YURI RAJPUT
”In our country moral life is shaken to its foundation. Love of wealth and power has gained wide acceptance. Most of us live on the surface of life with no moral earnestness. A crisis of character is our present predicament and it is a challenge to us”. These are the words by great academician, statesmen and first Vice President and then President of our nation Dr. S. Radhakrishan. No doubt our national character is passing through a path full of horror and anxiety. Wherever we approach will find ghost of corruption present in one form or the other. Centuries old Indian edifice of moral and spiritual values is slowly crumbling to pieces. The situation has reached to such critical juncture that if two or more persons meet together and start discussing present scenario they soon come to the conclusion that every system and institution of India is infested with corruption.
Corruption has become so common in public life that people are now averse to thinking of public life without this phenomenon.Leaders like M. K Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Gulzari Lal Nanda are no more and their places have been taken by selfish politicians.Corruption has become deep-rooted menace that has eaten into the vitals of the Indian social and public life. It has distorted all values and made truth, morality,virtue and sincerity meaningless like old rags. There is hardly any sphere of Indian life, social, economic, political, religious and educational which has remained untouched by it like the air we breath. It has become all pervasive and life God. It is omnipresent. Our masses have begun to ponder that corruption is their birth right. Majority from class fourth employee to top bureaucrat and from lower level politician to ministers level are being found indulging in such nefarious activities. In past big scams like coal scam, 2G scam,Bofors etc are few from long list of scams in which thousands crores of rupees has been swindled from Govt exchequer. If the trend continues then that day is not far when our nation will go to dogs.
According to K. Santhanam, member of Constituent Assembly and Chairman of the Santhanam committee on national integrity,”In the widest connotation ‘corruption’ includes selfish exercise of position and influence attached to a public office or to the special position one occupies in public office”. In this sense ,one has to view the problems in relation to the entire system of moral values and socio-economic structure of society. There is no field in society which has remained uninfluenced by this menace such as offices of Central and State Governments, corporations, legislators,politicians, businessmen and citizens.
Many ministers in the Central and State Govt. also bureaucrats amassed colossal fortunes, in and outside India, built palatial buildings and feathered their own nests by the most unscrupulous means, even by anti-national activities and corrupt practices. They have gone scot free unscathed by sharp criticism from the press and the galleries on the sheer strength of pelf and political umbrella.
We should not forget the words given in 18th century by British Parliamentarian Edmund Burkee for the impeachment motion against the Governor General Warren Hastinge of India and also warned that a corrupt influence is perennial spring of decay and disorder. It takes away vigour from our arms and wisdom from our councils. The warning given by Burke is up to mark even in present day.
In order to cut the roots of corruption, we must trace its causes. Corruption shows its ugly head at the place where there is a total break down of moral and spiritual values in the wake of the growth of materialistic approach to life and its problems. So long as there are people to offer ‘hush money’ or to grease the palm, there are and shall be, masses to accept it either directly or through subordinates or other mode. To eradicate this social menace urgent need is to make rectitude among masses build their aplomb and national character which at present they are lacking. Our country still has most of its population illiterate and in ignorant so our foxy politicians and persons at higher posts take benefit of it and exploit them in different ways and one of such way is corruption. It has been seen mostly politicians raise loud anti corruption slogans on public platforms urging others to be honest, clean and pure in word and spirit and most interesting thing is that they are themselves indulging in taking hush money through different modes. It is also a fact that corruption breeds at the top and filters to the lower levels. Politicians win election at a huge spending only to make the benefits and take donations from big houses for the election and after wining the elections, politicians compensate them in different ways out of Govt exchequer. Instead of fighting this menace our political leaders embrace and strengthen it by shrugging their shoulders and declaring that it is a world wide phenomenon. At present corruption in India has assumed such alarming proportion that it needs immediate remedies. All the ministers, bureaucrats and other public servants are administered oaths of honesty and sincerity, But to what purpose? They are soon forgotten as soon as are made. It needs a lot of initiative, drive,vision and courage to tackle the problem, and to devise measures calculated to produce a social climate both among the top politicians as well as public servants. Masses have also to play crucial part to curbing this menace by exposing those politicians and Govt. servants who are indulging in spreading the menace of corruption. Now new Govt. of BJP has been installed at New Delhi and people have lot of expectations from Govt. and even PM Narendra Modi is against corruption and at various occasions while addressing he has said support me we will get rid of this menace. There is dire need of serious introspection and sincere efforts to develop a consciousness of moral and social responsibility. One who is found indulging in corruption must be surely dealt with by awarding exemplary punishments. It is also needed that Govt. employees having less salary must be enhanced to the level that they do not indulge in corruption. Efforts should also be made to arouse and harness a strong and dynamic public opinion for the eradication of corruption. Public apathy is an unconscious sanction to corruption we should not forget it. Our vigilance organisations can do a commendable job if they keep themselves away from the virus of corruption. This, we hope, will pave the way for a honest life of equality, justice and democratic socialism and this will drive away the dragon of corruption from the social life of our nation.
