Can we stem the rot?

Instances of bribery and corruption are far too frequent in India, says P.J.Rao The third in a series of occasional reminiscences...

January 30, 2010 05:10 pm | Updated 05:13 pm IST

Illustration for the article 'Corruption" by PJ Rao.

Illustration for the article 'Corruption" by PJ Rao.

While I was at the Consulate-General of India in Pondicherry in 1954, the French administrator of Mahé telephoned me and asked angrily why the Indian government would not permit his travelling across Indian territory from Pondicherry to Mahé. The visa responsibility lay with a sub-inspector of the then Madras police. The SI's answer was that the applicant had not sent him even a chicken! I told him severely that he should issue the visa or I would expose him to the Consul-General. He issued the visa.

Dual representation

In 1978, while at the Indian Mission to the United Nations, I was Rapporteur of the UN Special Committee against Apartheid. I had to go to Lagos for a conference and found that both the UN and the government of India had made arrangements for my travel and stay. The Nigerian delegate said without batting an eyelid that I could represent both India and the UN and take allowances from both. I laughed and said I could represent both but could only have one set of expenses. I accepted the UN arrangements and told my government that I would not draw my travel and daily allowances.

In Nigeria accountability and financial norms were utterly lax. The UN delegation stayed in the government-owned Federal Hotel, supposedly a five-star hotel. On the third day there was no running water. I saw the Nigerian ambassador to the UN if he could do anything. He simply said such things were usual and that we should manage somehow! Luckily, I saw a crate of soda water in the hotel bar and asked that it be sent to my room immediately.

I managed to wash with the soda water and got ready. Just then the Indonesian delegate asked if I could help him. Taking my advice he hurried to the bar but found the soda water finished. I lent him a couple of bottles. And this was a five-star hotel!

That evening we attended a dinner hosted by the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Avtar Singh. The first thing Ashok Mehta, leader of the Indian delegation, did on reaching our host's place was to take a bath. Over drinks I told the soda-water story. The High Commissioner said I was fortunate to get the soda as it was in very short supply. He later told us that the “OK” on our return tickets could become “nokay” because the airport staff were utterly corrupt and would insist that the names were not on the passenger list until they received a bribe. The High Commissioner added that as Nigeria was under military rule, a uniform would help and the military attaché would accompany us to the airport. The next day the Indonesian delegate told me he missed his flight as his name was not on the passenger list. I advised him to take the Indonesian military attaché along.

A degree of corruption seems to be inbuilt in our way of living. In my sisters' villages in the 1930's, the Karanam who maintained the land records and collected revenue for the government was paid a monthly salary of seven rupees. It was common knowledge that the Karanam would take money for any service like surveying, and getting land titles, mortgages and the like officially registered at the government offices in town. The villagers, besides paying for the Karanam's services, would finance his travel and other expenses; the work might take days. These services were the Karanam's duty, but if villager sought a loan from an agricultural bank, he was fleeced right, left and centre by the Karanam, the revenue inspector, and other officials; half the loan would go on bribes. The point is that nobody would expect the Karanam to live on his salary. Even his government employers knew he would be getting the usual perks and bribes from the villagers. In recent times the salary of the Karanam has been increased to more realistic levels but the “usual” payments continue. In India no public facility or service to which the citizen is entitled can be had without paying a bribe. The corruption seems to be at all levels from top to bottom.

By no means is corruption confined to India. In Western countries it does not directly touch ordinary people but is prevalent among the wealthy and powerful and the amounts involved are vastly larger. In Japan it follows the same pattern. At the level of the average citizen it takes the form of almost mandatory gifts for the boss on occasions like the New Year. I found that when a Japanese citizen approached an official he would place before him an envelope containing some money as consideration for the service sought.

Impressive

I came across a pleasant instance of bribery when some people came to my house in Tokyo and offered me money with expressions of apology. Their English was limited, but I finally understood that they were going to construct a building which would block the light falling on my house for part of the day, so they were offering me a “gift” as recompense. I could never imagine a thing like that in India and was impressed with their civic sense. I thanked them, saying that there was no need to offer me any money, since I was only a tenant and not the owner.

Similarly another Japanese company approached me at the Indian embassy, where I was Head of Chancery, offering me a few thousand yen and requesting me not to object to their proposed building near our embassy. I said I could not accept any money and in any case their proposed building was some distance from our embassy and would not disturb us as long as there was no construction noise during the day. They assured me on that count and left happily. Was it bribery or a token of compensation arising out of a laudable civic sense?

P.J. Rao is the author of Anecdotes from a Diplomat's Life, East West Books, 2007.

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