- Bribe Fighter
- 13 years ago
- 1887 views
One tight slap on the traffic police's face
This was during my last visit to India last October. I ran a yellow light and got pulled over by the traffic police who was having a ball "cutting deals" with the people he'd stopped. After he looked at my license and insurance papers he started rambling about how I had my fundas wrong about driving/stopping at a yellow light. I still am not sure what the rule is but anyways, he started by asking me what he should do. I firmly told him (with about 5 other people he'd stopped, listening) to give me the violation ticket and I'll pay the fine. He asked me atleast 4 times if I was sure about it and it would be Rs. 200 in fines. I told him I was ready to pay the fine. He came back with (in a typical Maharashtrian trying to speak Hindi accent ;)) saying 'Maiy phaadta haiy paauti...pan baad mein myereko nahi bolnyeka myere paas paisa nahi haiy bwolke...' (I'll give you the citation but don't come back later saying I don't have that much money). I told him in front of the whole crowd there, that since I was at fault it did not matter if I had the money or not, I should get the ticket and that everybody there who was guilty should also deal with it in the same manner and nobody should offer corrupt cops like him any bribes to get out of their situations easily. It was a symbolic 'one tight slap' on the officers face and for the time I was there, I know atleast one other guy who was stopped by the same cop, also asked him to give him the official citation because he was at fault.
I felt at that moment that one person at a time, if we start tackling the corruption issue in our daily lives the correct way, we will start seeing a change in the way India operates. That feeling of helplessness will go away. It will be a pain initially as the issue is ********** rooted, but with enough people taking an oath not to give/take a bribe, the wrong-doers will soon be out numbered. Looking at the uprising against corruption going on right now all I can say is "Loha garam hai my fellow Indians...hatoda maar hi dete hai!! Kya bolte ho?"