major offenses.

You may argue that if we do not pay the officials will harass us. But the moment we give the traffic police Rs 50 as a bribe we lose our right to talk against corruption.

It is the middle-class (higher, middle or lower) in India, which makes a noise against corruption. But that very middle-class is responsible for it. I believe the poor do not have any money to be involved. And the very rich don't care what happens. They have their companies, factories to run and make money. They say their companies and factories generate wealth for the country and provide jobs. It is their justification for corruption.

May be the middle-class can say that at least they are not betraying the country for money. But isn't paying Rs 50 to a traffic cop betraying your country? Betraying the responsibility given to each of us as citizens of India?

Why do we have a mentality of calling government officials sahib? Given that the officials are paid salaries from the taxes that you and me pay, they are in the true sense our servants.

Until we understand that, not just understand but internalise it into our systems, nothing is going to change. And once we do that, we can find the answer to most of the problems we face today.

I believe the real problem is not corruption but the 'missing self-pride' in India's middle-class. It is the middle-class which decides the future of any country. Just check all the human history, it has always been the middle-class who have created and changed the path of history.

We do not feel proud (enough) to be what we are. Being a "proud Indian" is the next step. Tell me, why do we still bribe the traffic cop or income tax official?

Instead of paying the traffic policeman Rs 200 legally you pay a bribe of Rs 50. But for Rs 150 you give up your pride. Pay that Rs 200, if nothing else, it will at least give you right to talk against corruption.

Unless we start worrying and trying our best to keep our pride intact, Lord Vishnu is not going to come down to save us.

The choice is with you and me. It is up to us to act and not blame the government, the system and society.