Combating corruption: an insurmountable challenge

Corruption can be described as the misuse of power entrusted to an individual for their own personal gain. This attribute can be seen in abundance in its various forms in the Indian government; be it bribery, fraud, theft or money laundering.

With the number of scams that became public in 2011, leading to the year being described as one of scams, Indians have finally had enough and are now speaking up against dishonest officials within the government and their malpractices.

The 2G spectrum scam, misappropriation of funds meant for the commonwealth games, the various land and mining scams as well as the cash-for-votes scam have all together been an eye-opener for the citizens of India who now see the need for greater transparency in the functioning of their government.

People’s greed and desire for more money than they would need in one lifetime leads them to unethical means.

It is shameful that a country that claims to be one of the fastest growing economies in the world has the largest number of people living below poverty line. This is a direct result of the billions of assets—in the form of money, property, food grains, etc.—meant for their uplift, being illegally pocketed by those whose want for more seem endless.

What our country needs is greater transparency. A strong public forum to level out peoples’ grievances in the form of a Lokpal or a similar such body is the foremost requirement.

 Also, excessively complicated rules and regulations laid down by the country are too complex for the simple Indian mind. Undemanding and straightforward acts and laws in layman’s terms must be specified if they are expected to be followed by the common man.

Public involvement

The large number of corrupt practices seen in the country today is not restricted to politicians alone. Its effects have trickled down to the common people who have also been dragged into the web of this dishonest system.

In the existing framework of the country, corruption and bribery cannot be tackled by the government alone. It is the duty of every citizen to do their bit. All they have to do is say “no” to the temptation of being hauled into the snare of employing such practices as an easier means to their end. They must be motivated to strive towards honesty and a sense of social responsibility must be implanted in their minds.

Without the involvement of the citizens themselves, the country cannot expect any change in this fight against corruption or at the least, find it extremely challenging.