SAVE BHARAT

Movement against corruption, Gen-Z?

Your Voice Our Future

■ Corruption-Free Bharat

■ Systemic Failures

■ Political Parties Spending

■ Orderly and peaceful movement against corruption

Rulers must remain accountable to the people. Otherwise the entire system will rot. In such situations the youth must come forward. They must cleanse the decaying system. The passion that exists among the youth must not lead to anarchy. It must transform into a disciplined revolution

— Rammanohar Lohia

In which direction is our country heading? Every minute, every moment, every single day—wherever one looks or listens—corruption and illegality are reigning supreme. Transparency in governance has disappeared. All institutions have failed. The rights of the common citizen are being trampled upon. In this critical hour, whose responsibility is it to question this lawless system? Who will make this country free of corruption and protect Bharat? The answer that echoes is clear: Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha.

Today’s new generation must place this responsibility squarely on their shoulders. Until now, the Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha generations have raised their voices mainly on issues of educational rights, question papers, employment opportunities and freedom of expression. It has now become urgently necessary for them to sound the battle drum directly against the corruption that is choking the nation.

A Kingdom of Illegality Right Before Our EyesThe influence of money that has infiltrated the electoral system is uprooting the very foundations of democracy. By gathering votes in the name of liquor, cash, caste and religion, political parties seize the reins of government and then, filled with the arrogance that they are answerable to no one, plunge headlong into corruption and illegal activities.

Consider this example: in an ordinary Assembly constituency during elections, all political parties together spend approximately Rs 100 crore. This alone reveals how serious and deeply entrenched the problem has become. Taking post- reorganisation estimates into account, Telangana is expected to have nearly 180 constituencies.

By this calculation, the money spent on elections alone reaches a staggering Rs 18,000 crore. The Beginning of Corruption Any political leader who thinks in commercial terms will attempt to recover five, six or even ten times the huge amount he has spent. In other words, in just one state, roughly Rs 1 lakh crore worth of corruption and illegal dealings are being paved under the guise of political power.

These figures stand as living proof that a self-serving “business model” has replaced public service. This is only the corruption carried out by political parties under the cover of government. From the lowest-level panchayat office all the way up to the state secretariat, there is no end to the corruption that takes place. There are not even accounts.

One cannot even begin to imagine its scale. Everywhere, for any work that needs to be done, bribes must be paid; palms must be greased. From the lowest-ranking employee to the highest officials, all have become complete slaves to corruption, illegality and bribery. As the saying goes, “Wherever you search, there it is—corruption.” That is the situation today.

Collapse of institutions

The question inevitably arises: why has corruption and illegality grown to this extent? The principal reason is the failure of all the systems that were created and designated to ensure the smooth functioning of the nation, society and democracy, to provide supervision and oversight at every level, and to take action within the framework of law.

Democratic institutions have neglected their responsibilities, allowing corruption to reach these heights. Every institution that was meant to stand as a protector of the people is today collapsing under the weight of bribery. That is why this situation has arisen. Governments and political parties attract voters in the name of welfare schemes and then loot public money through illegal earnings—this has become a daily routine.

Both the ruling and opposition parties set aside public problems for mutual benefit. The attitude of “how much profit for whom” has grown intense.High-ranking officers such as IAS, IPS and IRS officers, who are supposed to run the executive system while remaining bound by the Constitution, are completely abandoning their duties.

For postings, transfers and personal gains they cling to political leaders. In the process they pave royal highways for corruption by obediently following the footsteps of politicians. Moreover, they even suggest to political leaders the various avenues through which income can be generated, thereby creating still greater scope for corruption.Investigative agencies and the judicial system have also failed. Central and state investigation bodies are turning into tools for settling political scores.

The severe delays in the hearing of cases in courts are becoming a blessing for criminals. Even there, corruption, bribery, political influence, and the impact of caste and religion are clearly visible. The media, which is supposed to expose these failures, is behaving irresponsibly. The Fourth Estate, which should hold up a mirror to society, today analyses news on the basis of commercial interests and party colours, displaying a biased attitude.

For the sake of advertisements, influence and personal assets, it is forced to sing along with illegality and corruption. The Form of Protest in the Digital AgeIn this complex and dangerous time for the country, it is a bitter truth accepted by all that traditional political criticism, dharnas and speeches are not bringing about major change in the system.

However, the present Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha generations possess a powerful weapon: the information technology system—digital networking. The thinking of this new generation is different from that of previous generations. They do not wish to remain blind devotees of any ideology. Through social media, memes and digital campaigns they have the ability to bring the truth into the light within moments.

They reject the baits and leftovers thrown by political groups in the name of free schemes and instead possess the awareness to demand: “What happened to the tax money we pay? Why are the estimates of development schemes increasing?” This consciousness is strongest in this generation. A Movement Against CorruptionThe time has come to sing the funeral song of the “note-for-vote” culture.

The cash and gifts distributed as bribes during elections must be completely rejected. For this the youth must tighten their belts. A situation is emerging in which the younger generation has no choice but to launch a movement for a corruption-free Bharat and to protect the nation.

Allocations of government funds in various schemes and the irregularities in tender processes must be brought into the open through the Right to Information Act and placed before public judgement on social media. At the same time, there is a need for young leadership to enter politics. They must not remain mere voters. Unless this generation abandons its silence and begins to question, it will be impossible to sing the funeral song of the culture of corruption and illegality that has accumulated in these rotting systems.

C L Rajam

CHAIRMAN