Corruption of Soul

So the self proclaimed crusaders against corruption are finally caught red-handed. The stunning exposure of the Tehelka.com has put corruption to the front burner once again. Both the major parties, BJP and Congress, now stand exposed; so are the smaller parties. Now no one can claim to be holier than others. the difference seems to be the one between the caught and the yet to be caught; that politicians, by and large, are corrupt is a foregone conclusion. This is the general public perception.

How to end corruption in high places is a million dollar question. Many suggestions such as the state funding of parties participating in elections is not convincing. Because the corruption is not related with fund collection for party works. In fact, “party fund” to many people, politicians included, is a convenient way to assemble wealth through unfair means. Often the people, steeped deep in corruption, join political parties and give generous donations either to cover up their nefarious activities or to curry favour with the high and the mighty. This phenomenon makes it more difficult to ensure probity in public life.

Corruption, in fact, is a state of mind. Compulsions and necessities are with all people; so is temptation ingrained in human mind. It is indeed difficult to resist temptation or keep compulsions and necessities in check so that they do not lead one to acquire wealth through unfair means. Most men often fall an easy prey to temptations or succumb to compulsions and necessities and thus allow their soul to be corrupted.

It is the corruption of soul and mind which, in fact, is more dangerous. This renders men characterless affecting specially their capacity to fight against temptations. A pure soul is endowed with the riches of contentment but when materialism overpowers it man becomes greedy and, therefore, prone to corruption. Our politicians, with rare exceptions, are a soulless lot. They are greedy, materialist and corrupt. Their purpose is not to serve the people but to serve themselves. It is the philosophy they espouse and not some extraneous reasons or factors, that corrupts their soul.

It will be unfair to blame the politicians only for corruption. This malady indeed plagues the entire nation, from top to bottom. Bureaucrats are equally neck-deep in corruption; so are industrialists and businessmen. Tax evasion is a common phenomenon. Giving and taking bribe has become an integral part of national life and culture. This is the reason that some people clinically say that the corrupt politicians are at the helm of affairs because the people themselves are corrupt. And as the saying goes, people get the ruler they deserve.

The whole situation is alarming and disturbing. There are sincere men in our country. These men of purpose need to sit together and ponder over what can be done to save the nation. The whole spectrum of our socio-political life needs a complete overhauling, for a cosmetic surgery would not work.

Exposure by Tehelka’s investigative team should not become the end in itself. The doughty journalists have done their job commendably; their labour has already been rewarded in that there is a huge public outcry against corruption in high places. Some big heads, too, have fallen. But certainly this is not what the Tehelka was after. The purpose has been to show the ugly face of corruption, its dangerous consequences and probably the need to cleanse the national life of corruption.

But if cleaning the politics of corruption was the purpose of Tehelka’s expose it may be sadly noted that the goal has been missed. The opposition, even the media, seems to have weakened the government; indeed the country is now saddled with a lame duck government. This might benefit the opposition politicians, the country, however, stands to lose. This does not mean a favour to the present government; the point to make is that yet another opportunity for cleansing the politics of corruption has sadly been lost. This a matter of concern; it is causing anguish, too.

[March, 2001]