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Let the Anger not Die (Part II): Corruption

Bad roads, stinking cities, fake medicine, chaotic airports, dirty trains, poverty, pollution, filthy rivers, diminishing number of tigers, deforestation, daylight murders, drug trafficking and terror attacks: Corruption is the root cause of all the evil for which the common man is paying the price. Let the anger not die.

Fear and frustration is quickly giving way to anger with the political establishment who had promised repeatedly to protect people from terror only to have India scarred again and again by bombs and bullets. The booming sound of gunfire as the commandos fought gunmen room by room had become a part of the nation's collective memory. Let the anger not die.

People are worried, but the key difference is People are worked up about the ineffectiveness of the administration. Do our leaders have the will, the ability, to tackle the dangers we face? Let the anger not die.

The epitome of all the major problems in India is corruption. Our police and politicians rank amongst the most corrupt in the world. Our judiciary is not free from it, and it would be naive to believe that there is zero corruption in our forces. How does one otherwise explain the influx of migrants from Bangladesh without corruption in the Border Security Force? How do militants from across the border sneak into the Indian Territory? And above all our intelligence is a sham. There is no point in enacting tough anti-terror laws for suicide bombers like Kasab. We have to first think of ways and means to prevent terror attacks. What remains after an attack is pure rhetoric. The recent attack on Mumbai is a glaring example of rampant corruption and inefficiency at all levels in our country.

The way the Indian government reacts each time there is a terror attack on an Indian city is ridiculous. All what we do is blame Pakistan. Instead of putting our own house in order we try to preach Pakistan moral code.

India is no different from Pakistan. Despite being a democratic country since independence contrary to Pakistan’s chaotic past we do not govern better than the corrupt politicians and rulers of Pakistan do. Against Pakistan’s weak economy, unstable political system and overwhelming fundamentalist groups operating there India is a far superior country thanks mainly to its people and entrepreneurs. But our politicians let us down.

India and Pakistan have got another excuse to divert public attention from basic problems like poverty, poor governance and corruption by giving hollow patriotic speeches. The Pakistani and Indian politicians are birds of the same feather.

Leaders charged with heinous crimes like rape and murder are provided top security. The chief ministers of UP and Haryana and many other leaders move in a caravan of 20 plus Ford Endeavors. The common man is paying the price to keep these useless leaders alive with his hard earned money and with his life. Let the anger not die.

Mr. Vajpayee, Mr. Singh, Lady Sonia Gandhi, please stop blaming someone else for your incompetency. it is your job to protect the borders of the country from enemies. it is your job to protect each citizen of this country from terror. This time the anger of the nation will not die. Act or perish. Let the anger not die.

We all know how corrupt our politicians are. They are busy filling their coffers for next generations. But the people of India will neither forget nor forgive them this time. The anger will not die.

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