Upholding Morality in Public Life N. Vittal* The issue of morality in public life has become a subject of constant discussion in our media and social life. This is because of the pervasive presence of corruption in every aspect of our life which is holding back our progress. Corruption is anti-national, anti-economic development and anti-poor. How corruption could be anti economic development was highlighted by a study conducted by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It says, investment would increase by 2.9 per cent of GDP and GDP growth by 1.3 per cent if corruption index improves by one standard deviation or around 15 per cent. The implication is that India is loosing at least Rs. 63,800 crore worth of additional investment per annum, roughly three times the foreign direct investment (FDI) we are attracting now and Rs. 28,600 crore of consequent national income per annum.The report further adds that corruption in post- Independence India is attributed to an over-regulated environment in which the state played a pre-dominant role in economic decision making, providing powerful incentives to bureaucrats and those in power to indulge in corruption. The economic liberalization and the associated opening up of the Indian economy has significantly reduced the structural rigidities in the system.
The harm caused to the poor by corruption will be obvious from the fact that 36 per cent of the foodgrain and 31 per cent of the sugar meant for the public distribution system disappears in the black market. There have been several media stories of corruption rendering the implementation of the pro-poor or pro-tribal programmes totally meaningless if not counter- productive.
The 1993 Bombay blasts resulted in the death of 300 innocent people. The RDX, which was used in this blast, was smuggled by bribing certain customs officials with Rs. 20 lakh.
Why Corruption?
Corruption flourishes because generally our moral standards are low. How do we uphold morality in public life? Morality in public life ultimately is the result of three factors. The first is the individual’s sense of values. This is what we derive from our parents, religion and our teachers. We therefore find that there are many honest people in departments which are notoriously corrupt. Many a time, while the senior official may be corrupt, the junior is honest. This is the result of the individual’s sense of values. The second is the state of prevailing social values. Apparently there is greater tolerance of corruption today because there is a feeling that corruption has become a way of life. Alex De Toquville, the French thinker of the 19th century, said that if the inevitable may be perceived to be no more inevitable then it became intolerable. Today, corruption is perceived as inevitable in every walk of life and therefore it is tolerated. But if the public could be educated about the truth that there could be greater morality in public life then the same corruption which has been tolerated may become intolerable and this could lead to a better India.
The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has recently come up with a Citizens’ Guide to Fighting Corruption. This indicates what the patriotic citizens can do to fight corruption. The basic requirement for any citizen who wants to fight corruption is that he should himself be honest. It is therefore necessary that a citizen who wants to fight corruption must first decide that he/she will uphold his/her own moral character and will not either give a bribe or take a bribe. Rajaji, one of the eminent leaders of India, highlighted that ultimately it is the national character that decides the nation’s progress.
He said- "National character is the keystone of national affairs. It locks the bricks together like the keystone in the arch. If the keystone is not there, the arch goes to pieces and tumbles down. It is the improvement of individual character that goes to make the uplift of national character which in turn becomes the keystone in the arch of national prosperity.
Combatting Corruption
Corruption can be fought by the citizen as an individual or in groups in the form of an NGO. Just as an individual first has to maintain his/her own integrity before he/she takes on the challenge of fighting corruption, NGOs which are formed to fight corruption have to first ensure that they themselves are clean and do not indulge in corrupt practices. It has been noticed that there are many NGOs which are indulging in corrupt practices. If such NGOs also take up the issue of fighting corruption, they are not likely to be successful.
The second step is spreading awareness about the harmful effects of corruption. There is extensive corruption in our system because there is a vicious cycle starting wih political corruption leading to bureaucratic corruption, business corruption and criminalisation of politics. Even though citizens may be suffering from corruption, the results of elections where corrupt candidates are elected again and again raises the question whether the removal of corruption or improving probity in public life is considered relevant by the people at large.
The first problem which any citizen who wants to fight corruption will face is what action to take when a bribe is demanded of him/her or when he/she comes across an act of bribery. So far as the Government of India organisations are concerned, the Central Vigilance Commission has given directives that there should be a board displayed in every office indicating that bribe should not be paid and if any complaint of bribe is made, they can contact the Chief Vigilance Officers. So far as the state governments are concerned, there are anti-corruption bureaux, Lok Ayuktas and Vigilance Commissioners. These agencies may also be contacted. Another agency of the Government of India is the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Any demand or acceptance of illicit gratification could be promptly reported to the concerned authority – CBI in case of Central Government officials and State anti-Corruption Bureaux in case of State Government officials either verbally or in writing in the form of a complaint with a request to take legal action against the said public servants for laying a trap to apprehend him red handed while demanding and accepting the bribe amount. The amount of bribe demanded has also to be arranged or provided by the complainant, as the enforcement agencies providing the same has been adversely commented upon by the courts. This amount is returned to the complainant after the trial is over. Subsequently, after the trap is over the complainant is required to give evidence in court during the trial to prove the genuineness of the complaints and the part played by him in the case. This much effort by members of the public can enable CBI/State Anti Corruption Bureaux to lay a trap and apprehend public servants demanding and accepting illegal gratification.
Members of the public can also report about the activities of public servants who are found to be living beyond their means as such public servants would have acquired assets which are disproportionate to their known source of income. However, while providing information in this regard, specific details of properties held by the public servant, either in his own name or in the name of his dependent family members would have to be furnished. These would be addresses of the houses/flats, numbers of the vehicles, bank accounts, details of shares/LIC policies/NSCs/FDRs/Securities and other household assets viz. costly furniture TV sets, computers, fridge and other electronic items. In addition, specific details of number of children, schools where they are studying, house rent paid, family background, and ancestral properties should also be provided as far as possible to enable quick verification of the information. The identity of the complainant can be kept secret if desired as the agency can treat the information as source information and proceed further with it.
Corruption flourishes in our country because there are people in power who benefit from the present system. Unfortunately those who benefit from the power are also those who have to initiate the change to check corruption. Under these circumstances citizens and their organisations (NGO) can get the change initiated only by adopting certain elements of strategy.
Activism
Judicial activism has been responsible for bringing about some of the well-needed changes. The role played by the judiciary, for example, in ensuring the reduction of environmental pollution in Delhi is a case in point. The empowering of the CVC as a more effective agency to fight corruption and particularly ensure the autonomy of the CBI and Enforcement Directorate is another example of the role of the judiciary. The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is a route that can be used to approach the courts and thereby make the administration change policies or initiate action to check corruption.
Agencies specially designed for fighting corruption like the CVC, Vigilance Commissions and Lok Ayuktas may also be approached by citizens so that they in turn can take action not only in individual cases of corruption but also to bring systemic changes so far as their jurisdiction is concerned.
In a democracy, the political leaders have to respect public opinion. Shaping of public opinion is, therefore, very essential. In shaping public opinion the electronic and print media can be effectively used. For the media to be used, what is needed is access to information. Therefore freedom of information or access to information becomes important. The imaginative way of packaging the message adopted, for example, by the CVO, can be very useful in this context.
NGOs many a time can play an active and direct role in taking up individual cases for fighting corruption or bringing about system changes.
Fighting corruption is the national duty of every patriotic Indian. If five crore corrupt elements are ruining the country the remaining 95 crore who are the victims of corruption or are silent witnesses to the pervasive corruption scene are failing in their duty. This guide has been drafted with a view to placing ready information in the hands of every patriotic Indian who would like to take some action to check corruption in our country and make India realise its full potential as a nation. If we want India to become an economic and military super power and create an India in which every citizen will be able to enjoy his/her rights and a better quality of life, fighting corruption is the most important need. It is the responsibility of every Indian citizen to respond to this need and see what can be done at the individual and group levels to fight corruption.
After all, as the Taitreya Upanishad says, let us come together, let us enjoy together, let our strengths come together, let there be the brightness of knowledge, let there be no poison of misunderstanding or hatred. That is the way we can fight corruption and ensure a bright future for India.
It is hoped that with the greater public concern on the issue of morality in public life, there will be greater awareness about corruption and the need for morality in public life. Once this awareness spreads, the lack of public morality which is considered inevitable today and therefore tolerated, will become intolerable and India can become an example of a vigorous democracy which is also an economic superpower with a clean public life.
