Corruption in country

Dr.Banarsi Lal and Dr.Shahid Ahamad
Before we begin to enquire into the subject, it is pertinent to ask what exactly is understood by corruption. Can we define it? What are the causal factors for its spread? Can we eliminate this cancer from our society? What are remedial measures against this menace? These are the questions that need to be answered effectively to eradicate this menace.  There is no evil, which is pervasive today as corruption. Corruption is making its vitiating presence in our all walks of life. Many of us are unaware about its impact on our lives and its negative consequences in future. Corruption is easier to identify than to define. There is no need to elaborate corruption as we all are exposed to various types of corruption, its different methodologies directly or indirectly by way of either dealing with the corrupt people or by way of being corrupt. Corruption is behaviour which deviates us from the normal duties of public role because of private cliques, violates the rules due to certain private influence. This type of behaviour includes bribery, misappropriation and nepotism.  If we look back our history, corruption was prevalent in old days also and it has been described by Kautilya in Arthasastra during the Mauryan period.
The corrupt people in our country brazenly retard the economy of the country. Our country is rich in natural resources, rich honoured civilization, rich in man power resources but still our country remained poor and backward due to rampant corruption in Government and private services. We celebrate 15th August as our Independence Day. But our celebrations are for what and for whom? Does it signify Independence from corrupt and unfair system? Or from nagging persistent poverty and social injustice? Or from the political leaders who mislead the people with insincere and false promises? The fact is that the true independence of the country has been stolen by the corrupt people. These corrupt people of the society have made the honest people incompetent. We must come forward to weed out corruption from our society. Corruption presently in our country threatens administrative, political and economic system of the nation. This cancer has become the matter of grave concern for all of us. While public awareness about this problem has been increased by the different sources and persons like social activist Anna Hazare over the years but very little progress has been made to implement the remedial measures that can nab the severity of this menace. The Government efforts are also in piecemeal. Periodic scandals are observed every year.
Corruption is considered as the biggest problem in our country. Even after long time of independence, we experience the existence of severe form of corruption in our country. The Indian citizens now think that they cannot get the services done without bribe or references from the influential people. Corruption has now engulfed every walk of life and it enjoys its own social dignity. Now the people have the psyche that there is nothing wrong in giving or taking the bribe. There is general feeling of skepticism and cynicism against the Government by the people. Directly or indirectly, we all are responsible for the existence of corruption in our country. Every individual now have become self-centred because every individual thinks for his own concern and wants to fulfill his own interest through any means.
Now, we should think that from where and how we should start the anti-corruption efforts? We should try to understand the causal factors and incentives which start the corruption. We should dispel the myth that corruption exists in our culture. The Swiss bank account has become traditional culture in our country. Mostly we think that political leaders are responsible for corruption. Should we wait for elusive leaders and let the degeneration continue or take the responsibility to make vibrant modern India? The question still remains unanswered that can we get rid of corruption? The answer should be the big “YES”. Everything is possible in this world. It is well known proverb that where there is will there is a way. We should be optimist to eradicate the corruption from our country. The word ‘impossible’ itself says that ‘I am possible’. Our Jammu and Kashmir state is at number two position in case of corruption while Bihar is at number one position in India. In 2005 Transparency International conducted a study and observed that 62% of the Indians had firsthand experience of paying bribes or influence to get the services done in the public offices. Presently India is at 85th position in the corrupt nations in the world. Let us hope that India would be considered as corruption free country. This task is arduous but not possible to achieve. There is no need of anti-corruption army to eliminate this menace. The people of the country are the real power of the country. The vote of each individual is like drop and each drop is equally important. Many drops are needed to fill the ocean. We should select the honest and clean public image politicians. We should have anti-corruption package. There is need to reform our political system, restructuring the Government machinery and create the awareness on corruption among the people. We need to have social activists like Sh. Anna Hazare who could awake the people against this menace. There is need to inculcate good ethical values in our young generation and also need to give quality education to them to become the honest citizens of the country.  We should make strenuous efforts to make our country corruption free. We don’t want our country to be named the country of illiterates, unemployed and sick people. We don’t want our country to be said as the country of poor, incompetent and dishonest people. We want our motherland to be known for its honest, spiritually very strong and economically rich people.

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