I am sitting in front of the TV. All news channels are bubbling with pictures of people coming on roads with candles and placards and shouting slogans against corruption. I am reminded of my school days. I have won quite a lot of essays and debates on 'honesty', 'corruption' and the like. I remember that in one of such debates, where I was supporting that 'honesty is still the best policy', someone asked me from the audience, "it is easy to say all this on a stage, but will you go on the streets and take the pain to set things right?" I passionately replied, "Sure, I will. I am saying what I believe in. If need be, I won't shy away from going to the streets for the cause of honesty."
I won the debate. I was in Standard 8 then. I really did believe in what I said those days. In fact, I did believe in everything that was taught to us when I was in Standard 8. 'Always speak the truth'. 'Respect your elders'. 'Never steal'. 'Love thy neighbour'.'Honesty is the best policy' etcetra etcetra. I tend to think that I still believe in them but somehow I am not ready to go to the streets for honesty. Why? I don't know. May be I am just too lazy now. However, a lot of my friends and neighbours did go there. They asked me, "You didn't come? It was so much fun. There were so many people. This time the government is really on back foot. Corruption would definitely end."
I am delighted. There are people who still believe in things they learned at school. I invite these enthusiasts for a tea and chit-chat begins. "So what do you do?", someone asks me. "Well, I have just cleared my Civil Services exam and am waiting to join the government." I felt that I must have disappointed the gathering by letting them know that I was soon to be part of the 'rotten, corrupt system' that they were just protesting against. But they say "Wow. So where will you be posted? aapse to touch mein rehna chahiye bhai, bade aadmi ho aap to." I grin and say, "No no. It's nothing like that." Their excitement doesn't die though. I am faced with a volley of questions.
"How much do you get paid? What are your powers? You must be getting very good marriage proposals. You aren't married, are you? Now even your dowry rates would also cross a crore, nahi?" I grin again and say, "Well, they pay around 25k during training and around 35k after confirmation. And I don't know much about the powers. I think, post liberalization, a lot has changed and the Civil Servants are no longer what they used to be twenty years ago."
"Arre. Ye kya bol rahe hain aap. Even now there are huge powers. And don't worry about the salary. You will get so many other benefits, gaadi bangla naukar, sab milta hai. Plus, there are so many other ways of cash inflow." Other ways? I am a little confused. "Arre, aapko to gifts hi bahut milenge. You will get so much of cash even without doing anything for anybody. Poora system hota hai. Everyone has their shares fixed. You wouldn't even know where is it all coming from."
"But I won't take all that. I plan to stay honest and live in the salary that I shall get", I say, to everyone's disappointment. It is the group of people who are full praise for Anna Hazare and it is the same group which almost felt heart-broken when I said the word 'honest'.
"But I won't take all that. I plan to stay honest and live in the salary that I shall get", I say, to everyone's disappointment. It is the group of people who are full praise for Anna Hazare and it is the same group which almost felt heart-broken when I said the word 'honest'.
An elderly man, almost in a fatherly tone, tried to convince me, "Dekho bete! It is not corruption to accept gifts. You see, you will be at such a position that people will gift you out of respect. Also, you will have the power to 'help' them when you want. After all, you are supposed to help people." I ask for elaboration of the word, 'help'. "You know, for example, you will have the power to appoint some people in the government jobs. You can use that power to help the needy." I again ask for elaboration of the word 'needy'. And then he explains, "Your family, for instance, or may be someone of your acquaintance who is unemployed."
But isn't that nepotism, I ask? "That's the problem with you 'bookworms'. You take everything at face value. It is also your duty to 'use' your power and position to 'help' people who have a contribution in making you what you are. All this is not corruption. This is how it works." I show indifference to the discussion and turn to some other topic.
"So how was it at the India Gate? I heard there was a lot of enthusiasm?"
"Yeah, you should have come. All these Kalmadis and Rajas need to be taught a lesson. They have been eating country's wealth. And there's so much black money parked abroad. All that needs to come back. You see this Anna Hazare will really change things."
"Yeah, you should have come. All these Kalmadis and Rajas need to be taught a lesson. They have been eating country's wealth. And there's so much black money parked abroad. All that needs to come back. You see this Anna Hazare will really change things."
"Oh that's not good then. Because if Anna is successful, how shall I be able to 'help' the 'needy' and receive the 'gifts' that people give me out of 'respect'." I say and everyone chuckles.
