Shiv Kumar Padha
Corruption is also an industry the index of which fluctuates on the scale of low average and high. People get relief as and when the index reaches the favorable heights. According to an hearsay ‘ somebody asked a sheep regarding her remarks about different casts and religions. The sheep told the questioner that everybody, regardless, of caste and religion kill me, skin me and feast on my flesh.
India is known for her long nurtured values of truth, purity, honesty, dedication, un-selfishness, renunciation, sacrifice and contentment in the world. There was no place for greed, selfishness in the society because it was believed that ‘God has created everything for man’s need but not for his greed.’ Every one, irrespective of his position in the society, believed in truth, beauty and goodness. They always placed country and countrymen first and never fished in the troubled waters. But with the passage of time the long nurtured values became topsy-turvy, greed and selfishness took the placeof contentment and selflessness respectively. The never ending greed of our politicians and bureaucrats brought the country on the crossroads from where these two ways parted from each other permanently.
A new global corruption risk index ranks India as 69 th most graft-prone nation and the global corruption perception index ranks India 94th in the world. India is the third most corrupt nation among the countries of BRICS. Jammu and Kashmir a state enjoying the special status is the most corrupt state in the country. The state contributes app. 0.76 per cent to national GDP and is ranked 2nd in the list of highest grant receiving states of the country. There are a few industrial units in the state which can be seen mushroomed around Kali Bari Kathua,Samba Jammu, R S Pura and Udhampur only, otherwise government jobs, transport and trade is the only means of living of the people of the Jammu and Kashmir. The words green, white and yellow revolutions are all Greek for the people in the State. The State is totally dependent on other states of the country even for vegetables and other ordinary commodities needed in day to day life. In Jammu and Kashmir corruption has taken the placeof industry which is flourishing under the patronage of ministers, politician and bureaucrats. The State is totally engrossed in political, administrative corruption. The government employees, holding lucrative posts are minting money brazenly with impunity. Everybody knowsthat 90 per cent of the beautiful bungalows and residential houses in posh colonies and areas of capital cities of the state and at district headquarters belong either to politicians, retired or in service bureaucrats or to those retired or in service employees in different departments occupying the lucrative positions. Not to talk of bureaucrats even the persons at clerical or equivalent position own their bungalows in these posh are aswhich they have rented at very exorbitant rates. With the money minted through the corrupt means these politicians, bureaucrats and government employees have either started their own industries, established professional and public schools in the capital cities as well as in other states of the country. Whole governmental machinery from the lower ranks to their patrons in government look involved in corruption and bribery. Whether it is a matter pertaining to appointments, transfers, tax payment or tax evasions, qualifying entrance tests, selection process, backdoor employment or release of funds for developmental purposes, one has to bribe the concerned department from peon to the politicians because only the ‘money makes the mare go’ in Jammu and Kashmir. Every day we come across the news about amassing of wealth by the politicians under the pretext of pseudo trusts in the name of their ancesstors.
The slogan ‘Na Khaonga Nakhane Doonga’ speaks about the resolve of Narender Modi Prime Minister of India, but in Jammu and Kashmir the slogan is totally reverse of it ‘Khud Bhi Khao Aur Hamein Bhi Khilao’. The people of Jammu and Kashmir were beyond joy after the landslide victory of BJP in Jammu division and the formation of PDP BJP alliance government in the State with the hope that the new government will do away with the prevailing menace of corruption in the state and surely tighten the noose round the corrupt elements within and outside the government. As it is said, ‘The distant drums sound sweet’ likewise the vociferous proclamations of the new government to eradicate corruption from the soil of Jammu and Kasmir, no doubt, sounded pleasant to the ears but in reality it was nothing more than a lull before the elections. The tall claimes and the resolve of the Coalition Government sublimated like camphor before the over ambitious and covetousness behavior of the novice MLAS and ministers. Majority among the new incumbents in the State Legislative Assembly from the Jammu Division are those who lack in both vision and wisdom because they are the MLAs by chance and not by choice. Devoid of the knowledge about the business and and procedures of the august house, these legislatures/ministers have opted for the lucrative aspect of the post they hold. There was a time when one had to find out a middleman for facilitating transfers of one’s choice, getting lucrative table in the office, backdoor appointments, legalising enchroachments and other unconceivable jobs. But thanks to the present coalition government, these petty jobs can be got done easily by the grace of the better halves of some MLAs and ministers honorably.
Since the formation of the coalition government in the state the novice MLAs from Jammu region have boycotted their relation with the voters. They prefer the company of the sycophants, touts and the brokers. They neither listen nor respond their written grievances .It can be easily construed that they are busy in feathering their own nests by making hay while the sun shines’. There is Ram Naam Ki Loot Hai Loot Ske To Loot’ in every department these days. Like the commodities the rates of corruption are also touching the sky. For the transfers of teacher/ master/lecturer/principals in the Education Department one has to pay in five to six digits whereas for the departments like PWD, PHE, PDD, PDS, Excise, RTO, BDO, backdoor/political appointments and for other departments of public dealings one has to pay in six to seven digits. Corruption is a crime and committing crime leads to corruption both of them are punishable under law. Crime and corruption are the two sides of the same coin where the former lead to conviction the later facilitates acquittal.
