Practical Thoughts

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Monday, November 28, 2005

The Manju Episode - Is there hope for our country?

Manju was killed for doing his job. So was Satyendra Dubey.
An IIM grad decided to work for an Indian Public Sector company and paid the price.


These are the times when I feel
1) Will India ever have a bright future?
2) Has Democracy worked for us?
3) Should we have army rule or Singapore's Lee style rule?
4) Why is North India (UP/Bihar/MP)the way it is?
5) When will people stop being corrupt
6) We had an Indian or an Anniyan who could set things right by force.

Well these are the questions that come out when you think with frustration and anger in mind.

I feel most of the ills in our country are a result of the British Rule and the stupid Congress-Socialistic rule during the past 58 years.
The British not only enslaved us but also created a generation of people who only learnt to obey their masters. This generation did not know how to create businesses and create wealth. They believed that working for the government was the the greatest thing one could do. After independence, our policies were not to encourage private businesses. This created huge organizations without competetion which ran rather inefficiently. This also created a generation of people who held power and could sell/use that to make money for themselves. The license, quota permit raj of the Congress government created this.... License for petrol pumps, gas agencies etc etc.
This created way for powerful people to form nexus with politicians. These guys funded election campaings in return for favors. Would this have been possible if HPCL or BPCL was a private enterprise?
How do you get the licenses for petrol pumps? Ofcourse Bribe your way and use your connections.
Who is there to question? Who questions about quality of service you provide?
No one.
Manju was killed because, he did his job. He wanted to shut down a Petrol Pump which was indulging in adulteration.

Coming back to the basic question,Is there hope for our country? I would say "Yes" but with caution. The only way to reduce corruption is to avoid giving avenues for people to make money.Privatise and make corporations accountable.
Well. I know this wont happen as long as those sick communists are alive but we have hope.
Our hope is our generation which grew up witnessing these acts of corruption.
Hope Manju's and Dubey's sacrifices won't be futile.

As I type this, I think, when I come back to India, would I bribe the customs guys at the airport?
I hope I have the courage to pay what's due and walk without greasing the palms of a corrupt customs man.

1 Comments:

At 12/04/2005 4:01 AM, Blogger Just Passing By said...

O Soaring Eagle, I thank you for the comments on Arnab's piece about wrong answers. You give life and form to thoughts I never had guts or gumption to utter.

 

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