It
is obvious now, that we always look for someone to voice our
thoughts, to fight for our problems, rather than think, realise and
resolve it ourselves. I am happy for the unity against corruption but, I
wonder for how long this struggle bears significance in our hearts.
We have all forwarded e-Mails, tweets, messages in support of Annaji,
but do we all really understand what the fight is really about?
Corruption, a deep rooted evil, is not just limited to some
individuals, but is omnipresent. With a little insight, we can just
realize how we helped it grow and sustain. A lokpal bill as the one
proposed, can punish/expose some predictable names, but doesn't
eliminate it completely. The only way I find appropriate and useful
in the long-run is the change of approach towards uprooting the evil.
I'd like to name a few examples we can easily find ourselves
experiencing/already experienced.
We
travel on a waiting list ticket/ general ticket and bribe the
official in charge, to get a berth reserved. We plan ahead our trip
to a very famous temple/place, but we do not plan the darshan/visit
timings. We have money to bribe the guards/officials and sneak into
the long queues. Ration Card, Driving license, Passport - every
document that is needed, we realize its necessity in the eleventh
hour and want things to get finished soon, all because we are
confident about the weight of our pockets and the magics it can
perform. We never try to think that things take their time in the
respective offices before we can expect the result and there are
already a number of applicants (passengers/pilgrims) ahead of us,
waiting. Most of us do not exercise the right to vote and most of
those who do, choose the lesser evil from among a list. An evil is an
evil, small or large. Did we ever think that this is corruption? Yes,
it is! "Corruption is spiritual/moral impurity or deviation
from an ideal" - Wikipedia says.
Isn't
it the moral responsibility of every citizen to allow the system to
function for the betterment of all? We hinder it, we misuse it and
finally we abuse it. We really have no right to question an official
who made money processing our works first, when there are others
waiting in the long queue before. And we absolutely don't have any
right to question any corrupt politician when we did not choose to
vote. Corruption, in a way, is a by-product of human indolence
and impatience. If only we can plan ahead, if only we can
bear the little discomforts that come in our way, if only we can
wait, if only we can justly deny any demands for bribes (Yes, we can,
if we realize it), if only we can use our weapons like RTI, no vote
policy; we can really expect a better society.
Mahatma Gandhi's
words, "You should be the change you want to see in the world"
are reverberating in my ears, as I write this. Let us make some
commitments to ourselves, to ensure a better nation, a better world
(After all that has been said, I don't think an exhaustive list is
needed).