Corruption is a way of life for Indians

Seemingly majority of Indians go by the general notion that ‘Corruption is a lubricant that keeps political machinery functioning.’ I feel that a good percentage of Indians keep the same psychology when it comes to giving and taking bribe. When the government proceedings and files get stuck in the red tape, it is bribe that puts everything back in a fast track mode and gets the things done for the beneficiaries.   

Blindly government officials alone can’t be blamed for the corrupt practices that are prevailing in our country. The very mindset of general public is that their money power can keep their files moving to higher authorities and thus get the work done in time. The government proceedings would take their sweet time and to put back everything in a fast track, general public do not mind giving bribe.

In India, the fastest way to become rich is entering into politics. Politics is no more a service it is a platform for the politicians to accumulate money. Politicians who enter into politics from a poor background, in a blink of an eye, become millionaires and clean politicians are at the verge of extinction. We have end number of scams in front of our eyes in which our politicians are involved.     

Wiki leaks stated that corruption is a fact of life but I would rather put it as corruption is a way of life for Indians therefore, bribe is no more a taboo back here in India. Giving bribe is merely considered as a recompense given to the idle government officials who otherwise would have delayed the government proceedings eternally. Average Indians know that to keep the sluggish government system functioning, perhaps bribe is the only remedy that can work magic.  

From the top office of our country to the smallest office there is corruption happening, when top office is dealing large amount of money the corruption would be of a great magnitude compared with the smallest office which is dealing with a small sum. Commonly practiced system of corruption would be the particular percentage of the total money transactions happening in an office. When the presumptive loss in 2G spectrum was 1.75 lakh cores which is a percentage of the grand total of amount, same way there would be corruption involved in a bridge that is constructed in a local civic body.  

Government officials alone can’t be blamed for the corrupt system because the majority of general public is ready to give huge amount of bribe to receive the benefits for which they are ineligible. According to the magnitude of the bribe they give they easily top the list in which their names would not have been there otherwise. As a result the most eligible people are pushed to peripheries and their life becomes a hell.

When the elite people are ready to offer bribe from their surplus money to get extra privileges for which they are not eligible, in order to get the privileges for the underprivileged people who are legally eligible are forced to give bribe to the official to get the things done for them.  

Giving and receiving the bribe are equally culpable. Unanimously if all the contenders take a decision not to give bribe anymore to the government officials to get any kind of privileges and benefits for which they are ineligible and if it is made a general practice followed every where the demand for bribe would eventually die off. It is the guilty and shame of both government officials and general public for having made corruption a way of life here in India.