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Kathmandu Friday January 25, 2002 Magh 12, 2058.
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Measures to cleanse corrupt
politics
By DR SHREEDHAR GAUTAM
Nepal is one of the most corrupt countries as
revealed in the Transparency International corruption Index. Corruption is not only
harmful but also an anti-national act. In our case it is also anti-poor since corrupt
politicians and bureaucrats siphon off the resources meant for poverty alleviation
schemes. This article is an attempt to throw light on some of the factors responsible for
corruption as well as the measures which can contribute positively to an anti-corruption
campaign. One of the factors in corruption is our culture of tolerance. Our society by and
large tolerates amassing of wealth irrespective of the means and procedures. Our politics
is dictated by emotion rather than reason; and so nepotism has become the basis for
distribution of public property. It is also for this reason that politicians show extreme
attachment to their families and they feel that they should earn enough not only for
themselves but also for their children. Evil social practices and unhealthy desires also
tempt the politicians to make money by hook or by crook. Similarly, corruption in the
educational sector is also contributing to corruption in our political system.
There could be many more reasons for
corruption in a country like ours where a majority of the people are living under the
poverty line. Now the question is how can we reduce the corruption and make society more
humane in nature. What could be the effective measures to cleanse our politics and make
the life of ordinary people worth living? These questions need a careful analysis of the
problem. The first and foremost measures to control corruption can be wide-ranging
awareness among our people. This can be achieved only by spreading education as world
history shows that educated societies are least corrupt in nature. We take a tolerant view
of the misbehaviour of our leaders because of the lack of education and awareness. We
should realise that democracy cannot survive in the absence of probity in public life. Due
to lack of education, issues like the price of food grain and drinking water rank higher
than corruption during elections. There seems to be a total lack of awareness about the
damage caused by corruption in public life to the overall well being of common people. We
are bothered much about high level corruption only when we are directly and visibly
affected by it. We consider all political parties equally corrupt, not going into depth
due to our apathy to politics.
Against this background it is our duty to
sensitize the silent majority about the evil effects of corruption and how corruption
comes in the way of fulfilling the genuine demands of common citizens. People can be
sensitized to the evil effects of corruption only when all relevant information is
available to the public as freely as possible. It is our responsibility to pressurize the
government to adopt the Right to Information Act and implement it sincerely so that
authorities concerned are bound to provide information within a time frame. If there is
freedom of information and citizens have access to information, there can be some sort of
transparency in governance.
Another method of reducing the level of
corruption is compulsory introduction of corruption as one of the subjects in academic
curricula with a view to arousing public awareness and interest in the study of people who
take and give bribes. The study should expose corrupt people as well people who bribe
politicians for their own sake. In our country corruption cannot be wished away as long as
our politicians do not change themselves because it is they who are supposed to initiate
the change to check corruption. So, we need politicians with personal integrity and zeal
for enforcing it in public life. Unfortunately, we do not have clean and honest
politicians.
One of the measures to cleanse politics is to
enforce a ban on corrupt politicians becoming members of parliament. It should be made
mandatory for sitting members of the House of Representatives to contest the next
elections from the same constituency so that they cannot fool the voters of a new
constituency. Political posts should be given on merit. For this, minimum educational
qualifications should be mandatory. The Election Commission should be given more powers to
check the background of candidates. Fixing the age of retirement for politicians can also
minimise the level of corruption. If a corruption charge against a minister is proved, his
political career should be demolished mercilessly. No extra privileges should be given to
ministers and their kin. The judiciary should be more proactive, without taking sides with
any politician. Equally important is to empower the opposition parties. They should have
tools of investigation and intelligence agencies should report to them so that the ruling
party can be brought under scrutiny.
On the whole, the basic responsibility for
making our society corruption free rests on us. It is we the people who have to fight
against corruption. So, the first requirement for us is to uphold our own moral character
so that we can raise a finger at our politicians’ corrupt acts. Corruption has to be
fought individually as well as collectively. When we make a complaint against any
politician or government official we must be bold enough to declare our identity.
Otherwise a culture of blackmail will prevail. This can be done if we take up the matter
seriously. In Nepal, the number of persons benefiting from corruption is in minority. It
is therefore obvious that if the non-corrupt majority comes together, the whole situation
can be changed. Of the majority of people, the more educated, the intellectuals have to
play a greater role in controlling corruption. It is the responsibility of intellectuals
to respond to this need with a dream of making our country a worth place to live in.
Intellectuals in Nepal can take a lesson from American
Professor Noam Chomsky. He has long denounced his country as an imperialist power grabber.
Though American leaders do not listen to his wise counsel, it goes to his credit that he
has shown exemplary courage. Likewise, in our country too we need courageous and
intelligent people to expose the corrupt politician. Here in Nepal we have intellectuals
who consider themselves second to the power brokers and corrupt politicians. This
mentality has to be changed. Once we set an example, a new culture will replace the
present rotten tradition of tolerating corrupt politicians and the amassing of wealth by
hook or by crook. We should try to introduce ethics as part of our educational system.
Students in schools and colleges should be mobilized to create the social climate for
making corruption unacceptable and casting a social stigma on those who are corrupt.
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