Our Representatives

 

              “ These politicians should be shot at”. “They are plundering our country”. “ They are traitors”.

           

  These are the most common expressions used whenever a discussion arises on the topic, be it tehelka /bofors/ laloo or recently jayalalitha. Sure, what they are doing is unpardonable and doubtlessly they are guilty. However, do we really have the right to question when, we ourselves are guilty (when seen from a third perspective) and hence responsible for the present situation? Consider the following scenario………..

             An Auto-Walla is not willing to put on the meter, justifying his deed saying that the meter is outdated. A telephone lines-man charges Rs50/- for his service saying that the government does not pay enough. A license inspector justifies taking 10 times the actual amount saying, none of the drivers are competent enough to drive and he is doing a big favour by issuing licenses. A student bunks classes and justifies his paying money to the office-peon (to manage his attendance) saying that the teacher’s are not up to the mark. The teacher justifies taking money to pass the students saying, the students are not up to the mark (who is right? Probably both!). The common-man justifies not paying his taxes saying that the government services are not up to his satisfaction (the roads are bad, the lights don’t work, blah! blah!). Thus, he pay’s what ‘he’ thinks is a reasonable amount. A govt. official justifies taking bribes saying that he has to pay the same to his senior to get a promotion & how else is he to pay for the schooling of his kids (and his wife’s jewellery!). A doctor justifies charging exorbitant fees and unnecessary investigations saying, he had spent so much and worked so hard for his degree. A stockbroker similarly justifies his fraud giving some stupid reason. Finally, politicians justify taking home government money (and bribes) saying that they have to compensate for the money spent for their election.  Mind you, it need’s two ‘two’s’ to make a ‘four’ and in each of the above circumstances, the client is willing to pay the recipient because-- things are done faster and moreover he understands the situation of the other person (he himself being in that position at times!).

Yes, each one of us is justified (from our own perspective). However, strangely from our own perspective, we label the other person ‘corrupt’ while at the same time calling ourselves honest citizens, using a method called rationalization-a term used in medicine to describe the answers given by a psychotic for his acts. Having said that, are we really in a position to judge and point fingers at someone? One might argue that not paying one’s taxes is not as great a crime as plundering the nation. Similarly, the politician also feels that he has to maintain his status, accumulate money to contest the next elections, and therefore here is his justification. At each level man makes his own justification to suit himself. It is a lines-man’s son who becomes an auto driver, his son a government-officer, his son a doctor and finally his son a politician. Politicians have after all evolved from the common-man and their thinking can be no different.

So, what is the solution? Is there any? That is up to you to decide. Corruption is a human mindset, a way of life that is not going to change so easily. Whatever solution suggested, our crooked mind would always find a loophole.

   Vedanta has always said- ‘The world is nothing but a reflection of one’s own mind’. An illiterate innocent farmer would not be able to understand a Harshad Mehta fraud, even if you explain for the rest of his life. Only a person who’s mind knows what a fraud is, or at least has thought’s to that effect would think about and be able to understand. (There is a famous saying in Telugu – ‘a jaundiced person sees the world in yellow colour and comments saying that the world has been painted yellow!’). Therefore, the answer lies in changing ‘our minds’ and the world would change automatically. Otherwise, I am afraid we have to learn to live with it.   

                                                                                                                        Yours Sincerely,

                                                                                                                                    Dr.A.Sasi Kiran