Corruption in India is a story that can be traced back to the ages of king’s rule even before India got independence. In fact corruption has its birth in Indian history before the British rule was established. In olden days corruption prevailed as a means to accomplish immoral tasks such as bribing a cook to poison the King or a member of the royal family, to disclose the royal secrets, etc. But today corruption in India is everywhere; it is a means to get things done whether it is getting the right things done on right time or to speed up the process of the work or as usual getting the wrong things done.
Here are some of the forms of corruption in India:
Bribery
It is the act of altering the behaviour of the recipient to favour the process/person who gives gift and/or money. It has already hit India like the plague and people are affected beyond recovery, but somewhere at the end of the tunnel there is still a light of hope which needs to be discovered; the sooner the better.
Cronyism/Nepotism
The practice of favouring friends and relatives especially in political appointments devoid of the eligibility criteria and requirements. Influencing candidates who are not fit for the position is a good old story. Wife of a politician, daughter or son, sisters and brothers, are appointed for either succession of the political position or members of the same family go on to acquire several positions in the Indian politics without even being eligible for the position. This will further facilitate and set the grounds for corruption.
Kleptocracy
It is virtually a rule by a thief or thieves where those who are in power steal and misuse the national property. Every child in India will be able to speak with great leaps and bounds on this topic. It has its roots in the history of Indian politics. The rich politicians are getting richer accumulating money in Swiss banks and the poor are getting sunk in poverty.
Slush fund
Fund raised and used by corrupts to practise illegitimate action of bribery. Most of the money gets accumulated in personal treasure but also a part of the money earned (which actually is robbed!) goes into party fund which will be used again for bribing in the next elections.
Electoral fraud
It is the process of illegal interference in the election process in an attempt to alter the final results in favour. Supplying liquor, money and monetary help to voters and asking votes in return are done openly in India. Votes are even stamped by the party workers in the voting booths.
To explain corruption using all these terms – “the candidate who already had an opportunity to make big deal of slush fund through Kleptocracy and is now trying to Cronyism the political aspirations by giving Bribe to the nation via public and officials!”
Corruption in India is not only the problem prevailing in politics and practised by politicians alone but the level of corruption is different at different levels of society.
Here is the hierarchy of corruption in India:
• The major corruption at present scenario in India is political corruption. The figures of corruption in politics are literally unreadable by a common Indian man. A major part of Indian society being illiterate, the zeros followed by a number which adds up to hundreds of thousands of crores cannot even be imagined by a layman in the field of finance.
• The next level in the hierarchy is formed by the bureaucrats, civil services employees and major government officials who are directly or indirectly connected to politics or political affairs. Many politicians in turn pay bribe to this class of the society along with other business giants and common man.
• The business class of the Indian society is yet another major part of the population that adds in fuel to the growing corruption and the culture of bribing to get things done. Be it a small business or a business run by a huge industrialist or a business tycoon, everybody shakes hands with the concept of corruption. Moving the papers fast, getting things done on time, making illegal things legal, making adjustments with the law, giving bribe to settle adultery or misappropriation, you name it and it can be done.
• Lower level government officials, police officers, business retails and the common man are all part of this level thus covering the population of whole nation to be part and partial of this unethical practise either directly or indirectly.
Lost opportunity
The tourism industry of India is a significant contributor of India’s GDP however the Indian government has failed to capitalise on it. The Common Wealth Games in Delhi was a golden opportunity for India to showcase its culture and the nation to the world however India showed its sorry state of the affairs. Although a trourist need not worry about the corruption in India but they should bear in mind that if they need to deal with the police for instance registering stolen goods then they might face the brunt of the Indian police. I remember some years back I had to report a theft at my local police station, I had a pay a little “bribe” without which the police inspector would not have registered a report.
Renewed hope for the end of corruption in India
Amongst all this mess, a man with the power to turn the whole nation upside down made an unbeatable attempt to curb the corruption in India by showing the Indian people the power of raising the voice for justice. He is none other than Anna Hazare. Hope the anti-corruption movement started by Anna will establish a strong legislation and end this menace of corruption in India for good.