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Last week there was a news about en elderly couple who met with an accident on their way to a temple at 4 a.m. Due to low visibility at that time, they could not notice a truck traveling in front of them with huge iron rods popping out of it and with no indicator or light at the back of these rods, they could not realize the danger and collided with the truck. (obviously the truck was overloaded…I mean it’s obvious, I have never seen a truck on the road that is not overloaded in India 
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I know this is one of that news which would hardly be noticed by any one and would pass on as one of that news where we would read and feel sorry about it and the maximum we might do is pray for five minutes for those injured in such accidents. Now, the female died at spot and the guy had to be taken out by cutting iron rods (which took 5 hrs) and is in critical situation. Why I am writing about this incident is because reading about it made me feel disgusted about how such an incident could have been easily avoided and the effects of corruption which we feel and experience at a daily basis. The only difference is that in this case it did cost some one her life.
We all know how these trucks manage to enter Delhi and other cities by violating rules through bribing officials. I am sure even this truck driver would have would have entered Delhi by paying a bribe of Rs. 500 or some amount to the cops posted on the outskirts of Delhi. If only these government officials had noticed this truck’s level of rule violation and how it would create havoc in some one’s life, a life would have been saved and i would not be witting this article about how we face this situation in a day-to-day basis. (Technically speaking, the female lost her life for Rs. 500…SEE, i told you how corruption has its consequences. It touches us in some way or other 
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Why we don’t care about such news?
First of all this is no Breaking News, as Breaking News is more about animals and stupid stuff that hardly makes any sense. One of the reasons, I still believe that news in news paper is still good is, because it’s minus the drama that these TV channels show us.
This story is just one of those stories which we read and do not even care to think about (too busy for such stuff and ultimately it did not happen to any one of our friends or relatives, so why should we be concerned?) but isn’t this a part of our day-to-day news, i mean every day our newspaper is flooded with news about cars over speeding and killing innocent people, blue line bus drivers crushing people at will, common wealth games preparations in a lurch, innocent people beaten by police, builders flouting government norms…I can write 100 pages on this but bottom line is who bears the price of all this…Neither government not its corrupt officials but common man like you and me.
The state of Dilemma
The biggest problem that we face today is whether we should be like Mahatma Gandhi and fight against corruption or pay a bribe and get our work completed? Gandhi’s ideology is well-respected and well read but today we remember him not for his ideology or teachings but we recall him for the very fact that he is a part of our printed currency and 2nd October is a National Holiday(deep down we thank him for this holiday ).
I know most of all you would call me a Cynic but stand outside a vehicle registration office, a license office or for a change jump a red light and then call me and let me how many of you managed to avoid a bribe 
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As someone told me the other day ‘Jasmeet this country is turning into a hell and we deserve this hell, as we have created it’. Damn…I was too young when they started making this hell and today what I get is a legacy passed on to me by my ancestors but then I am a part of the system which is well oiled by bribes and gifts paid by you and me to run this machinery and yes, hell or no hell i am a part of it and will live with it.
Have you ever thought on how we struggle to make a decent living as a middle class family where as a peon makes more than 10,000 every month standing for a babu who makes thrice or ten times the amount of his salary.
Corruption Fight
Answer to all queries:
Enough said but little done, i will get back to my normal life after writing this article and you guys will curse me for witting this double standard(i am no Gandhi!!!) boring article but one important lesson that Life has taught me is ‘if you cannot change the system, learn to be a part of this system‘ and that is what I will get back to.
A life where I will bribe to make my way through this tough competition, a life where I know that everything starts off from corruption and a life where I am answerable to people who live around me and despite seeing so much wrong doings happening in front of me, I will choose to be a mute spectator not for the fact that i am week but for the very reason that my comfort zone revolves around my family and loved ones.
Ultimately we have survived for so many years and would survive another 1000 and the Corruption Fight will continue for another 1000.
p.s : Common wealth will come and go but what will never come back is the respect we will lose as a nation which promised so much and delivered so little. A shame that will tarnish our image at an international level and will affect guys like me whose bread and butter depends on this market.
