Corruption-Thorns of the Seeds We Planted?

If I am observing a fast to support Anna  and to protest against corruption then, I must also pledge to pay my taxes and not pay bribes, not bypass the truth ! Why do some of us claim medical reimbursements by submitting fake bills?...Why do some of us avail sick leave on the pretext of being ill when we are hale and hearty?..Why why why….. is the question that  has plagued my mind!We seem to be diverting people's minds from cause to consequences!

It would be wrong to assume that most of India’s 1.3 billion people are corrupt! Its always been a dominant million who may be! Of which, a majority maybe political masters lacking morals scruples and good leadership quality.Everything cannot be the government’s fault! Its you and me in many ways, who have encouraged this raging epidemic! In fact nurtured and nourished it!

When I think of corrupt practice, it’s not just the politician that comes to my mind!...It’s every ordinary citizen who is responsible. Corruption in my opinion is not soo much a political phenomenon but a psychological issue!

It takes a minimum of  one month for all our procedures(property registration,passport application,electricity connection etc) to be executed.It’s we who are in a hurry!...skip queues,get restless,try using contacts and finally whethere anyone asks for a bribe or not there is a section of us who make “offerings” to expedite the process! Lo!...an isolated action suddenly gets converted to regular practice!

 Only when victimised or not being rendered services for “value”, the beneficiary starts screaming hoarse about bad practices and corruption!.......We fall prey to chosing speed over patience!....shortcuts over procedure!

A million citizens maybe ready to sit in Anna Hazare’s rally to protest against corruption but surely when it comes to their own causes and homes many of us are ready to hide the mess rather than confront it!We need the mental and psychological make up to address and confront every wrong practice without us being a part of the shortcut technique! Law enforcement would surely take care of itself!

Just follow procedure and STOP buttering officials.Our Constitution has the potency to take care of itself.Or did the Janlokpal Bill stem out of distrust and doubt of our constitutional system? Are we weakening or strengtening a democracy which we so painfully built?...many questions in my mind…The first question to be answerd is Am I corrupt?...Are U corrupt?....Get up and say something…do something before the thorns of the seeds we planted begin to prick us! 

From the Cradle to the Coffin….....Fear Reigns!

We proudly call ourselves the citizens of a vibrant democracy…free but fear reigning us!

60 years up after independence, but we have made it a practise to live under oppression and fear.

Why are we still slaves forced to seal our mouths for fear of a good whipping? What gives the right to these so called law enforcers and people in governance the impunity to strike at will?

Most of the laws drafted in our country is in a manner, which makes almost every honest Indian an apparent law breaker.In a land which  boasts of Gandhi ,Mahavira and Buddha imagine a majority of the citizens living in fear… from the cradle to the coffin.

Most of us are vulnerable and confused and this trait is so well picked up by governing and regulating agencies to harass people at their own sweet will.

It’s such a joke that whilst the Hasan Alis of the world stash crores of rupees in foreign banks still evade arrest ,the honest citizens like you and me who discloses his /her assets pays taxes and get hounded!

Howcome India tops in the list of black money and coruption inspite of having one of the most stringent tax laws?It is indeed cheaper to give regular payouts to authorities than end up a tax abiding citizen…because the high tax payers are always potential targets to toy with.This extortionist corruption is truly the genesis of collusive corruption.

Ain’t it time for us to question archaeic laws and procedures we have been blindly following for almost 60 years? What have we achieved ?To quote an example, we have produced the highest number of evaders inspite of stringent tax laws.This seems to be more a system which not only questions the integrity of the system but instills a sense of eternal fear in them.

As an Indian, I expect more trust and more simplified systems.Laws surely cannot make the system fool proof.We need to  develop the culture of self compliance.I would love to live in a society whose foundation is built on individual social responsibility and trust.

Unless tackled from the cradle we will never be able to control corruption…we may continue to live in fear….of being honest!...till our coffin.

Home Grown Terror.....Abbottabad or About-to-be-Bad

The name may have originated as a teasing nickname for a man with the grave and pious attitude associated with an abbot but Abbottabad, has left an indelible impression in the minds of many who hated violent extremism.

A warning by the Pakistani foreign secretary Salman Bashir stated “catastrophic” consequences if any country-read India were to carry out a swoop style operation!Its indeed suprising to note that such a large scale swoop down by USA was possible without the knowledge of Islamabad!....Doesnt Abbottabad indicate  support to extremism? Just because it is a source of embarrassment, I think it’s pitiful that a country should feign innocence and ignorance.This must be taken as an oppportunity for the perfect reason to fight extremism instead of media and the rest of the world focussing and making talking points on some silly hallucinations of Indian aggression and its corollary of Pakistani victimization.

This is surely not the time for nationalistic chest thumping,fist rolling and tongue lashing!

This is the time for  Abbottabad to be leveraged towards rethinking and redirecting focus.It was surprising to note the Indian Army General stating that the Indian forces were capable of carrying out a similar swoop!....surely to emulate is NOT the point here.The point is a whole bunch of terrorists/extremists having found a breeding zone and shelter in Pakistan.Why not instead of rejoicing, persuade Pakistan to clean up its house and support it in any efforts to do so?

Its real sad that the majority living in our world has gotten so myopic that they refuse to see this incident as being beyond a petty brawl.It’s high time India become a model to nations, a terror to oppressors orphaning terrorists, a consolation to the oppressed, an ornament of the universe and  by that, sealing our work with resolve we may at least witness the dawn of the bright day of universal happiness.

It’s indeed a “good day” for America as claimed by President Obama.In my opinion elation must give way to some form of intelligent practical reflection…..I hate the attempt to obfuscate the larger issue!...even if terror is homegrown! Even if it happens to be Abbottabad!