Monday, June 26, 2006

Height of Corruption

From the grass-root level of a government-run organization to the top of it, a term that is said to keep the employees alive and their kids fed is chai-pani. The norm might be catching up with some private organizations too. Donations in schools, vanishing funds in organizations said to be carrying out social work, sifarish in job areas- and before a ‘victim’ of corruption thinks he has had ‘enough’, he has illogical, unexpected, elongated telephone and electricity bills waiting to be paid on his desk.
So if having to bribe the chaprasi to get to talk to an officer or giving huge amount of ‘charity’ to an adoption centre isn’t enough, then how much actually is? Sky is never the limit, not the least for the ever-greedy, ever-demanding ‘bribe-takers’ who think bribery is so very normal that they have devised euphemisms for the term ‘bribe’ itself.
Not everybody in the system is a part of this wave, you may say. I agree. But the very few who are not in the wave are forced to stay as sediments. It is very difficult for the conscience-followers to rise above the corrupt and surf the waves without getting drenched.
While we keep our fingers crossed and wait for the sediments to shed their fears and rise above the water-level (before we are swept away by a flood), we try also to measure the depth and try to find out what the ‘height of corruption’ is(Is there a measuring instrument long enough?)

10 comments:

Pavan Tyagi (पवन त्यागी) said...

Reckoning thoughts!!!!
I wish we could have that measuring instruments that could measure all that sounds like this...times they are changing but radical changes are unlikely to occur in the course of developement of the society which has just got "partially under western influence"...It sounds that ways to us cos' we're yet to see all that on the grounds...It seems to be traveling in our DNA, the blood needs a faster flow to get that junked thinking outahere...right here!
Happy thinking!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey I think you forgot to mention the kind of corruption that is legal and even written in the constitution-RESERVATIONS. I guess its easier to get a job or to get into a great school....just a little fake certificate and the right "middle man" can make your work a cakewalk!!!!!!Nice post by the way.......ciao!

Tanvi said...

Pavan, Thank You.I hope our system recovers soon from whatever it is going through.

Nitya,I think,it's not a few things I have forgot to mention. Due to the vastness of corruption(we could have a separate subject on it in schools),it isn't easy to write each aspect of it in a 'read-able' post.The newest 'Tatkal' service initiated by the Indian Railways is another form of 'legal bribery'. Thanks a lot.

Axiomate said...

Quite agree with Niti..dont you think we too take up steps like bribing the guy at the rto just to get our Driving license without going thru that test? We too are at fault when it comes to encouraging corruption,what say ?

Tanvi said...

Ofcourse axiomate,we agree with Nitya and I agree with you. We all are at fault- you for bribing the officials and me for letting you do that.
But try waiting in queues and taking tests while I try to become more than just a spectator.It shouldn't be that bad.What say?

Axiomate said...

he he .. as you say madam.

Rose said...

Its a disease that semm to have gripped our country beyond repair !!

khadli said...

well, everyone's cribbing abt how corrupt the government is... but, one person can make a difference too... i mean, if one person does her/his part, then she/he will make a change... so, let's just do our part, and we can make a difference! we can!!

Tanvi said...

Rose,being a highly optimistic person,I do not think the situation is solution-less.Though,I do not blame you for holding this notion either.There must be more people who hold this opinion than there are Shahrukh Khan fans in this country.
Khadli,I agree completely.We can make a difference, and let's say we will!

Mohammed Khan said...

Well what you said all about the sediments is good but you forgot one dimension of corruption, country's growth. The standard of country defines the extent of corruption.The standard of living of an individual determines his height of corruption. If the crountry's gdp grows along with growth in standard of living of common man, I am sure extent of corruption falls. No need for sediments to rise to surface.