CORRUPTION

Corruption is today a world-wide phenomenon. In our own country some people in high positions lave been charged for it.

A corrupt person is termed immoral, dishonest and unscrupulous in his dealings. His disregard for honesty, righteousness and truth results in his alienation from society. He is treated with contempt. But as erosion of values leads to decadence, remedies for the social malaise remain elusive, and so no amount of contempt can eradicate corruption which is a symptom of decadence.

Corruption is the most virulent when crises everywhere threaten the very existence of the society and the faith in life is shaken. It has always been there like tie leech, but when the system grows weaker and the boat flounders, it gets bolder and drains its victims of the last drops of their blood.

The older the system the weaker it grows and fails to solve the riddles of life that grows more complex every day. So men lose faith in it and let it drift down. At this point corruption takes over and plunges the entire society. After Second World War the old system with all its values was left in a shambles. The crippling effects of the war, the recession and depression, and uncertainties in a faithless world of maimed and moribund encouraged cynicism in a section of the population.

This section included the government officials dealing in essential commodities. They found the post-war conditions ideal for fishing in troubled waters and jetting richer. They formed a sort of vicious circle in which moral values and honest intentions no longer held valid. The flourishing black market in essential commodities, adulteration of even baby- food, bribery, fraud and economic, political and administrative manipulations with an eye on earning profits has brought untold misery to the people.

One would say the corruption in India has an ancient lineage; it is sanctified by tradition. The author of the Arthasastra made some remarks on government officials of his time which are relevant even today: "Just as it is impossible not to taste the honey or the poison that finds itself at the tip of the tongue, so it is impossible for a government servant not to eat up at least a bit of the king's revenue. These in the post­war world became only bolder while eating up government money and accepting bribes.

Today, when India is free, these officials representing all government departments are very close to the most corrupt businessmen who are too unscrupulous to let any opportunity of amassing profits slip. This collusion broadens the base of the vicious circle and corruption spreads 'like wild fire to engulf the entire society. The political and social guardians depend only too much on the richer communities and they look indulgently on while these communities hold the entire society and the government to ransom.

Corruption starts at the top and percolates down to the whole society. Such corruption cannot be confined to the towns alone. It is as widespread in the villages where the dishonest officials and the traders carry the germs of the disease. The tyranny of confusion and price rules the land and the people are helpless victims of corruption everywhere.

DOWRY -- A SOCIAL EVIL

Our country India, the land of Gods, is respected in the world for her mythological culture. The mythological thinking, the deep belief in almighty and religious nature has made the Indians well cultured. But, sadly there are some of the stained systems in our country which are the black spots in our image.

Dowry system is one of those much discussed systems. Although it is one of the most hated systems surprisingly it is growing day by day. Now- a-days this problem has created a lot of hue and cry in our country. This increasing system is a growing injustice to our society and morals. It should be immediately stopped.

Marriage is one of the most sacred and holy ceremonies in our society. But the horror of the dowry system has made this ceremony one of the feared institutions. In ancient Indian society there was no question of the dowry in marriages. It was considered to be a sin.

The bride-groom was voluntarily presented with some useful gifts which were not demanded at all. In some cases bride's father was offered money to allow her to marry a young man. Because the bride was considered to be a virtuous arid the suitable one. But the whole situation has altered.

Nobody bothers to approach a girl's parents for her marriage. The parents of the girl desperately move in search of a suitable groom for her now. They persuade the groom's parents and show them the temptation of money and dowry. Through these unfair means they get the consent of the groom's parents for his marriage.

Thus begins the clandestine atmosphere of dowry. The groom's father continues to place a series of demands before the bride's father. He strongly asserts that these demands must be fulfilled before marriage. Otherwise he can never consent to his son's marriage. The demands include refrigerator, colour television, motor cycle or car, ornaments of pure gold of sizeable quantity, money and plots of land in the capital area. In some case bride grooms are demanding money for their education and for constructing buildings. Bride grooms are purchased, to some extent, like marketable commodity.

Dowry system is an insult to our society. It reduces the position of both man and woman. Many educated men are demanding dowry. Thus dowry system is also an insult to our education and culture. Poor people cannot afford dowry. Many handsome and brilliant girls remain unmarried because they are poor.

Even after marriage, some brides are tortured and forced to bring more and more dowry from their parents' house. If they fail, they are tortured and finally killed. The problem of dowry has reached the climax. There is no attempt for matching beauty with beauty, or brain for brain.

Strict laws have been prescribed to check dowry system. But nobody looks at it. Rich people are giving heavy dowry to their daughters. They do not feel unhappy at such crime. Dowry system continues in spite of all steps to check it. However, it can be completely checked if the awareness against this system is created among the girls. If they vow not to marry greedy men, if they become economically self-dependent, then this ugly system will automatically disappear