My dream of a corruption free India

My dream of a corruption free India

Spick and span roads; gigantic flyovers; majestic highways; enormous dams, airports, buildings; sophisticated and literate citizens; slums, jhopadpatti’s - just history; computers and scientific gadgets just common household items; people following the path of Gandhiji; each and every capable as well as incapable individual sweating for his own bread……………………

This is my dream of India, a country where every individual is his own judge, where courts are mere historical buildings and tourist attracting monuments. Children would know just satya and ahimsa, there would be no such word as asatya and himsa. Every government and non-government organization’s work would go as smoothly as oil. Money circulation in the economy would be at the speed of light - no act of give-money-get-your-work-done. India’s loans from the international bank completely cleared. Infact, I dream of an India where it is the bank of the world. No brain-drain. People’s status in the society depends not on their income or riches but on their intellect and talents and…………………

** CRASH **

Something wakes me up from my dream. I open my eyes to see who has crashed my beautiful dream. And in front of me, I see a horrible looking creature- laughing cruelly, showing his power of destruction. I see that he’s wearing a long chain around his neck which has strange lockets. The monster looked like daku angulimal to me, wearing a chain of human fingers. I take a closer look at his chain and I realize that the lockets are infact people. I recognize some. I’ve seen them on TV. Read about them in newspapers. They are the persons who were caught under some scandal or some form of corruption. Even when I’m looking at them, some more are coming and joining the already existing. Writhing in pain around the tight ropes of………… corruption of course!! I see the plight of these people, who for the sake of worldly pleasures have come into the lair of corruption. I shout for my parents in fright. As soon as they come my anxiety is transferred to the monster. I see that it cannot stand the purity of my parents’ hearts. It can’t survive in front of honesty. It vanishes in a jiffy.

I ask my parents- isn’t there a way of getting out of this dreadful thing or better never get into the so called corruption?

And this is what they tell me:

Corruption is mere selfishness and it actually starts at home. And the doers are parents itself. One would be shocked as well as surprised to hear this. Some may get angry too. But think over this carefully. Today in each and every house we can find both mother and father working day and night so that their children may have better tomorrow. To make the children perform the best in every field they promise them heavenly gifts if they get the desired results. Both of the parents earn well enough to buy small gifts for their loved ones…………

At this point, I look at my parents and I realize never have they lured me into studies and other activities. They have always taught that studies and good performance in other fields would ensure my prosperity in the future. Service to my country and mankind was my birthright as well as duty. I feel proud when I look at them. I listen with even more interest and eagerness…………

……… In this way, the children find a weak point in their parents. Every time they need something, they demand it freely and the parents, believing that this small token of care would help their child to perform better, readily give them. As the children grow up, their needs too increase. They need education. Now the parents want the child to get the best education available. But, when they go for admission, the school authorities ask for ‘under the table’. The parents, afraid that their ward will be denied of good education, pay whatever is asked. The same incident repeats when there is a need for a good college. And after that for graduation when the children don’t get the required percentage, the parents either get fake certificates or admission in colleges by giving so called ‘donations’. Many parents are seen giving extra money for getting faster and easier admissions in foreign colleges. Over the next few years these parents are blackmailed emotionally by stating that their act of helping corruption will be leaked out. It is then that they realize their mistake. In the hope of giving their children a bright future, they’ve added fuel to the already raging fire of corruption. Thus, even if 1 out of 50 families in India carry out the brightening of future of their children in this way, one can guess the amount of havoc caused by corruption in India.

Selfishness is human tendency and is a normal act. Controlling your selfish feelings for the sake of your neighborhood is a Herculean task. So, if any person anywhere in the world tries using the power he has received for helping others, for his own personal purposes, it is a customary behavior. But what does matter is whether you as an individual go forward with it or go up against it and make that person realize his duties. If the former is carried out, it is given the name of corruption. It’s said that a single palm can’t produce a clap. In the same way, in the act of corruption, there is a requirement of two parties for carrying it out.

Thus, a simple way of avoiding this pandemonium and confusion is to stop corruption at home. Right from the day one, if the children are made aware of their duties, they’ll be bound to these. Then even after growing up, they’d have the courage to stand up against selfishness. One must realize that there is nothing to be frightened or afraid or scared of. And once you fear nothing, the whole universe is with you and nothing can stop you from going on the path of truth and honesty………………

I spend the whole day with my parents’ golden words sounding in my ears. At night, I go to bed. I again dream of my country. Now I know the word that my country must get rid off. Thus, I dream of a corruption free India. This time, I don’t find the monster in front of me. Even if it dares to come, I have more than enough strength to finish it off. Then suddenly, I remember the words of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The sheer thought of those words make me feel happy, confident and proud. I can see his words floating in the air, singing happily at the victory I’d accomplish in future. Those words say:

Dream, dream, dream.

Dream transforms into thoughts.

Thoughts result into action.