Ancient Indians – Satya Samhita

Corruption as Extortion : 

An elderly and respected professor had to pay Rs.3000 “extra” in order to have his late father, a Sanskrit Scholar, cremated.

Annaji advises us to refuses to pay bribes. But what could that gentleman do at that moment of his misery, when delays are not possible?

The government wants us to have documents for everything from birth to death. And government officials want bribes for everything from birth to death certificates. And now they want to add a blessed new UID to this list of documents.

The best part is that even if you have all the documents, police can still stop and demand money from hapless citizens, just in order to avoid harassment or in order to get more documents.

Corruption as Speed Money :

People who have extra money, little time and no patience, often offer bribes or “speed money” or “fees” in exchange for hurrying up govt. procedures.

These can often be given up, with a little planning and definite determination.

Corruption for illegal purposes :

A lorry driver who relocated from a village to bangalore, paid a bribe to get a car driving license in bangalore. He cannot even read street signs. Are we surprised about the crazy driving on our roads? What were his options?

Then there are the times when even educated people cut red lights and willingly offer a bribe because it is a smaller amount than the fine they are supposed to pay. They pay bribes to ticket collectors for berth allotments and to temple attenders to spend “more time” with God.

Also sometimes the rules are so complex and many that everyone is guilty of breaking some rules or the other knowingly or unknowingly and then they pay money to get out of the situation.

To give this up, people have to be less attached to their money and more attached to the rules and the system.

High Level Corruption : 

This involves stuff like allowing illegal mining companies to pollute the Ganga, destroy the archaeological evidence of Kishkinda, 2G scams and all those things we read in the papers. And things that big corporates do. These are things that Annaji wants to fight with his Jan Lokpal Bill. 

Anti-Corruption Movement :

Any existing system favours some people and causes hardship to other people.

Some of the same auto-drivers who are harassed by the police on false charges of drunken driving etc, harass their  customers demanding extra money under all sorts of situations. Some of them even pay money to have their meters fixed so that they can read a higher fare. Some teachers won’t give marks unless students show up for private paid tuitions. Doctors prescribe needless tests and procedures to “recover” “investments”. Govt. officials themselves who pay bribes to get their jobs , see it as an investment and plan to recover that over two years or three. Bribes are shared across all layers in a department as tips are shared among waiters. This also extends to those who “invest” money in contesting elections and then plan to recover them while in office. There is practically no walk of life left out.

This is the system that Anna Hazaare and his team have chosen to taken on. This is what is called Bhrashtachaara. This is what is keeping the country as a whole poor and backward. They can see that solution lies in us changing ourselves. In not being greedy. Every Indian has to change his or herself. To purify his or herself.

This is the enormous movement that Annaji has started. There are perhaps one or two crore people in support of Annaji. Maybe more. But there are also many people directly or indirectly against him.

There are many people fed up with corruption as a system of society. They know there are better ways to live. The people who are against them are afraid of losing what they have achieved or accumulated in a new order. They either stay away or directly oppose those who stand up with Anna. Then there are those people, who would like to have a change but do not want to take any active part in the movement.

Will Anna Win?

Can Annaji change all of us? From the rural peasants to the politicians?

I want him to win. I don’t like being harassed.

When I go to govt. offices, I submit my forms and I generally stand completely silently for as many hours as required till someone takes it into their head to ask me what I am doing. I tell them I am waiting. And then someone or the other helps me without either fighting or bribing. I treat all the officers as if they are all people of high integrity and they usually measure up to the high standards I set for them. In fact when I thanked a lady clerk at the end of the transaction, she said “It’s my duty!”

Annaji is telling us to ask the govt. to behave with dignity and righteousness. He is telling us to demand the same of our MPs. He is asking us to behave as people of high integrity, high sensitivity. As patriots who care for the country and for each other. And he is telling us that our society and our lives will be the better for it.

He is empowering us. Telling us that we can change the social order. Teaching us what to do step by step. This is not going to be easy.

But it is not that difficult either. Its just a decision, like giving up any other bad habit. A decision not to be too attached to what we possess or accomplish. A decision to be more disciplined, healthy and strong and cheerful. I am trying to learn what he is trying to teach us.

This is a very very important and practical lesson.

Satya

Other posts on Current Affairs

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• Current Affairs : Anti-Corruption : International Organisations
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• Current Affairs : Anti-Corruption Movement : Arnab Goswami : Times Now : Coverage
• Current Affairs : Freedom Park, Bangalore – A Sakthi Peetham : Anti-Corruption Movement : Anna Hazaare
• Current Affairs : Anti-Corruption Movement : Anna Hazaare : Freedom Park, Bangalore : Photographs
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