Finally we (India) are on the top! Something to cheer about? Naaahhh!!!! India tops world bribery list!
What a shame! According to the report here we bribe even to get some international contracts! Forget about the internal goverment job bribing!
So, what next? We have reached the top.. now we continue to "stay" on top? I think for a change I am feeling it would have been better if we were NOT at the top.. even better if we were nowhere in the list!
Seriously thinking back, I feel our mentality is such. We bribe for almost everything! Remember the times when you bribed God to make you pass in the exams? The countless namaskaaras you did.. or 100 coconuts you gave to the temple? Bribing is basically IN, in our culture. Though these are harmless bribings, that's how the habit is cultivated!
I think it starts with when you are very young, "beta, if you sleep early now without throwing tantrums, I will take you to the big park tomorrow"! So now you realise? The cascading effect of it?
Che! What more can happen to make you feel so ashamed of yourself in front of others when your country's name is in the papers for all wrong reasons!
I do not say that there is no bribing or corruption in other countries, but definitely they are not like us!
I hate to agree now.. but yes! I have bribed so many times before for small work to get done "fast". My father had to get address change done on his license.. he tried in vain to get it done the "normal" way... waited for 3 months.. but NO! If one officer comes, the other does not.. and so on and so forth! Finally caught hold of some "known" person in RTO and gave him 200rs and lo and behold! Change done the next day!
K. Those are so called "big" stuff and that too at government offices. How about the 10rs kanike we give to the priest in the temple so that he does "extra" pooja from our side? How about the "glares" he gives if you don't give him that?
How about giving some left-overs to the vegetable vendor who comes in front of the house everyday? So that he gets "good" vegetables for you?
How about the chocolate you give to your children so that they don't go tell their grandparents how much you bitched about them in the room?.
So, my dear readers, lets do something from our end to end this disgarce... ok maybe it will take 10-20 years... but atleast sometime the stigma will go!
I pledge
- I WILL NOT bribe God to begin with! He knows what's best for me... he will do it whether I ask for it or not. But yes prayer is a must. That's a way of showing my gratitude to him for giving me this wonderful life.
- I WILL NOT bribe my children (when I have them) to do things for my sake. K, occasionally I will give them a "treat" if they do well in exams ;-)
- I WILL NOT bribe in any government office. Will it take years to get the job done? I really don't care! You can always have a drivers license with the wrong address! who cares!
How many of you are willing to take this pledge with me?
20 comments:
Thats really great. And best part is that change starts at your end.
I do remember when i bought my PC, i had to bribe the police wallah in order to carry PC in the train.:(
I'm with you!!!!
I beg to differ.. I have seem American parents bribing their kids as well (and still losing the battle).. so are we better deal-makers? :D
and reg. extent of bribe that has seeped into the society, it is present in good amounts in the US as well (though not as bad as India).. but in US, it is mostly in big deals (Halliburton's defense deals? etc) those companies "donate" money to parties and clinch the deal.. in small govt offices, ppl work properly (hence no need to bribe, which is not the case in India sadly)..
and reg. your oath, it is a good step forward.. 2nd and 3rd are really tough for "wordly skills".. though I am open for correction. This has to be a mass-movement to survive (though not unrealistic)
@sunil: Thank you soooo much :)
@pavan: I never said the other coutries are free... just that we topping the list is not nice :(
I know it's not very easy.. But I will try... K I will bribe if my life depends on it... or if SRK is ready to see me..;-)
Mass movement starts with one person... little drops of water makes a mighty ocean .
I know that I am not that one person starting it, there are already others who are doing it.. I am just joining them! To the best of my ability.
In our hearts, we like to believe that we should not bribe, but then we run into a wall of reality.
An example, I had a car stolen and had to file a FIR. Off I went to the police station to do the same. There I filled in things, and decided to see what would happen. They told me to wait, looking up at me expectantly. I sat and waited. After around 30 mins, the guy told me that the concerned officer who has to sign it is currently out and I will have to wait. I said fine.
After 10 minutes, his patience ran out and he asked me as to why don't I give him Rs. 100 for the FIR, at which point, I had no option other than to do the payment. I ended up feeling really bad.
@ashish: As i said, I also agree it;s not easy! At the same time it's not impossible also. Lets give it our best shot and try as much as possible...
ooh that is a good pledge.. but are u sure when its not positive re-inforcement with the children, or just an incentive to the vegetable vendor
is it really bribing?
heyy...
Thnks for stoppin by..
and yeah...thats me...
:-)
(thnks for the d compliments!)
nicely written on the the bribin thing...
I heard this once...
"Corruption is evrywher...the only difference here in India is...We hav to bribe ppl even to do the right things!"
LOL
hope to read mor frm u...
@aditi: You are right! Not always it's a bribe... but when we give with the intention of getting something back is bribe.. and that's what I don't want to do.
@aberrant: You are welcome :) LOL! on the quote...
Shark : I see two distinct aspects.
The first one is the incessant problem with society. Of corruption. We must address that fair and square. Your resolutions are great, and i want to wish you all the very best.
The second one is about children and the 'bribing' process. That is part of the reward and recognition towards learning process that will reinforce learning.
Corruption is a values issue. That is the value issue we need to be working on ! I am with you on that !
Dealing with children in terms of incentive is different, as long as they do not get conditioned to doing things only with the expectation of getting something back.
Having to pay somebody to get something done which is part of their job is venal and should be attempted to be avoided at all costs
@kavi: Thanks for being with me!
I know, bribing children to some extent is required. I just don't want them to make it a habbit that when they grow up they can't live without taking a bribe,... may not be in money terms.. anything!
@ashish: You said what I wanted to say! :)
This is wonderful, and I have even a more wonderful plan. I have just taken a print out of this post, and its gonna be there on the notice board of our college today. Coz its truly inspirational, and that is an understatement!!
Wow!! for this simply WOW post!
:)
And ofcourse, the notice would have a link to ur blog as well. Hope u dont mind....
:)
@velu: I just wrote what I felt...:) Thank you so much for your appreciation...
And yes! No porbs at all..:) If my little message reaches atleast a few.. I will be blessed!
i will not take this pledge.. :-)... i know i will bribe!!
a very good point... but I guess u have decided to stay put in the US of A. Well me is for sure going back to India, never know when I would break this promise... :):) I will strive not to but emergencies, excuse me pleeju
-kingkong
CarpeDiem
@vin: Bad girl :P
@doomofhades/king kong: Nopes me going back to India in december :)
Excuuged ;-)
How about you wanna get a stamp on your passport within 3 weeks but the passport office only works from 10:00 to 12:30 and five days a week?
Think think?
There are "agents" whom I asked. They said it will take me Rs. 900 which included the Rs.300 that is to be paid as passport modification fees in the passport office.
I went one day and saw that line was so huge, it was impossible to take the form and submit it on the same day.
THANKFULLY, the internet came to my rescue. Visit http://passport.nic.in and you can download the forms. I took atleast 10-15 supporting documents along (address proof, identity proof, photo ID etc.) where they needed only 3. I went and stood in the line one hour before the office time. I stood in the line and filled the form (had bought along a paper pad which we used in school while writing exams) after checking with a million other people who were in the line. That way, I eliminated ALL possible causes for them to reject the application and I had the passport duly stamped with ECNR by 5:00 the same evening. Spent wonly the necessary Rs.300 !
So, the bottom line is - I am already with you on this.
-PeAcE
--WiTh
---GuNs
Somebody in this comments page said : "Corruption is evrywher...the only difference here in India is...We hav to bribe ppl even to do the right things!"
I think this was in the film Gumraah starring Sanjay Dutt and Sridevi where they bribe the police officer in HongKong to tamper with the evidence.
-PeAcE
--WiTh
---GuNs
@guns: Very rightly said! Regarding the passport office thingy... I also went at 5 in the morning stood in the queue and got my work done... so with little effort we can surely make it. It's definitely not a cake walk... but atleast our conscience is clear :)
And thanks you so much for being with me! :)
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