- I Paid A Bribe
- 14 years ago
- 4406 views
I paid a bribe to get my normal and international drivers' permit and felt awful about it
- Transport
- New International Driving License
- Paid INR 3,500
I was learning driving a car with a driving school. I hadnt really anticipated I will have to give a bribe to the RTO officer for normal and international driver's license. The driving instructor told me it will cost 5000 something Rs. I thought that's their cost. They had known the bribe amount and added conveniently. The driving test is lengthy but simple. Its not hard to clear it. They take you to the beach where they ask you to drive on a straight empty road. That's it! When I took my driving test and went to collect my license, the instructor gave me about 3500 Rs. and asked me to give it to the officer. That was a painful moment. I had pledged never to give bribe. As a girl in 1st standard when I had cheated without being mindful, I was a girl who had remembered Gandhiji and cried and pledged to him again and again that I will stand by honesty. I felt awful that day. And yet the driver's license was important to me. I dint know how else to get it. So I killed my character and gave bribe. I hate to be an Indian citizen because I had to give bribe. I hate to live in India because I am scared I will come across such a situation again and feel helpless about it. I am running away, I know. But I dont know what to do; how to change things for the better. Life is too pressing.. I grew up to be a girl who was proud to say 'India is my country' Today, I am proud of being out of India and I try to hide the fact that I am an Indian in foreign countries.