People should be ashamed of greasing palms

 

T

heoretically, there should have been much less corruption, owing to IT-enabled administrative and bureaucratic machinery and the effective laws like Right to Information Act.  When it is not the case, it’s time to retrospect.

 

    I feel, people are equally responsible for fostering corruption in the system. As long as there are givers there will not be any dearth of takers.

     Thousands of people descend on Mumbai everyday dreaming of making it big in this city.  And they want to push their way by hook or crook.  When they don’t have the right documents for various purposes, they look up to the officials who in turn feed on their insecurities and fears.  Rules are bent and works are expedited once the officials are bribed.

     Another thing is that Mumbaikars hard pressed for time.  So they are ready to grease the palm of the officials to get the work done.

 

     Many people brazenly talk about bribing officials. Those who pay the bribe should be as ashamed as who takes it.  Bribing officials amounts to some lapse on bribers’ part too. They are doing so to cover up some discrepancy.  Even they should be punished for fostering the scourge of corruption.

(The write-up has been adjudged Letter of the Week in Hindustan Times)