Corruption?
What do we mean by corruption? is it word or a mantra the whole country is chanting it in one voice !
I would be glad sharing this little experience of my life on corruption where I feel it is we who get corruption flowing , as I was about 12 yrs old I had to bribe the conductor of the bus to stop the bus nearby to my place , where in it was just 50 paisa , when I shared this incident to my mother she smiled and as she was cooking she stopped and then came down sat next to me and said “ Why did u try to take a short cut to reach home , u would have walked instead of paying the conductor the 50 paisa “ I replied back it was hot – She smiled again and said “u would have a ice candy as u walked in the hot sun u would have enjoyed it , check u lost enjoying the ice candy and the conductor enjoyed it “
Today when I recollect this my voice choked and I felt my mother gave me a thought this was corruption and I was choosing a easy way but yes she was right , the conductor got 50 paisa which I could have relished it with a ice candy ….
These were the values our parents shared with us as a gift but how does this matter , we do not know when and where these values are reworked . The time where I understood actual corruption was on 21st August 2009 , my first visit to CCRUM –central council of Unani medicine – a government sector to submit a project was surprised to get to know people there as they were surprised to see a Unani faculty lady with a cotton kurta and a jeans , met the Director General and received a copy of the schemes which I could apply for !
Was so glad to receive this copy that with my enthusiasm thanked almighty that I can stand on my ability and try new shoes and here I was introduced by very senior person, whom I admire to the extent of a mentor.
Receiving this book of which had format of submission and info about the schemes, was so delighted that I started working out to write a proposal and as I was new with this tried to advice from the seniors, teacher and others . They all knocked fun of me said “you are crazy you want to get a project from CCRUM –that’s the most corrupt body and the DG is the most corrupt person “ all the negative vibes around and there was not a single vibe which would reach me , this made me loose all the confidence within myself . tried to call the DG every day and mailed every day , so sweet of his PA he replied every time with a positive note , weeks passed and months to follow ?
I kept on mailing and calling up for a date to meet , tried all the ways requested some of the people whom I knew who could get me an appointment , every day morning the first activity in my day dairy would be “ to call CCRUM office”
My friends who visited my office would look at the proposal stuck to my wall and one day Varun with Deepak one of my good friend came down to meet me was so delighted shared how his father also was with these values and he gave me some positive vibes rest of them who came down asked me to forget it, but I tried not to , I wanted to check whether they were so corrupt ?
Varun called me up and enquired every week or the time we used to chat online , he used to say are doc come one we will hope for the best , thankz to him he kept my thirst unquenched , it was one day when he called me “ doc it is almost 9 months by now that u have submitted your proposal , even a baby to be born will take 9 months ‘ we took it as a humor and laughed out that its finally time of delivery and it can be any time …
It was something sort of like this immediate call for labor as one day on 3rd feb that it was about 8 PM as i called the DG if the meeting date given to me is fixed so that I can get my tickets, the response from other side was so rude that it was first time in my life I got such a rude reply , the reply was .. “you are a busy lady , if u can come tomorrow morning before 11 AM” without any sigh I replied “ yes for sure will be there before 10 .30 AM . This was terrific , am at Bangalore and I strongly replied that I will be there at delhi before 10.30 AM !
What was this ? my husband and my mother both who were beside me at my bed as I had received blood transfusion about 2 days ago looking at me strangely , I smiled at them and replied I received a meeting date tomorrow morning !
Wow I got this appointment my excitement well so unmeasured, as my husband figuring out what was wrong with me? I quickly called up one of my friend and said “ oye emergency , finally got the appointment so I need to fly to delhi “ he asked me to hand over my mobile to my husband and I go to bed . The alarm rang next morning by 3.30 AM and my husband quickly asked me to get ready and we started to the airport , with a surprise and a trust in almighty I followed my husband and we were there at airport by 4.30 AM , my friend comes out with tickets in his hands and said “ all the best – this is my gift to u go ahead “ . I take my flight to delhi and as the flight takes off I was looking deep into the clouds and praying to almighty and thanking him that finally I got into the first step. I step into the office by 10.22 AM , the voucher hangs on to my wall even now , just as I get in and request Director general ‘s personal assistant that I was there , he smiles and like a gentle man asked me to sit down in the waiting room , now my phone gets busy all my friends as I had updated my status as “ the new baby one the way – emergency “ they knew it was this .
The clock started striking and also my phone calls and my friends online , waiting in the waiting room , it got to be 11.30 AM I check out with PA , he smiled without tiring and asked me to wait !
Now it was 1 PM , lunch comes in but I have to wait , was so surprised what was going on , now the phone starts ringing every one asking me to just walk off from there , all the crazy advices and solutions coming on , my mother form home worried if I was doing well , and my husband on his toes asking me to immediately take the next flight , my friends form delhi asking me the address so they pick me , the calls was unanswerable by me so I switch off the phone .
The clock struck 4 PM ,5 PM with my back breaking with pain .. it went on 6 PM , PA smiles and gets back to me says “ mam just in next 10 minutes DG will meet U “ huuuuuuuh it was 6.27 PM I get into the DG’ room to meet him !
Here I am finally seeing him no matter what was it and what was not , as I start my talk to him I realize that my proposal which I had sent to him has not reached him this was like a bowler when batting for a last ball win hits a 6 for the best bowler of the opposite side , I smiled back and gave him a fresh copy of my proposal , he replies back to me and says he will look forward to it , he gives me a TA DA form asks me to fill it up , this was out of my mind as what was going on ….
Before I could understand I was out of his chamber and I walk down to look for an rickshaw, he also walks down , all my phones start now what happen and all the things I has nothing to say as it was just a 5 minute meeting and I was myself not understandable what happened inside , before I think , DG walks down asks me where I am going , i reply back it hudco place , south ex , he invites me to join him and he would drop me , I was with all surprise “ speak to myself _ what a crap this man made me sit the whole day and now he wants to drop wants going on “
I accept it even though it was the first time but I had no other choice its was already 7 .30 PM and I was new to Delhi, I was left without choices, as we go one silence and nothing much I get dropped , wow this was a wonderful friend of mine sandeep from delhi his wife saloni and wonderful daughter shreaya made me feel at home and I was just like drop dead cat on the bed …
This was my first visit , and now everyone who have been reading all the time would be thinking what’s this with corruption , here the actual war of thought begin, as I proceed further with my proposal and would discuss about the meeting , some members from the same place started cautioning me not to meet his friends , he would ask for the share of the amount that would be sanctioned ,and every time I visited it was surprise to me that they were all so good , even the DG was a wonderful person , who would ask me for the money to give this project to me , each one blaming the other I was surprised what is going on it was so good and so clear that not a single second the group I was interacting was speaking of corruption here .
It was so strange that as the DG would drop me I was always focused on is he dropping me to ask a share in the amount I was sanctioned , this was always ringing on my mind , everyone who knew this asked me one question : what’s the percentage you are supposed to give “ and I was always in thoughts as what was going one .
Work order given to me and stipulated amount also assigned , was waiting for the demand draft and it took some time , now my thoughts started getting all negative vibes , the works part form which almighty saved me , as I had not yet received the DD , the so called well wishers started poisoning my mind as his juniors , PA and non of his friends have asked me the share he would take it himself and I always replied that : I would never give anyone even a single penny , I would not mind even if I do not get the project “
This evening I would never forget , as I was not keeping well and had to take an evening flight , I was waiting for the demand draft , accounts head comes into DG’s chamber and as I come out he asked me “madam ji aap theek hain” I was thinking is he asking me this as he would be the mediator and maybe he will ask me some money , this was running in my mind ,then DG’s PA walks in and asked me u finally got the work order where is the treat ! if I would like to have some milk or tea now finally with them my mind started ringing would it be the PA who would be asking me well by this time I was getting late for my flight the DG , walks out and invites me to drop me to the airport , well now my mind as a midsummer night’s dream giving all bad words to him “ what a crap this man himself is coming down to drop me will he ask me the money , I pray he does not get an extension after his retirement for which he is longing for “
Accepting his invitation to get dropped to the airport and cursing him and planning my reply when he would ask his share of the budget got into the car , and I was not able to concentrate on our discussion , I realized that my mobile was switched off and switched it on , it was just at the neck of the airport entrance , DG asked “ hope u would have started your work – ALL the best “ and I was surprised before I answered that I have not yet received the DD and why was this , my mobile rings , my mother calling me , informs me that she received a speed post and DD of the project was in it and it was deposited that afternoon , I was left speechless ????
Just with fluke of seconds I would have made a fool of myself and this was the journey and my first win of the war against corruption , I had not spent even a single penny to get this project , as I fly back look into the clouds and recollect how could people around this wonderful man be so rude , he came all the way to drop me to the airport as of humanity and I was cursing him ,the accounts officer again with concern for my health wished me good health and even there I was selfish , even the PA was so kind to me like my brother and I thought all negative .
What was this , I learnt that it was we the people who make things bitter and if we stop this one by one we can take a long way , today the relation between me and this team is like a relation between a foster daughter and I feel at home when I visit this CCRUM office , where a lot of them scream ,corruption but where is it who is that who is spreading all the negative vibes , and why ?
I was the same person who cursed that the then DG does not get an extension and when the term came to an end I was almost in tears and prayed for this man who is as simple as honey and elegant as an elephant in his thoughts and I always be indebted to him as he showed me a way of life to be lived , pray for him always ..
With every one crying corruption my soul provoked me to share this experience along my friends who love me for my struggle right up to this stage I am ,as how I got a project without corruption and yes this was difficult for me but down the line it was possible, when I updated my status with this like I could get this without corruption I had to face number of questions and to this day I face many but I recollected the incident of my life , about the 50 paisa I gave to the conductor and how my mother advised me there is no shortcut for success .
I feel it is we as common man who promotes corruption when there is non to give then there will be non to receive.
I would apologize, if some words or my views have hurt anyone form this piece of writing but this is true that I am here at this stage without a single bit of corruption, I have not given a single penny for what I am and I would love to struggle further as I trust almighty and my well wishes who love me and care for me are there with me in my struggle.
This is my personal experience
Dr. Amina Ather
Director
IFRTK, Bangalore
