the-south-asian.com                                     January 2003

 

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JANUARY  2003 Contents

 

 Peace in South Asia
 - Is it attainable?
 Read what they have 
 to say:

 Introduction

 Swami Agnivesh &
 Rev Valson Thampu

 Ardeshir Cowasjee

 Lt. Gen Arjun Ray 

 Raju Narisetti

 Waheguru Pal Singh 
 Sidhu

 'Junoon'

 Music

 Ustad Amjad Ali Khan
 - 50 years of sarod

 Heritage

 Secular symbols of
 Sri Lanka

 
 2002 Round-up

 Books 2002

 Sports 2002

 
 
People

 Raju Nasiretti

 Mahreen Khan

 
 
Real Issues

 Corruption vs. NGOs


 Neighbours

 Letter from Pakistan

 Books

 'India in Slow Motion'
 - by Mark Tully

 Serialisation of  'Knock at every alien 
 door' - Joseph Harris

 

 Events

 South Asian Events in
 London &  Washington DC

 
 Editor's Note

 the craft shop

 Lehngas - a limited collection

 the print gallery

 Books

 Silk Road on Wheels

 The Road to Freedom

 
Enduring Spirit

 Parsis-Zoroastrians of
India

 
The Moonlight Garden

 
Contemporary Art in
 Bangladesh
 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

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Page  1  of  3

CORRUPTION 

- WHOSE MONEY IS IT ANYWAY?

by

Isidore Domnick Mendis

The Berlin-based Transparency International ( TI ) has bracketed three South Asian nations among the world's most corrupt . Of the 102 countries surveyed, India is ranked 72, Pakistan [77], Nigeria [101] and Bangladesh 102…(the most corrupt). Are the relevant governments concerned? 

corruption-1.jpg (75264 bytes) corruption-2.jpg (26380 bytes) corruption-3.jpg (58110 bytes)
Fighting against corruption in India
L-R: Transparency International's Admiral Tahiliani…:Tackle corruption on a war footing";
Dr. Kiran Bedi,  India's first lady Police Officer…"Cleanse the political system";
Chetna's Anil Sood…Exposing the meter-tampering racket
.

 

Hush money, graft, bribe, sleaze …… call it by any name but the meaning is just one - corruption in public life. The dirty 'C' word today is synonymous with the functioning of all government offices that deal with the public. People are coerced to pay over and above for a service, which they are legally bound to receive. 

A new study by Berlin-based Transparency International ( TI )  brackets India with some of the world's most corrupt nations. Of the 102 nations surveyed in 2001, India is ranked 72, Pakistan [77], Nigeria [101] and Bangladesh 102---the most corrupt.

The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for India is 2.7. The index relates to the degree of corruption among public officials and politicians as perceived by business people, academicians and risk analysts. It ranges between 10 [most clean & transparent] and 0 [most corrupt].

Three of the world's cleanest nations are Finland with the CPI of 9.9, Denmark at 9.5 and New Zealand at 9.4. Canada ranks 7th. with a score of 8.9, England is 13th. at 8.3, USA 17th at 7.6, and Germany 20th at 7.4.

Among the organisations that are taking up the issue of corruption in India and challenging and fighting it are Tranparency International (India), Chetna, and Parivartan. 

 

Transparency International (India)
Chairman: Admiral Tahiliani (Retd.)

corruption-1.jpg (75264 bytes)
" If the political leadership is serious in tackling poverty as it professes, it has to deal with corruption first".

"Transparency International study is not at all surprising as some of the most significant legislations have not yet been passed. The Lok Pal Bill, declaration of assets by politicians, auditing of accounts of political parties, speedy trial of erring politicians, forfeiture of illegally acquired property and many other such legislations are in a limbo," says Admiral R.H. Tahiliani, former Governor and Chief of Naval Staff and now chairman of Transparency International [India] .

Tahiliani's utterances are buttressed by the fact that political leaders are not  willing to talk on the subject of corruption. Repeated attempts at getting in touch with Arun Shourie and Manmohan Singh---two of the most upright people in politics---drew a blank with the personal assistants of both saying their bosses were not interested in talking on the subject of corruption.

According to the study the main breeding ground for corruption is the Indian political system, which has been supported wholeheartedly by the  bureaucracy. Corruption, says the report, has reached such gigantic proportions because the electoral system is such that it requires sacks of money.

" When the bureaucrat sees that the politician is corrupt then there is no fear. Yatha Raja Tatha Praja [ what the king does, so do the people]. If the king is corrupt the population too will be corrupt," says Tahiliani.

According to the TI study there are perceptible linkages between poverty and corruption. " If the political leadership is serious in tackling poverty as it professes, it has to deal with corruption first," feels Admiral Tahiliani.

Many academicians say that socialism is the fountainhead of corruption in India. Since independence the state has had a say in everything If one wanted to start an industry one had to get a license, if one wanted to close it one needed a prior permission. If one wanted to increase production one had to inform the concerned ministry. It was the licence Raj that became the breeding ground for corruption.

Now , as the state begins easing its grip on basic necessities, corruption levels too are declining. Take, for example, the privatisation of power in Delhi. Under state control there were a spate of corruption charges against it. Now with privatisation, things are improving dramatically.

However, says Admiral Tahiliani, " Corruption abounds in areas where citizens have to interact with the state departments like the police, health, housing, taxes, municipalities or licenses for starting businesses."

 

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