I've been quite disturbed over the last two weeks over few incidents.
- Underage drunk kid kills 2 in Pune. Police, doctors, politicians, legal ecosystem, etc. try to save him as much as possible. Pub owner serves liquor to underage, doctors change blood samples, politicians interfere, parents bribe everyone involved, what not.
- Bridge collapse in Gujarat last year (bridge managed by a Watch manufacturer) kills scores of people. No ticket numbers for tickets issued to visitors, no records, no repair / maintenance.
- Newborns die in Delhi Nursing Home with questionable qualifications of doctors, owner involved in black marketing of oxygen cylinders.
- India's biggest but unauthorized billboard in Mumbai kills 14 - entry sent for Limca book of records but authorities are blind to notice the structure or deficiencies. The Petrol pump it falls on is running without permission as well.
- Unapproved gaming zone in Rajkot kills 28, many still operating in same and other cities.
Isn't it surprising that all the irregularities, lack of approvals, NOCs are found out only after every so-called accident?
Or is it the overwhelming shine of money that keeps municipal officers, bureaucrats, police, politicians, et al turn a blind eye to what's happening all around us?
I dare anyone to argue that all this ran without the knowledge and complicity of municipal officers, police and other authorities.
Their eyes don't turn blind when you are even building / repairing your house perfectly, legally in every metro city - everyone comes like a bloodhound demanding their pound of flesh and threatens you with legal(?) action. Their eyes don't turn blind at every application you submit in a government / municipal office for slightest of approval, permit, NOC.
It keeps happening every day, somewhere or the other. These incidents make headlines for few days, then we forget and move on with our lives, unless it happens with us or someone close to us.
And trust me, it can happen with anyone of us, anywhere, any time of the day.
To me, none of this qualifies as force majeure or accident. It's murder, plain and simple.
Murder by corruption.
Root cause behind all these incidents is #corruption.
Corruption erodes rule of law and a government's legitimacy. It creates an environment where bribery and resultant crimes flourish, heightening societal problems.
Corruption kills genuine entrepreneurship, discourages foreign investment, damages economic growth, reduces employment opportunities, creates bigger rich-poor divide in the society, breeds dissatisfaction, discontent, contempt even hatred between the haves and have-nots.
Corruption eats away public trust in institutions, which in turn hinder the government's ability to connect with the masses and deliver.
Looks like we have reached a level, where corruption not only is crippling economy or widening rich-poor gap, it is actually killing people, in ways more than we can imagine, experience or see.
Strong deterrent action is required.
The issue is who will bell the cat?
All political parties need goons, rich, criminals and corrupt to support them, fund them, make them win elections. In fact, being rich (even if by corrupt means) is the first qualification to join politics.
If you possess manpower (read, goons), you are even more qualified.
If you provide money and muscle power to political parties to win elections, wouldn't you expect something in return (called consideration in contracts)? You are given favours, if the party you donated (a very polite / polished term for corruption) comes to power, to say the least.
Therefore, this cycle of corruption is vicious, never ends. With the passage of time, it's growing bigger only.
In all accidents and mishaps, the drivers, organisers, facilitators, etc. are given punishment, if the court cases against them hold at all. Haven't heard any punishment to officers who overlook at these violations and become rich, super-rich, ultra-rich because of allowing these illegal activities. Who will hold them accountable?
Unless it starts from the top, the guilty are given exemplary punishment, stricter norms are applied, this will continue and we, the citizens, will keep paying bribes and yet keep being killed.
What do you say?
Originally published by 30 May, 2024
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