Corruption...!!!
An interesting topic. Everyone would've commented on it in our own style. We have our own views and reasons for doing so.
a school-kid will repeat the pledge told by his teacher : "...I love my country and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage. I shall always strive to be worthy of it......"
.....not knowing exactly what is the meaning of even a single word.
an teenager says : "I support Anna. All Indians should support his movement and work for a corruption-free India, by writing an essay or by a Like/Comment/Share on FB/Twitter"
.....not knowing what is practical and what is not... just young-blood and a commendable effort for winning a competition or impressing people around.
a recently employed would say : "I had enough of guidance in college. I'm earning now and know what I've to do. I'll donate a share of my earning to those who suffer from effects of corruption. I'll work for a cause, for a corruption-free world around me. I'll earn smart and fast and I'll never have to be corrupt".
......not knowing that soon he'll be compromising many things, to get along with the system.
a newly married youngster would say : "shit with corruption... I'm fed-up with it... I'm working for a multinational and hardly get time off my work. I don't contribute to corruption and I don't need to worry about that"
......all that matters is newly setup family and a caring spouse.
......all that matters is newly setup family and a caring spouse.
a middle-aged would say : "hell to corruption... I hate it... I tried for all my young-years resisting it, without changing anything around. I could still do it, had I not been married and be a family-man. I don't want any mess with my family"
......all he cares is about the safety of his children and satisfactory smile on wife's face.
an elderly man would say : "well.... since my days, many have spoken about corruption and many more have protested. all that I've seen is it growing every year. all my life I've experienced that resisting the system only makes life harder"
......trying to impart the wisdom of adaptation, though he sees an image of himself in his younger generations, trying to fight for betterment of the society.
a Politician would say : "I support Anti-Corruption. I've accounted my properties and submitted proofs on all my assets. now its the turn of Mr.XXXX to let the state learn about his corrupt earnings"
.....trying to impress his vote-bank, and deviating a percentage of them from accounting on his assets.
.....trying to impress his vote-bank, and deviating a percentage of them from accounting on his assets.
I've heard many people commenting on corruption in many similar statements, and I too did many times. While probing sanity of myself, I found the bitter truth that I'm not. I've compromised my personal preferences for small advancements in my profession. I've held myself as top-priority my entire life, and now I've violated this core-value of mine for some material advantage. I'm as corrupt as the Congress govt. in AndhraPradesh.
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Dictionary states Corruption is "Lack of integrity or honesty (especially susceptibility to bribery); use of a position of trust for dishonest gain".
If someone really understands the meaning of corruption, they'll realize that we are all corrupt, in one way or the other. The only difference is the magnitude of corruption. Some of us may deceive naming it smartness, few terming it as opportunity and others as sensibility-to-reality. But it all boils down to the same basic rule of being corrupt (the alternative meaning : 'Decay of matter').
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Let me share 12 ways of corruption I've come across in 4 days; starting from my journey Agra-Delhi-Bangalore-Nellore in April-2012, when Anna Hazare's Anti-Corruption movement was in its peak.
I'm unable to recollect many other instances. (I actually started writing this blog titled '24 ways of Corruption in 1 week...', but later renamed to '12 ways of Corruption in 4 days...' to suit all that I could remember)
I'm unable to recollect many other instances. (I actually started writing this blog titled '24 ways of Corruption in 1 week...', but later renamed to '12 ways of Corruption in 4 days...' to suit all that I could remember)
1) I was on a 2 week training in Gurgaon, when my team in Bangalore were pursuing our Manager for our weekend-support allowance. When I initiated a collective representation to Director, immediately after an hour, got a call from my manager saying - "how are you there? stop worrying about the weekend allowance. you've anyway taken your wife there on personal expense. i can get your tickets postponed by travel-desk, but your wife's tickets may be a problem. why don't you take a leave of 3 days and enjoy yourselves, after returning here?".
I was running tight on schedule, because of the only weekend we got to roam in Delhi. I was blinded by some quality time for spending with family, and I never spoke about this allowance, for next 2 months.
2) We were about to start for Agra, early in the morning by 5:00 AM, so that we wont get lost in highway traffic. He arrived only at 6:30 AM, by when we were going mad of the waiting, besides the drizzle in beautiful morning. When we started shooting him blames for giving our day a bad-start, he offered 20% reduction in fare and promised that the trip would be enjoyable. Though we were ready to take his services at the price agreed yesterday, intending not to spoil our moods for rest of the day; he bribed us with a discount to silence our complaints.
I was running tight on schedule, because of the only weekend we got to roam in Delhi. I was blinded by some quality time for spending with family, and I never spoke about this allowance, for next 2 months.
2) We were about to start for Agra, early in the morning by 5:00 AM, so that we wont get lost in highway traffic. He arrived only at 6:30 AM, by when we were going mad of the waiting, besides the drizzle in beautiful morning. When we started shooting him blames for giving our day a bad-start, he offered 20% reduction in fare and promised that the trip would be enjoyable. Though we were ready to take his services at the price agreed yesterday, intending not to spoil our moods for rest of the day; he bribed us with a discount to silence our complaints.
3) There were many toll-gates between Delhi and Agra.
I noticed at one of the toll-gates that our driver paid Rs.450 for a toll-feel of Rs.400 for taxi-car.
When I inquired him he said "sir ji, you just enjoy your day. this is usual here, unless you want to spoil your day and my business next time on this route. i too wish if only the fee was collected, but 3000 taxis travel these toll gates every day and everyone pays the same. if someone doesn't they'll have to get the documents verified with the check-post police and you know how troublesome they are".
4) An hour later under bright sun, when local traffic from small towns started pouring in to the highway, we struck a huge traffic-jam at a police check-post. Fate was that our driver forgot his original driving license. He had a duplicate of his driving license, but the police denied accepting it. When the driver told that he would pay the fine, the police struck his lathi on car windshield and started shouting us to come out of the car for a checking. Our driver took him away to the Inspector, bribed him Rs.500. When he returned to steer the car to skip the long queue at check-post, he said - "sir ji, this is what happens when you try not to be corrupt".
5) We inquired if there was any provision for official guide and the person issuing tickets in counter at Taj Mahal said, "NO". Someone told that licensed guides are available at the West Gate, and while proceeding in that direction we encountered a guide who told that he'll guide us for Rs.2000. My wife and I were too excited to get into the premise, that we hardly gave him any attention. He proposed to get us into the premise, by skipping the queue of 200 people at that gate. When he observed that we were not buying his proposal, he told that he'll take photographs from our camera. DONE. We hired him, and got good guidance apart from having our camera clicked for few lovely pics. Later I surveyed that official charge for a guide is INR.270, while we paid him Rs.700.
We were very happy that he handled our camera and took good snaps, but felt guilty for skipping a queue of 150-200 people, while our guide bribed the constable for letting us escape 40 minutes of drying in hot sun.
I noticed at one of the toll-gates that our driver paid Rs.450 for a toll-feel of Rs.400 for taxi-car.
When I inquired him he said "sir ji, you just enjoy your day. this is usual here, unless you want to spoil your day and my business next time on this route. i too wish if only the fee was collected, but 3000 taxis travel these toll gates every day and everyone pays the same. if someone doesn't they'll have to get the documents verified with the check-post police and you know how troublesome they are".
4) An hour later under bright sun, when local traffic from small towns started pouring in to the highway, we struck a huge traffic-jam at a police check-post. Fate was that our driver forgot his original driving license. He had a duplicate of his driving license, but the police denied accepting it. When the driver told that he would pay the fine, the police struck his lathi on car windshield and started shouting us to come out of the car for a checking. Our driver took him away to the Inspector, bribed him Rs.500. When he returned to steer the car to skip the long queue at check-post, he said - "sir ji, this is what happens when you try not to be corrupt".
5) We inquired if there was any provision for official guide and the person issuing tickets in counter at Taj Mahal said, "NO". Someone told that licensed guides are available at the West Gate, and while proceeding in that direction we encountered a guide who told that he'll guide us for Rs.2000. My wife and I were too excited to get into the premise, that we hardly gave him any attention. He proposed to get us into the premise, by skipping the queue of 200 people at that gate. When he observed that we were not buying his proposal, he told that he'll take photographs from our camera. DONE. We hired him, and got good guidance apart from having our camera clicked for few lovely pics. Later I surveyed that official charge for a guide is INR.270, while we paid him Rs.700.
We were very happy that he handled our camera and took good snaps, but felt guilty for skipping a queue of 150-200 people, while our guide bribed the constable for letting us escape 40 minutes of drying in hot sun.
6) There was an IPO and I was pretty sure on making good profits in it (salary is hardly sufficient). I've been getting calls from various brokers, ever since I spoke to the customer-care a week before regarding the formalities and charges for opening a Demat account with ICICI. As I had my salary-account with the same bank, they sent Area Manager instead of an agent. While signing the forms, he explained that there will be a verification withing the next two days. When I mentioned that we were going home that evening, and will be out of station for next 2-3 weeks, he proposed to handle the verification himself, provided we open an RD of 3000/month. My wife knew that I don't save any and I knew that good opportunity would be lost if delayed that much. I ended up paying a RD for 8%-per-annum interest, while I was making 40-50% in investments.
7) I asked for filling my scooter with petrol worth Rs.300. I gave my credit-card to the cashier standing next. The operator put Rs.299.50 and said it was done. I pointed at the counter and told him that its still 50np less, and that I wasn't going to leave without getting proper filling. As a reflex, the cashier said that swiping-machine was out-of-order and I need to tender change. When I offered him the Rs.500 note I had, to which he said "where can I get change at 8:30 AM?" I was running late for a training at office. I had to accept remaining change and leave without getting proper filling.
8) We were already getting delayed for our bus and my wife was still getting ready. I lost my temper and started my usual lecture with a frustrated tone, while walking towards the main road. Luckily we found an auto and were willing to pay Rs.150 for the actual Rs.100 ride. The auto-wala noticed that we were in a hurry, and demanded Rs.250. I was OK, for it was his opportunity and our necessity. But my wife denied paying 250% of usual and walked till the auto-stand. This auto-wala who wasn't from our colony, followed us there and those who regularly operate in our colony supported him indirectly, by not letting us ride in their auto. In a hurry to catch the bus, I convinced my better half to accept the circumstance and let go.
9)We boarded the private travels bus from Bangalore to Nellore, after chasing it in the traffic-jam and realized that we forgot to get a bottle of water. Packaged drinking water had to be served in this service, and even when we waited for next 20 minutes, there was no sign from the conductor. When I went to the driver's cabin and asked them, instead of accepting their mistake I was told that they dint pick the bottles from bus-depot and I could buy one when they stop after 2 hours. My wife was getting hick-ups and I demanded to stop at the next shop we encounter on the highway. When another passenger started asking for packaged water bottle, the driver gave me two unopened bottles of water that he had, and requested me to return to my seat. The other passenger carried his own bottle and no one else complained, despite the summer travel.
10) We had tickets for the evening-show and our siblings were already waiting at the theater, for a movie that starts in 30 minutes. As my scooter wasn't in a good condition, we took an auto. It was a 6 km route and normally 30 minute journey. It was month ending and hence there were traffic-police checking randomly for some source of ransom. Our auto was stopped, and the driver dint have any documents other than his torn driving license. Expecting to get another auto, we stepped out and for next 10 minutes every auto that passed by was full. Our auto-driver paid Rs.150 to traffic police and drove us to the theater as fast as he could.
11) After shopping items to prepare pizza and sandwiches in Reliance super market, we waited in a queue at billing-counter for almost 20 minutes (billing in Nellore is much slower than the worst delayed in Bangalore/Hyderabad during weekends). When our turn came, the billing machine got struck and the cashier politely requested to join the next counter. I was happily chit-chatting with my wife and obliged him. When our turn was about to come in the next counter, after 10 minutes in the queue, the cashier hanged the board 'Closed'. I told him that we've been waiting for a long time and told him to bill us. He denied saying his shift was over and he needs to leave. When I told him that he would've closed the lane long back, or should server everyone in the queue, he said - "sir, you are not my boss". I instantly retorted to him in a loud tone - "well I'm a customer", and it attracted the attention of his manager. He walked us ahead of 10 elderly awaiting in the next queue and billed us immediately. He couldn't afford public attention ad I couldn't wait longer, though I felt guilty for passing-bye so many elder people in the queue.
12) We dropped-in at More supermarket for buying Myonaise sauce and again here the billing-queue was a had 8 customers, each of them carrying trolley-full of groceries. It was seeming like eternity for billing 1 customer. I had exact change for my purchase, walked to the first customer standing in the queue bearing 'express queue' and asked him if I can get it billed first. When he denied it, I offered to get it billed along with his purchase and he denied it even. Pissed-off with his attitude, I asked the cashier and he told that he cant do anything against the will of customers in queue. While all this was happening in Telugu, one fellow standing at the last in the queue, objected in English saying - "what the hell do these country people think of themselves? I'm also standing in the queue and he wants to get express-billing. hell". I bolted to him and pointing in his face, said - "if you are so fond of English, open your eyes and read the board that reads 'express-billing'. Why do you want to unnecessarily make BS? Mind your own business and know that speaking in English does't earn any " He shut-up. The manager rushed to me and offered that he can accept money for my purchase, without a bill, if I'm in a hurry and want express-billing. I accepted his offer, being in a mood to cook and eat, than arguing with these junk educated idiots.
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India. Unity in Diversity.
We are united in being corrupt, though we may be different in the way we are corrupt.
Those who allow corruption and those who do not object are also corrupt.
We are united in being corrupt, though we may be different in the way we are corrupt.
Those who allow corruption and those who do not object are also corrupt.
If someone really feels that they are not corrupt, in any manner, probably they are the reason why India stands in 5th position in list of most-corrupt countries in the world, instead of winning Gold at least in this race.
