Faulty System
by Mahesh Bhagnari

Every interaction that one has with the government or the administration, be it for applying for a passport, a ration card, a gas connection, or for any government service, subjects him to numerous instances where he is disrespected, humiliated, treated in an undignified manner and made to waste his time. Often one is made to stand in a slow moving Q in a dusty, old and badly ventilated government office where the concerned un accountable person takes his own sweet time to do his work.

That the entire system is flawed is a fact which is widely accepted but rather than doing anything to make the government improve the system we are content to work around the system thereby playing our part in encouraging corruption.

The government and the entire administration, except a few hard to come across individuals, is reputed to be corrupt but it is the people who do not wish to be so disrespected, humiliated, treated in an undignified manner and made to waste time ultimately pay up. The middle class usually comes into contact with the peons and lower level clerks and officials in the administration, who are paid to get their files moved, while the rich class pay the higher ups, often those in the ministry.

If you do not wish to get personally involved then there are touts available at all levels for your convinence. Often the difference between a successful business venture, requiring a mandatory government permission, and the one stuck in the files, is the contact with the right tout.

If you look at the situation humanely then you cannot blame the peons, clerks or any official as often their pay scale is so low that it is almost impossible to maintain any standard of living without the income acquired by corrupt means.

Government job has come to be associated with good pay, no work, job security, almost no responsibility and unless you are hell bent on being honest, a good under the table income.

Is this how things should be?

Is this what the freedom fighters fought for?

What would Gandhi had done if he were alive today? Or BG Tilak? Or Sardar Patel?

What can you do?