A few weeks back, before the whole Anna Hazare vs the Government deal, I witnessed a cop taking a bribe from a middle aged man who only had a learner's license and was driving a sedan. The driver in question, did not have his papers on his person, at the time and the cop initially pulled him over to book him for having an "illegible number plate". Starting with an initial amount of 500, the cop settled for 200 after hearing that the car previously belonged to a police officer superior to him.
Here's the thing I don't get. In a society where 16 year olds ( I'm being optimistic about the age here, I know people younger) would happily dish out 2k (again, this is the optimism speaking) for a full fledged driving license, I fail to understand the whole "Fight Against Corruption" idea. Not that I'm against it, no, don't get me wrong. I firmly believe that equal rights should prevail. Along with the ideal idea that justice should be blind and not subject to how deep your pocket is.
Where admissions are granted to not just colleges, but schools as well, on how large your "donation" is, I have several conflicting takes on the matter. Few of them too cynical to be typed in too. In a country where education is compulsory till the age of 14, why do we still ask 'Chotu' at the tea-stall for that cup of tea? Why haven't any of our writers/ directors or even actors taken up their cause? Isn't exploiting 'Chotu' a form of corruption in itself? Isn't turning a blind eye to his pitiful condition aiding the corruption process?
Selective corruption is rampant today. We believe in doing and asking for "favours". Our society thrives on "adjusting". Corruption doesn't always have to be monetary either. Isn't the propagation of misguiding information a form of corruption as well? To what lengths are we going to go for the enforcement of this "BAN ON CORRUPTION" thought process? Isn't psychological warfare then, also a form of corruption?
Are we as individuals, ready for a JUST society? Are we as a people, ready for a society that DOES NOT believe in favoritism? Are we as a nation, truly ready to accept laws and FOLLOW them, to the T? Perhaps we need to address other issues like justice, patriotism and civic sense first, before we move on to the big bad realm of corruption. Or maybe this is just my ideal concept of that Utopian society.
Here's the thing I don't get. In a society where 16 year olds ( I'm being optimistic about the age here, I know people younger) would happily dish out 2k (again, this is the optimism speaking) for a full fledged driving license, I fail to understand the whole "Fight Against Corruption" idea. Not that I'm against it, no, don't get me wrong. I firmly believe that equal rights should prevail. Along with the ideal idea that justice should be blind and not subject to how deep your pocket is.
Where admissions are granted to not just colleges, but schools as well, on how large your "donation" is, I have several conflicting takes on the matter. Few of them too cynical to be typed in too. In a country where education is compulsory till the age of 14, why do we still ask 'Chotu' at the tea-stall for that cup of tea? Why haven't any of our writers/ directors or even actors taken up their cause? Isn't exploiting 'Chotu' a form of corruption in itself? Isn't turning a blind eye to his pitiful condition aiding the corruption process?
Selective corruption is rampant today. We believe in doing and asking for "favours". Our society thrives on "adjusting". Corruption doesn't always have to be monetary either. Isn't the propagation of misguiding information a form of corruption as well? To what lengths are we going to go for the enforcement of this "BAN ON CORRUPTION" thought process? Isn't psychological warfare then, also a form of corruption?
Are we as individuals, ready for a JUST society? Are we as a people, ready for a society that DOES NOT believe in favoritism? Are we as a nation, truly ready to accept laws and FOLLOW them, to the T? Perhaps we need to address other issues like justice, patriotism and civic sense first, before we move on to the big bad realm of corruption. Or maybe this is just my ideal concept of that Utopian society.
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