Curse of bribery: Is freedom possible?

Despite all efforts, bribery and corruption in government offices are flourishing. The vigilance system designed to catch and punish bribe takers is almost nonfunctional. The government has ensured a decent salary for government employees. That is why government employees today lead a dignified status in society. Most officials also have the means to save up their salary, which they receive on the first of every month. What can be said about those who, despite all this, refuse to help people who come to them in need and shamelessly extend their hands for bribes? Many people are unable to change the habit of taking bribes. Although it is generally said that bribe takers will not be tolerated and that they will be deported overnight, it is very rare for bribe takers to get caught red-handed.

Only if there is strong evidence can bribe takers be caught and prosecuted. As the cases drag on, the evidence and circumstances may change. Witnesses may also change. With 4.5 lakh government employees in service, the Vigilance registered 1259 cases of bribery last year. When we look at the magnitude of bribery that is rampant in the service, it is very evident those who get caught are very few indeed. The information gets leaked before the vigilance officers arrive to catch the bribe takers, and the officials would have already made steps to cover their tracks. That is what happens in most places. It is generally believed that revenue offices, which provide many services to the people, are at the forefront of corruption.

Many people are reluctant to provide services to people without receiving bribes in matters like land, income, and government assistance schemes. In the early days, bribes were typically in the range of one hundred to two hundred rupees. Whereas today, the amount can reach five thousand or even ten thousand rupees, depending on the value of the service. There are allegations that the recent appointment of revenue officers for the Land Classification Amendment, intended to assist the public, has created significant opportunities for bribery. When lakhs of applications are piling up, it is expected that people will try to make things easier by paying bribes. Common people who have to pay for many land-related matters are the ones who suffer the most. In the digital age, there are ways to avoid getting caught by Vigilance when taking bribes. Bribes can be sent directly to a bank account or through Google Pay without anyone knowing.

Check posts were stopped in most states with the introduction of GST. In Kerala, they continued to function as places for collecting bribes. A few days ago, vigilance personnel seized bribes worth lakhs in a lightning inspection at the check posts. Following this, motor vehicle personnel were withdrawn from all check posts. The directive is that goods vehicles should not be stopped on the road for checking once the tax is paid online. This great curse of bribery in government services, which has spread like cancer, is not going to end easily. As long as the habits of officials and their greed for money do not change, the scourge of bribery will persist in society.