Corruption; Can it ever be finished/ eradicated?

In the interests of one and all ...

My dear countrymen!

How strange is it whenever we are assembled/collected anywhere on any occasion, one of the most interesting topics of discussion has commonly been corruption also. And we generally treat this phenomenon something out from us most surprising and ignorantly. But the actual fact is, it basically first exists in our mind. But very sadly, we treat all others as corrupt but ourselves. Sometimes,  I wonder in such ignorant environments, can corruption ever be eradicated from our lives? 

One day a man went to see Guru Chanakya in the evening. He was doing some official work in candle light. Before beginning to talk to him Guru unlit the candle and; lit the another candle. Curiously enough the man asked him why he did so? He replied first candle was meant for the official job. Since you are here for personal work, how can I use an official candle for personal work?  

We sometimes surprised to believe we belong to the place of Guru Chanakya. Let us compare him to the present day gurus and rulers.

Truly speaking, we are all born corrupt. None is untouched of it. Everyone is corrupt and doing corruption at his own level whenever gets the opportunities knowingly or unknowingly. But in practice what we usually hear people say: 

"Is hammam me sabhi nange hai, aur jo pakdaa Gaya wo chor, jo Nahi pakdaa Gaya wo sahukaar. " 

Therefore, it is as simple as anything to understand that possibility of eradication of corruption from our lives is almost nil. Anyway! Let us see and try to have some understanding of it with our day to day activities.

Corruption In simple terms is, "Money earned evading tax is illegal and comes under corruption."

And what is the definition of it;

"Corruption is the misuse of public power( elected politicians and appointed civil servants) for private gains."

When things are in short supply, corruption starts. Sometimes it (shortages) is genuine and sometimes it is created (fake).

Therefore, it is the job of the government to vigil the situation that there should be no gap in demand and supply. And when supplies are obstructed through hoarding by businessmen to fulfill some ulterior motives, the government must jump in with corrective measures. 

I remember how MorarJi Desai, the then PM of India during Janta Party rule in 1977 controlled the price rise by warning to the business community strictly. When prices were shooting up, in a nation-wide telecast he sternly warned the businessmen who were indulging in hoarding to carry on massive raids on their premises, illegal godowns and warehouses if prices are not reduced within 24 hrs of the broadcast. It immediately worked, rates started falling down and hence abnormal high prices were soon curbed. Such actions are hardly seen these days regardless of any government in power since then.

It is easy to understand when requirements are more, and often in increasing order and income is less and minimising, what recourse people have but to adopt some unfair means to fulfill their needs and hence corruption somehow enters their lives under compulsions irrespective of their intentions.

India has not yet as developed as advanced countries for fair and reasonable payment of wages and salaries to all their workers, employees and staff. There are great disparities among them and companies both. These unfair practices also lead to exploitations of them some way or other at all levels and such situations help in enhancing corruption.

Spoils system works everywhere and it is rampantly in existence in India and the world as well, not eradicated fully from America as yet.

It's a system where all political parties and Govts as a matter of regular practices, keep on favouring their loyal men and party workers who help them attaining powers with plum government jobs after forming the government to keep them engaged permanently with them.

Needless to explain how things are going on these days with respect to all political parties. It is as clear as a mirror to even a layman that removing corruption from one's life is a far cry. We can only dream of it having expectations with positivity and optimism. At least this we can and we must do.

Our ex-PM Mr. V. P. Singh became the PM of India on the plank of his great honesty without solid base with his tall promise to find out the actual beneficiary of Bofors kickbacks and all culprits to get punished and jailed them. Nothing happened ultimately, it is a mystery still today. Neither real culprit was known nor caught leave alone the punishment.

Congress party was dethroned only due to its massive corruptions throughout its reign and BJP came into full-fledged power only in 2014, but it can also not be treated as honest as holy cow and party with a difference.

Lone so-called anti-corruption crusader, Mr.Arvind Kejriwal who entered the politics and astonishingly became the CM of Delhi twice with missionary zeal to eradicate the corruption and to altogether change the prevalent wrong and rotten systems is also facing many allegations of corruption none other than by his own party men. 

So we can understand that corruption is in our blood not something out. The beginning has to be made from self alone if keen to eradicate corruption from our lives.

Let us understand it further with these examples; 

1. Suppose you sudden have to undertake a journey by a train without reservation and while looking for berth you came to know that availability of berth is only 01 and claimants are more than 05. Obviously, berth will be given to one who offers the TTE the highest subject to TTE's discretion.
2. Almost everywhere in each field, we find the similar situations. It is also seen in everyone's life since childhood from birth to Nursery admission to higher studies to jobs and survival up to retirement from service and finally to death. In school/college seats are less students are more. Jobs are few in numbers and applicants are in lacs. In such situations, corruption of unimaginative magnitude automatically creeps in.
3. Prices of perishable goods like Fruits and vegetables are decided daily based on a number of Trucks entry in the Azadpur Mandi that day. If trucks entry is fewer prices shoot up and if entry more, prices fall down proportionally. Here also, there is a tremendous scope of malpractices and manipulations to make easy money illegally.

Therefore, here again, it is the responsibility of the government to watch the situation with an eagle's eye of demand and supply in order that there must not be any hindrance to supply line at any stage to ward of any crisis to come up in meeting expected demand. 

Since we face such crisis regularly in every area, the government should do what it can efficiently do and rest of the job requirements pass on to other incumbents in the field to prevent recurrence every now and then. But only God knows why such simple remedy has never been the government policy?

As corruption is inherent in us and occurs outside later. However, it can also be curbed and minimised up to some extent if some of these measures are taken:

1. Taxing everyone by levying taxes barest minimum. Bumper taxes will pour in the coffers. When taxes will be minimum, the question of stashing away money to foreign banks will not arise and that funds suitably be used in the progress of the nation.
2. Systems should be such where evading of theft or slip of any kind is impossible like systems in shopping Malls and Metro Rail.
3. All commodities must attract minimum taxes in order that every transaction takes place against bill only. Seller and buyer both will willingly opt for it.
4. Inspectors RRaj has to be minimised by having less inspectors in the system. More the inspectors, more the corruption resulting least money in govt coffers.
5. All loss making PSUs or companies must either sold out or made to run on no profit no loss basis at least as the government has to keep social welfare also in priority.
6. Rules and regulations are as simple as possible everywhere to be easily understood by all to avoid exploitations of people through middlemen, touts and so called consultants.
7. Encourage rigorous competition by welcoming a maximum number of players in the field. Healthy competition among them will be good for consumers and government both as we see the satisfactory results/growth in Telecom, TVs, Automobiles, Banking, Finance and Insurance sectors .........etc. 

But most unfortunately to follow the easy norms in larger good of the people have never been in their DNA and top priority of the government regardless of any party in power and hence chaos and suffering prevail everywhere rampantly.

Also, Interesting to note here, Great Iraq attack on Kuwait was also somewhat related to demand and supply gap. While Iraq wanted Kuwait to produce less oil as per settled terms to maintain reasonable price while under pressure from America, it produced more oil resulting in a drastic decline in prices that angered Iraq attacked Kuwait on this issue.

Later America also attacked Iraq and Libya one by one on the flimsy ground but one of the valid reasons of attack was that they (Iraq and Libya) were educating entire Arab countries of their ultimate rights over oil. They were against American hegemony and control over their oil reserves and protesting against American interferences directly or indirectly in formulating policies related to its production and fixation of prices. It ultimately annoyed America resulting their (Iraq and Libya) elimination from reign, power and lives through its military intervention in their countries.

Actually, it is the super powers ill-wished to control over resources of poor and developing countries that causes wars all over the world directly or indirectly. As now it is commonly predicted these days that next world war will be on WATER because like oil it also is a scarce commodity.


Jai Hind.




Writer- Sinha.P.K. Views expressed are strictly personal. Feedback / Criticism welcome at Email -pkmsinha@gmail.com or follow @ pkmsinha.blogspot.in