By Pinaki Pratihar
‘62% Indians had first-hand practice of paying bribes ’
I saw the figure for the first time during Anna Hazare’s anti corruption movement. The Indian youth and the corporates had made an effective online campaign for the world’s most successful event of recent times. Huge number of people, who were active online and offline, raised their voice. Yes! It was a too much of an incident for the ‘world’s largest democratic country’.
We did it!
Mass active people, less important political impacts!
India did it! ……
A large number of Indians were a part of the campaign, and it was unfortunately delayed; nevertheless, it turned out to be an inspiring event for India.
Corruption probably has always been a part of the human society (as a whole) and has definitely been nurtured many a times over by corrupt people in history. We were conscious about the facts and the bad impact of corruption. May be the repetition of same crime again and again in the timeline of our country, forced us to believe that just like poverty and illiteracy corruption is also a part of our social life. An Indian grows up experiencing a corrupt traffic police at a check-point, and visiting only doctor who practice privately since the government medical professionals would be too lackadaisical!
All of us know the dealer of ration, sells one third of the allotted grains to a local shop, and the shopkeeper who purchases and resells it.
It has been discussed and concluded that awareness should be in everyone across the country against corruption. FMCG companies are proved successful to reach any rural part of An estimated 18-20% among villagers (Where 55% people use at least one HUL product regularly) knows about Anna and 10% can initiate a discussion about Anna Hazare and ‘the anti-corruption movement’. This campaign was unable to reach them by TV-News channels, Reality shows, and Internet media. Word of Mouth! This traditional and most effective medium also unable to reach these villagers! How this issue can be solved by this type of poor reach? So, don’t think, these media are the only way to reach rural India. Maximum young people in India don’t mind to get corrupted or to bribe someone at a small level. How such a large nation can control corruption?
Few Ways I’d like to focus on,
Two-front model: There will be only two political parties, Like USA. It will always reduce the political corruption level. When there is a third party, the society normally gets corrupted.
Constitutional modification: So the constitution should be modified in a way. May be it is changing day by day, or we are changing the interpretation. But the process should be fast, we Indians are adopted with our frequently changing buying behavior. We had adjusted with changes of petrol price. We can adjust with few political changes. Politics! It can reach you easily!
Whistle Blower: Provide us an effective set of channels to blow the whistle on time. Online is not the solution.
Law should be changed! Protesters will be encouraged, when they can feel Govt. is taking prompt action regarding their demand!
Media: I can remember a line of my childhood. I read on a wall of our Panchayet office, “Dadu-nati bhai bhai/ Eksathe pathsala jai” (Enjoying school days with my grandson), a symbol of an old Govt. initiative ‘mission literacy’. The line was successfully placed and reached the root of our society. If postman can reach these people, if HUL can do it, Media definitely can. Govt. should be open to face the music of mass. Theatres and local movies, please shout in the name of a corruption free India.
I feel ashamed, when I find many rural people least bothered about the country, in fact, they don’t have a clear idea, about the map of India. Gram-Panchayat , Govt. Servants and political parties are their Government. What more you expect from just one Anna?
India needs more Anna Hazare, just to educate people about corruption, in a proper way.
The only and only way to stop this corruption today is to de-root the issue by psychological, mental & spiritual growth of people. Make the life meaningful for them as there is no such corruption measures and solution for this problem.
Another day will come, when a new group of people will claim for justice against some old social and constitutional drawbacks. Today’s school goers are affected internally by this Anna Hazare movement as they have seen the naked facts of corruption. They will come-up with a strong base like us. Next movement will be a bigger success. This is the only way to get recovered from such traditional negative practices. The more we will know, the more we can control corruption.
Related articles
- Not judgemental about Anna Hazare’s movement: Prakash Jha (vancouverdesi.com)
- Anna Hazare threatens to re launch agitation for Lokpal (thehindu.com)
- If Anna a ‘foreign hand’, what about Sonia’s NAC? (adithyaentertainment.wordpress.com)
