A Commentary on Corruption in India The difference between the people of India and Pakistan is their perception of national corruption. Pakistanis make no bones about corruption in all walks of life. Pakistani media shines the light of investigative journalism on corrupt politicians, bureaucrats, media men, feudals, and industrialists. Even, retired generals are taken to task for real or perceived suspicions of corruption. Pakistanis beat their chest and rightly blame corruption for national malaise and bad governance. They are constantly debating this issue, as the number one national problem. This debate has reached a crescendo,since the accession of the usurper, Asif Zardari. He belongs to the Crooks Hall of Fame (along with Marcos, Mugabe, and Baby Doc). He is also"endearingly,"known as Mr.Ten Percent (this may have changed to Mr.Fifty Percent) by the global press. Indians on the other hand see corruption everywhere in India, but are either hypocrites or in a constant state of denial. They do not consider civil malfeaseance as a national issue. The jingoistic nature of Indian hindu psyche prevents them from recognizing rampant bribery, nepotism, and casteism as national problems. Indians follow the teachings of three siblings of Hanuman (Hindu Monkey god): hear, see, or speak no evil. Their attitude towards national corruption is that of an ostrich; whose head is eternally buried in sand. Indian national arrogance blind sides Indian people towards rampant corruption in all spheres of life in India. In the socalled "democratic" India, rarely, the issue of endemic national corruption is even raised, except in occasional articles in the press. An example follows. India is among the 55 most corrupt countries in the world and has done little to clean itself of corruption than Pakistan, according to the Corruption Perception Index, 2004, report. Releasing the report here today, Transparency International India Chairman Admiral Tahiliani (retd) said India had been given a score of 2.8 on a scale of zero to 10, with zero indicating the most corrupt country. Whereas Pakistan has done much better in cleaning itself up of corruption, improving its score from 2.1 in 2002 to 2.6 this year, India’s score has increased by only point one, from 2.7 to 2.8 during the period. China’s score improved from 3.4 in 2002 to 3.5 this year. The report was based on 18 polls and surveys among business people, residents and country specific experts and analysts. In India, the index is a perceived corruption, based on 15 surveys. Admiral Tahiliani said the amount of bribery in government procurement and related contract and other activities cost the Indian taxpayer a whopping $ 7,000 million. He said the Index rated Finland, New Zealand and Denmark as the least corrupt of the 146 countries surveyed, with score of 9.7, 9.6 and 9.5, respectively. Iceland also has a score of 9.5. India is ranked 91, while Pakistan’s rank is 132. Bangladesh and Haiti are the most corrupt in 145th and 146th position, respectively. With globalisation picking up in a big way, and 106 countries hovering at an integrity score of less than five, the corruption funds will get a convenient exit route from these countries. The Transparency International India, therefore, demands that public contracting be monitored by autonomous independent agencies to oversee the entire process. (The Tribune Chandigarh)
A Commentary on Corruption in India The difference between the people of India and Pakistan is their perception of national corruption. Pakistanis make no bones about corruption in all walks of life. Pakistani media shines the light of investigative journalism on corrupt politicians, bureaucrats, media men, feudals, and industrialists. Even, retired generals are taken to task for real or perceived suspicions of corruption. Pakistanis beat their chest and rightly blame corruption for national malaise and bad governance. They are constantly debating this issue, as the number one national problem. This debate has reached a crescendo,since the accession of the usurper, Asif Zardari. He belongs to the Crooks Hall of Fame (along with Marcos, Mugabe, and Baby Doc). He is also"endearingly,"known as Mr.Ten Percent (this may have changed to Mr.Fifty Percent) by the global press. Indians on the other hand see corruption everywhere in India, but are either hypocrites or in a constant state of denial. They do not consider civil malfeaseance as a national issue. The jingoistic nature of Indian hindu psyche prevents them from recognizing rampant bribery, nepotism, and casteism as national problems. Indians follow the teachings of three siblings of Hanuman (Hindu Monkey god): hear, see, or speak no evil. Their attitude towards national corruption is that of an ostrich; whose head is eternally buried in sand. Indian national arrogance blind sides Indian people towards rampant corruption in all spheres of life in India. In the socalled "democratic" India, rarely, the issue of endemic national corruption is even raised, except in occasional articles in the press. An example follows. India is among the 55 most corrupt countries in the world and has done little to clean itself of corruption than Pakistan, according to the Corruption Perception Index, 2004, report. Releasing the report here today, Transparency International India Chairman Admiral Tahiliani (retd) said India had been given a score of 2.8 on a scale of zero to 10, with zero indicating the most corrupt country. Whereas Pakistan has done much better in cleaning itself up of corruption, improving its score from 2.1 in 2002 to 2.6 this year, India’s score has increased by only point one, from 2.7 to 2.8 during the period. China’s score improved from 3.4 in 2002 to 3.5 this year. The report was based on 18 polls and surveys among business people, residents and country specific experts and analysts. In India, the index is a perceived corruption, based on 15 surveys. Admiral Tahiliani said the amount of bribery in government procurement and related contract and other activities cost the Indian taxpayer a whopping $ 7,000 million. He said the Index rated Finland, New Zealand and Denmark as the least corrupt of the 146 countries surveyed, with score of 9.7, 9.6 and 9.5, respectively. Iceland also has a score of 9.5. India is ranked 91, while Pakistan’s rank is 132. Bangladesh and Haiti are the most corrupt in 145th and 146th position, respectively. With globalisation picking up in a big way, and 106 countries hovering at an integrity score of less than five, the corruption funds will get a convenient exit route from these countries. The Transparency International India, therefore, demands that public contracting be monitored by autonomous independent agencies to oversee the entire process. (The Tribune Chandigarh)
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