CORRUPTION
What is corruption?
Corruption is misuse of power for private gain and exhibiting dishonest or fraudulent behavior by those in power, involving both the parties, one abuse his position and other take the undue advantage by bribing.
Reasons for corruption
Corruption occurs through myriad methods and knows no boundaries. Selfishness and greed are the two main causes of corruption. Other factors which encourage systemic corruption include discretionary and monopolistic powers, lack of transparency, low pay, gift culture, and freedom in misusing power, lethargic and intertia by the citizens to revoit against corruption, lack of accountability and absence of watchdog institutions.
Make effective laws and curb corruption
Anna Hazare and Aravind Kejriwal tried their best to awaken the people against corruption. Can these two men eradicate corruption in India? Unless an effective and strengthen law is made without any loop holes, the deep rooted corruption can’t be wiped out from the society. We are so badly wired with corruption and our minds have been conditioned to follow the corrupt system with consciousness and became venal and we accept corruption without consciousness. It’s true that there is no dearth of laws to regulate these corrupt practices.
The following actions will definitely mitigate the corruption level, if not completely wiped out:-
- Make criminals permanently disqualified from contesting elections
- Dismiss corrupt officials from their jobs permanently
- E-governmance should be implemented in all the
- Confiscate all the properties of corrupt politicians and employees
- Strictly ban the distribution of liquor, money and gifts during elections
- Pay salaries according to inflation to meet both ends
- Make arrangements to bring all the money stashed at foreign banks
- Identify and ban the suitcase and shadow companies
- Keep details of corrupt politicians, employees in government website
- All adults should fight against corruption by using RTI
- Parents, teachers should teach moral behavior right from childhood
- Judiciary, bureaucracy should play important role to fight corruption
It’s often said that India is a very rich country. But, we have 30 crore people below the poverty line, who do not have sufficient food, drinking water, shelter or clothes to cover their bodies. As per the widely publicized figures – Rs 45 lakh crore of Indian money is stashed at foreign banks. But the fact is, there is much than what has been stated by our CBI Director A.P Singh, in his address to the Interpol Global Program on Anti-corruption and Asset Recover, Unfortunately, national interest became nobody’s business. It is strange that our fellow countrymen still look to our leaders for ameliorating their living conditions. Our innocent people still dram of our country becoming super power. Change is the only thing that stops corruption and it takes time and effort to change people’s mindset to follow ethics.
Being a good citizen you can act on the following aspects:-
- Never give or receive bribes
- Choose to speak out when you see corruption around you
- Dislodge the corrupt government with voting power
- Write articles to newspaper when you see corruption in action
- Join campaigns to fight corruption
A booklet with well laid down moral values will be printed and imparted to children, students and faculty in different modules according to the understanding capacity of the group. It should be like storytelling, where all groups draw the moral of the story and every child should ask their parents the following questions:-
- Is the money being spent on their education free from corrupt practices?
- Is the money being spent on food, clothes and comforts they are enjoying earned legally or with corrupt practices?
- Are you corrupt parent or a good citizen with values and principles?
Consequences of corruption:-
- Hinders economic growth and deters investment
- Rule of law will erode and people don’t respect or trust the state
- Pushes people into poverty which destabilizes a society
- Raises the cost of doing business
- Discourages new ideas and innovations
- Leads to a reduction in the quality of products
- Cripples institutions and lead to bad governance
- Leads to depletion of national wealth
- Discourages people to work together for common good
- It is often responsible for increased cost of goods and services
- Demanding and paying bribes will become as a tradition
- Results in social inequality and widens gap between rich and poor
- Lower the quality of services like schools, health and roads
They make us fool, with so much cool Someone sent to jail, in no time he gets the bail Courts work like a snail, to ensure never to fail Still we have to sail, on never moving rail.
