When was the last time you felt that feeling of absolute hatred?
In the past couple of months, I've experienced it and let me tell you its not really a pleasant feeling. Surely not, when someone has gone through what i have been through. 16 dreadful days of my life bereaved me of my dad, my guiding force, my everything. I was in a zombie like condition, just trying to go through the motions. Such times like I've realized are phenomenally transformational. Like you can imagine the responsibilities increase multi fold and life suddenly starts seeming like one long struggle. No shelter can ever be as secure as one a father provides. Enough said!
Coming back to why I brought up this topic, never until now had I actually faced corruption or rather should I say been affected by it. I approached the BBMP authorities for my dad's death certificate and was told it would cost a certain amount for 5 initial true copies for which I paid the stipulated amount. On the day they asked me to come back to collect them, i applied for 10 more additional copies costing Rs.10/copy. I was asked for Rs.220 instead of the Rs.100. At the moment I didn't understand the calculation and paid the amount I was demanded for. They'd asked me to come back half an hour later to collect the additional copies. I walked away and set out for another task that I'd planned for the day, thinking all through only about this incident. Quickly i finished that and went back to BBMP and saw that my additional copies had been ready. In normal situation I might've taken the copies and walked away, this time i did not. I asked the question that was irking me all through.
Me: Madam, prati copy gu eppatteradu rupaayigala? (does each copy cost Rs.22?)
Her: Ehehe.. first copyGe maatra Rs.50, mikkidakke Rs.10 per copy( First one costing Rs.50 and the subsequent one Rs.10 per copy)
Me: Matte, Rs.220 yaake?(Then, why charge Rs.220)
Her: Eheehe... adu adu(The expression when you can't say anything)
All of this while the notice board clearly mentioned that they shouldn't charge more than Rs.10 per additional true copy. The audacity of her that she actually said, please take back the change and that too, grinning drove me nuts. The gravity of the situation somehow gave me the patience, and completely disgusted I departed from the place.
Such insensitivity and yet we don't do anything or just turn a blind indifferent eye towards what is happening around us. I was speaking to my aunt and she told me that my uncle had to pay a bribe to get our file moving for getting a succession certificate done at the local Tashildar's office, it just rubbed in badly and I don't think I'll ever be indifferent again.
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| At the Freedom Park, Bangalore |
While the mood of the whole nation seems to be brewing up against corruption, it was imperative to know what and why do people of India want 'JAN-LOKPAL', which I managed to do today by visiting the freedom park, the epicenter of the crusade against corruption.
Even though this is not really enough for me to say If I really want 'JAN-LOKPAL' or not, I'm surely, awakened towards the rampant illness that's besieged us.
CORRUPTION!!!
