Essays

"Corruption, is a kind of allurement, psychologically encourage the human being to do or not to do anything in order to make personal gains whether in kind, cash or otherwise".            

' Corruption is a global phenomenon, found in one shape or the other whether country is a democratic, Kingship, Socialist or Communisis, developing or a develop Hardly a country is free from the clutches of the devil of corruption. The subja corruption figures in every international Summit, as almost all the countries h fallen under its grip.

A recent World Bank survey reveals that the corruption as on date, invite those responsible for making laws, responsible to execute the policies and laws of nation that means the politicians, bureaucrats are mostly involved in corruption. survey points out that "Corruption is the most infallible symptom constitutional and administrative liberty."

The 1999 report on Human Development in South Asia that covers In Pakistan, Bangladesh, Shri Lanka and Nepal finds the compulsion as the HI damaging resulting of poor governance. According to the report. "Corruption undermined investment and economic growth and deepened the extent poverty". The report also characterized the South Asian countries engulfed < corruption, that to a great extent responsible for their slow progress. The peculiar of corruption in these countries is summarized in the following points;

(1) Corruption begins at the top and so distorts the decision on development programmes and priorities.

(2) Money earned through corruption is smuggled abroad in safe havens. not ploughed back into the domestic economy.

(3) Corruption generally leads to promotion, not punishment and the she unless they belong to opposition rarely caught. If caught, manage to escape in course of time, as judicial system takes unreasonably long time to dispose of the cases.

In India, corruption has become a way of life. In the words of Nitin Chakravar the columnist, "As much as 70% of all developmental budgets are estimated be cornered by politicians, bureaucrats and contractors".

The corruption is so rampant in India that is regarded as a land which about in political opportunism, avarice, crime, and where everything is possible, but w money and bribe.

It is not only shocking but also disgusting that the legacy of honesty dedicate austerity, public service and patriotism, the ethical and moral values which the leaders of the past like Gandhi, Nehru. Subhash, Patel and others cherished so dearly, are beans; squandered away by the corrupt and power hungry political leaders. It becomes a mailer of introspections as to why and how the politicians even as popular representatives should acquiesce, pejorative connotations, questions the »T.N. Chaturvedi, the former CAG of India.

It is assigned that with progress and advancement, corruption is inevitable and permissible, that it is found everywhere even in the developed countries and that one should first mind only the efficiency and performance of the system and not of its i   ethics. It is true that corruption has become a global phenomenon, found everywhere, k but the common man is not so hardly affected by it as in lndia. Efficiency is important but at the cost o f ethics is self-destroying.

Gandhiji once said. "To check corruption, we require a high code of morals, extreme vigilance on the part of those who are free from the corrupt practices."

Even today, idealism in common men, all over the world is not totally dead. The corrupt leaders are in many cases discarded by the people in elections or whenever they got such an opportunity. Even today we find personalities like Joginder Singh, Ex.CBI Chief, Anna Hazare, T.N. Sheshan and so many who didn't bow to the wishes and whims of the politicians and worked fearlessly.

The Rig Veda says that only ethically pure and intellectually capable persons .   should be allowed to administer the country. The Atharva Veda considers it the duty L of the citizens to see that only the competent are at the helm and that those in power certain ethical and conscientious lest their inherent greed should harm the country.

Various measures can be suggested to kill the devil of corruption like transparency in public life, stringent laws to deal with the corruption cases, electoral reforms to check the misuse of money and muscle powers, reform in judiciary system, lo quicken the disposal of cases of corruption etc., but the foremost duty and responsibility lies with the common mass. It has become customary to indict the politicians, bureaucrats, police and corporate businessmen for the flourishing of corruption in the society. Undoubtedly it is they who have made the corruption crept into every fiber and fabric of body politic of our nation.

 But can we escape the criticism and responsibility when we ourselves are the| part and parcel of the social paraphernalia that is actuated largely by materialistic r considerations? How many of us, believe in the maxim of "simple living and high thinking"? How many of us value ideals of honesty, dedication to work. and purity of spirit? To earn money is not a bad thing, but to earn by unfair means, immoral acts, is condemnable. Lofty ideals look good on paper, to fight the menace of corruption prevailed throughout the world, multipronged actions are required to be taken.

Corruption can be checked when the rulers themselves set an example for the common men to follow. How can we expect the lower rungs of the society to tread the path of righteousness, when the higher echelons are totally tainted? Om should remember: "Lilies that fester smell for worse than weeds", says W Shakespeare. People follow I he elders, the leaders and the persons m authority. Ifi so called leaders arc fully sunk in the ocean of corruption, then who can save the nail To fight the demon of corruption, not only the politicians but also the common have to strive hard sincerely, honestly and with determination. Vigilant and awaken people can prove to be a competent army under the leadership of an honest I dedicated leader to fight the evil and devil of corruption.

Vocabulary

1. allurement— the power to entice or attract through persona! charm. 2. Clutches— holds firmly, the act of grasping. 3. infallible— incapable of failure or error. 4. Rampant— unrestrained and violent. 5. disgusting—cause aversion in; offend the moral sent . 6. avarice—reprehensible acquisitiveness. Insatiable desire for wealth personified one of the deadly sins). 7. austerity— the trait of great self-denial (especially refrain from worldly pleasures). 8. squandered— spend thoughtlessly; throw away. 9. Inevitable— an unavoidable event. 10. Conscientious— guided by or in accordance with conscript or sense of right and wrong. 11. actuated— moved lo action. 12. creped—to go steam or furtively. 13. fester— a sore that has become inflamed and formed pus. 14. Echelon— grating. 15. paraphernalia —miscellaneous articles needed for a particular operation. 16. demon —a cruet wicked and inhuman person. 17. weeds— a strong-smelling pf from whose dried leaves a number of euphoria and hallucinogenic drugs are prepared.