A big hue and cry is being raised over Arvind Kejriwal's travelling to Dubai in business class to collect an award. AAP supporters say that the organizers had arranged for the air ticket.
In my opinion all this is not very relevant.
What is relevant is whether Kejriwal has any scientific ideas to solve the country's massive socio-economic problems of poverty, unemployment , malnutrition, price rise, lack of healthcare, etc.
I am afraid he has none. He has only one thing to talk about, which is corruption.
I have explained in detail, giving reasons, that corruption is the normal feature of the transitional era through which India is passing, and it will last until the transition from a feudal to an industrial society is over ( see my article ' India in Transition and Corrupt ' on my blog justicekatju.blogspot.in ).
I am not justifying corruption. In fact I have fought against it throughout my judicial career. For instance, I raised the issue about a corrupt Madras High Court Judge, about whom there was such a hue and cry. I gave the judgment in Raja Khan vs. State of U. P.,2011 ( see online ) in which I said that something is rotten in the Allahabad High Court. I can give several other example too of my fight against corruption. But what I believe is that corruption will not be eliminated in this transition period in our history, and those who say otherwise are creating illusions.
For instance, when England was getting industrialized there was massive corruption in English society. Sir Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister of England, from 1721 to 1742, used to openly say that he can purchase everybody. Lord Clive, Warren Hastings, etc made huge fortunes by looting India. Later, when the industrialization of England was completed, the level of corruption went considerably down.
I am not saying that there is no corruption in developed countries like U.S.A. England, France, Germany, Japan, etc. But corruption there does not affect the common man in those countries. For instance, policemen, tax authorities, etc there do not normally take bribes. Bribes in these countries are given by multi-national corporations to Ministers, Generals, bureaucrats, etc of foreign countries ( usually of underdeveloped countries ) to get contracts. So corruption in developed countries is not at the level of the common man.
In underdeveloped countries like India, Pakistan, etc, on the other hand, corruption is at every level, and this will last for a long time..
So we cannot equate the two.
When I presented my views on this issue some people commented that should we just hold up our hands and do nothing about corruption ? My answer is that you can do what you like, but the truth is that corruption in India is very deep and widespread, and is going to last a long time
Therefore those who talk of abolishing corruption at this stage of Indian history are really creating
illusions. It is time Indians know the truth, however harsh it may seem, instead of jumping from one illusion to another, as they have been doing at least since a political leader gave the slogan 'Garibi Hatao '.
Hello Sir , I respect you and have been avidly reading and following many of your posts and articles be it on your blog or in the columns of eminent dailies.
ReplyDeleteWhen I am saying that I appreciate your views it doesnt necessarily mean I agree with all your views .
In this blogpost you have mentioned about the transitional phase in which India is as of now and many other Asian nations including Pakistan and Bangladesh too and therefore corruption according to you is a natural phenomena .
And to have a clear foot you have given example of England which witnessed massive corruption during its transitional phase.
Sir.
With all due respect I would like to bring into notice that your logic applies to nations which are of similar nature, history and background. Which fails to match in case of India and England.
You are in every way better knowledgeable person than me , but sir let us firstly trace India and England from a historical perspective and then discuss as to why the same logic of corruption as a result of shift from feudal to industrialist society fails in our case.
(*) England was a feudal society whereas the nature of Indian feudalism itself was
different . The English feudal was more of what Durkheim would say as a
mechanism to build on Organic solidarity whereas the Indian system was more
of mechanical solidarity where the interdependence was due to factors like
religiosity and culture.
Therefore the root nature of the initial phase itself differs.
(*) The industrialization in England as a process itself differs from that India and
. other nations of today including Pakistan and Bangladesh experience, In
England the industrialization broke out not as a demand or need or call of the
masses but was a introduction of a new form of society which had interests
vested with few corporates.
In India and other Asian nations , Industrialization is the need and demand or a call of the Youth who are well educated and need industries and Territiary to absorb their work and talent.
Therefore Sir, In India and nations Like Pakistan , Corruption is not a natural phenomena which is due to the transition since :
(*) Corruption atleast in India is manufactured to keep the poors poor, which was not the same in England as in England the nature of industrialization itself was sufficient enough to end the purpose
(*) If in anycase India is in that phase where according to you such process is normal, Sir , India is witnessing this phase in an era where the communication is not the same as it earlier was, it is more of a transactional model and not a linear model as it was in case of Industrial England.
Sir , I always have loved your views and would request you to work on the hints I provided and come up with better ways to reach the solution rather than giving out a motto out accepting the harsh truth , and If at all India needs to accept the truth, that truth is that India can change and will change , not naturally but with collective efforts !
Jai Hind
Yes you are right. Hopefully things are in transition her unless someone decides that there was corruption to showcase in India's rich past and would demand that corruption be legalised.
ReplyDeleteAnd Kejerwal has nothing else to talk but corruption. He must understand corruption is just one of the evil. As you pointed out does he have a road map?
How to curb corruption in the Society & in Govt. Departments as well is the moot question before us ? How to cleanse the Auguean Stables ?
ReplyDeleteCorruption in India has now become viral and spreading in our society like anything. No body is untouched with this word "CORRUPTION". Now corruption is socially accepted and we all do some sort of corruption in our day to day lives.Everywhere & everyone is involved in this practice somehow. Parliament,Judiciary (Higher and lower), offices, villages,towns,students,scholars,officers,social workers and everyone is involved in this practice.
ReplyDeleteSorry to say here, but I will have to say that "Corruption is like a STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease/ Gupt Rog ) which we as a human being tend to hide instead of getting this disease cured or treated."
Now the time has come to raise our voices and figures against this issue and against those who are involved in this practice.Gestures,postures,designation does not matter and whosoever is corrupt is Corrupt. And it would be injustice with the word JUSTICE to ignore CORRUPTION and CORRUPT PEOPLE.
Thanks and Jai Hind!
You have questioned that whether Kejriwal has any scientific ideas to solve the country's massive socio-economic problems of poverty, unemployment , malnutrition, price rise, lack of healthcare, etc?
ReplyDeleteWhile answering your question firstly I need to understand that by the word “Kejriwal” do you specifically mean “Arvind Kejriwal” or your indication is towards “Aam Aadmi Party”. In order to be clear my reply will be of twofold. I think that yes Kejriwal has many sensible ideas to navigate the country onto the path of solving its problems and to accelerate its speed for achieving its goal . However, Kejriwal has many times mentioned that he is not omniscient and does not have the solution of all the problems and is open to support from anyone who would be helpful in suggesting, guiding and working with him to achieve a better India for all of us. If in your view he does not has the scientific ideas to solve the problems of this country, you could join him and enlighten him with your expertise and experience and provide him with what you think as scientific ideas. I surely think he would welcome you. Moreover, even if you are correct with respect to Kejriwal as an individual. AAP as a political party is a team which consists of highly educated and experienced, enthusiastic and seemingly honest members who would collectively generate scientific ideas to substantially reduce if not to solve the problems of this country better than other political parties.
You have also stated:- “He has only one thing to talk about, which is corruption.”
Well I think you have not researched properly about AAP or Kejriwal otherwise you would not have mentioned that. However, even if you are correct in saying so, you certainly, in my view, erred in thinking and consequently trivialising the corruption by referring it as “only one thing”. Corruption is the mother of most problems, if not of all problems. Rajiv Gandhi as a Prime Minister of India reportedly admitted that 85 per cent of government money spent for the people is stolen in corruption and only 15 per cent of benefit reaches to the people. If corruption could be reduced let’s say by 15 per cent then the people would be getting the benefit of 30 per cent. In other words, better health care, more courts, more judges, more schools, more roads, more money for research and development, better infrastructure and so on. Better infrastructure would lead to promote an environment encouraging industries which means more jobs and reduced poverty and better economy with more collection of funds through taxes and that tax money would again be spent for the welfare of the country. I find it difficult to understand why you seemingly trivialise the problem of corruption by referring it as “only one problem”? How can you improve healthcare when money which could build five hospitals would be spent in building only one? How the health care problems, infrastructure problems, education system problems etc would be solved by allowing 85 per cent of government funds to be stolen through corruption by corrupt ministers, judges and bureaucrats etc? In the absence of any other scientific ideas from your side, I cannot understand how you could solve any of the problems of country without solving the problem of corruption. Even if there is a way of solving the problems of the country without solving the problem of corruption, I find there is no larger benefit in preserving corruption or in thinking that it is a non-serious problem.