Corruption makes India - a Soft State
Five Years back, my article on corruption was selected in an essay
competition organized by a well-known magazine, Competition Success Review
(CSR).In last five years, I made few progresses in my career. I graduated, got
job and came to U.S for project work. But in the meanwhile, corruption made
gargantuan strides. It graduated from
few thousand sandals of Ms.Jayalalitha to billion dollar 2G scam of Mr. A.Raja.
In last one month, corruption was undoubtedly remained a consistent performer. The
country witnessed a new scam every day. Only thing that varied from one scam to
other was the magnitude of scams and position of people involved in scams.
Corruption has never been an “alien”
for millions of Indians. It has crept so comfortably in our life that we no
longer consider it as a major topic to discuss over. Admission of wards into
schools and colleges, getting a railway berth, getting a passport, getting a
stamp paper, these are very few out of a long list of our daily life activities
where corruption has taken an indelible position. We really don’t care about it
these days as we have become so used to it.
But can corruption threaten our nation internally as well as externally??
Does corruption have the potential to choke the very survival of our country??
Corruption is a cancer which loathes breathing within a
boundary. First it spreads internally
and then its symptoms begin to appear externally. Huge Corruption in implementing
government policies lead to wide scale economic disparity in the society. When this gap pushes extreme poverty, the
illiterate and starved population fell prey to the mature exploitation of callous
politicians and anti-national elements. The stolid poverty and indifferent government
wean people from the moral standards of society and pillars of democracy at
last. Supply of food, money and arms give them power to tackle the system
embroiled in layers of corruption. After some period of time, they are
compelled to follow the path chosen by their suppliers. That path can lead them
to part time burglars to full time naxalites or terrorists. Rotten branches are always easier to sever from the tree than a firm
one. Voices of separation and overhaul of India’s rule have already started
to rise from different corners of India. And there are many corners of the
country sitting on the bed of dynamite just waiting for the slight lit of a lighter.
This is how corruption dilapidates our country internally.
India is the second fastest growing economy in the world. India’s
rise put some fine lines of wrinkles on the faces of statesmen of the so called
‘friendly’ countries. Ironically their
concerns are eased by none other than India herself. A recent article,
published in “The Hindu” newspaper,
put some light on this diplomatic resolution of ‘wrinkles’. U.S offers scholarships to broods of top bureaucrats, diplomats,
military officers and potential politicians based in New Delhi. The relaxation
in Visa norms, extension of Visas and ease in grant of green cards are some of
the small favours, U.S is already offering to please our policy makers. All of
us know these favours are not token of friendship or selfless act of diplomacy.
Getting huge arms deal, power projects and heavy infrastructure projects of the
budding economy at huge cost are some of these exchanges in lieu of those
‘Coveted’ green cards for the broods.
This is one of the many ways; corruption exposes India’s vulnerability
externally and establishes India as a soft state on the world map. Five years
back, the topic of my article was ‘Will India ever get rid of corruption?’. I
am still guessing. And you?
