Going to the polls - A corruption survey
Posted on October 20, 2011
Recently, the technology supported initiative of the Central Vigilance Commission launched a five question survey on the website Blow Your Whistle.in. The survey threw up interesting results. A local newspaper reported that a Zee Research Group (ZRG) analysis of the responses elicited by the website revealed that while 90 percent of Internet users believe Lokpal was the need of the hour for India, 88 percent users believed corruption was enormously rampant in state police recruitments.
Following this, ipaidabribe spokesperson, TR Raghunandan spoke to Zee News about the poll and its significance. Here are some excerpts from the interview that discusses corruption from a citizen’s perspective and determines what really is the need of the hour :
• Why did the government conduct this poll and what does its result show?
The fact that the government has conducted this poll shows that the government is seriously concerned with the upsurge of popular anger against corruption. The CVC, whose core responsibility is to tackle corruption has done a good thing by conducting this poll. The results of the poll will not surprise anyone. It is very clear that over the last year, corruption has emerged as the single most important concern of people. I am sure it was always important, but now, because of popular agitations, people are more than willing to speak about it.
• Will these polls force the Indian government to work more towards addressing the issue of corruption?
It is wrong to say that the government has not been working against corruption so far. The government is not one single monolithic institution with one kind of thinking. There are many institutions within the government and each is entrusted with a particular responsibility. For instance, many anti-corruption agencies such as the CVC, the CBI and the CBI fast track courts are taking action to nab the corrupt. The reason that they have not been effective so far is because of weak laws, and slow judicial and investigating procedures, which often tie the hands of those who want to take action. One hopes that as a result of the current agitation and popular anger of people, the government will speed up its action and treat anti-corruption as an important priority.
• What steps should be taken to calm down the anger of people against corruption in India?
The Government’s credibility has suffered seriously over the past one year. Essentially, the government must prove to the people that it is against corruption, by taking concrete action in four thrust areas:
A. Pluck the low hanging fruit:
The government must immediately focus on certain departments with a high citizen interphase and launch a programme to make them corruption free, through improving internal systems that reduce the opportunities for corruption and better vigilance. They can choose any department, such as the public distribution system, or the motor vehicles department and focus all their energies to making the department corruption free. This will create a high visibility for reform. It will also generate high expectations amongst people, who will then demand similar changes in other departments also.
B. Fry the big fish:
The drive to catch corrupt people in high positions should continue. Along with politicians, the government must also focus on catching corrupt judges, businessmen and last but not least, professionals such as dishonest lawyers, educationists, doctors and chartered accountants who support and nurture a huge ‘fixing’ industry, which generates most of the grand corruption in India.
C. Strengthen the law:
In accordance with the UN convention against corruption, the government must take immediate action to strengthen existing laws and enact new laws, to create a comprehensive legal system to curb corruption. These are the following important steps to be taken:
• Enact a strong Lokpal Bill. It does not matter whether all the points covered in the Anna draft are contained in the Act. Enacting of the law should not be delayed.
• Enlarge the definition of corruption in the Prevention of Corruption Act to cover all instances that are mentioned in the UNCAC. This would include private sector corruption also.
• Enact an effective anti-benami legislation. Also implement the Prevention of Money Laundering Act effectively.
• Have an effective Whistle Blower Protection Act.
D. Start a massive public awareness campaign against corruption:
The government should launch a massive public awareness campaign against corruption. This must celebrate successful anti-corruption initiatives, honesty and the successful efforts of citizens to resist corruption. They must also tell citizens clearly that a lot of corruption happens because they collude and support it. The government must involve celebrities with a clean reputation. They can also take the help of the private sector, particularly of those industrialists and businesspersons who are known and respected for their integrity.
-TR Raghunandan in an interview with Zee News.