In my previous post, I had posted an email on the huge amount of Indian money, mostly from corruption, stashed away in Swiss Bank.
Today I came across this interesting anecdote on how even well intentioned actions give raise to corruption. This involves that unsung and not much talked about Interim Prime Minister of India Late Mr. Gulzari Lal Nanda – I wonder if any of today’s youth even know that there was such a person in Indian political horizon!
Mr. Nanda, was the Home Minister at the time when this funny incident happened in the 1960s.
A well-meaning man, he was perturbed by the pace at which corruption was spreading within government. He invited the public not to stand on ceremony and post with him personally their complaints about alleged cases of corruption.
A couple of mornings were set aside every week for the minister to have a face-to-face encounter with members of the public.
In no time, long queues formed of people anxious to unload their grievances to the minister. Not surprisingly, it took hours and hours — and sometimes days — to meet the home minister. The impatient crowd and the constabulary assigned to manage the crowd soon came to a deal. Policemen happily accepted a ten-rupee note from each of those who wanted to jump the queue and see the minister before their turn came.
Corruption, so to say, received the official imprimatur.
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Mar 23, 2009 at 03:39:20
It happens only in India…