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| wise words ::. | | What is the difference between genius and stupidity? Genius has limits. - Albert Einstein. |
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| editorial. | 10/10/02 |
Corrupt departments
As if to say the Environment and Forest department is the most corrupt department in the state, it had been in the limelight recently oweing to utterances from the Central Young Mizo Association president, Environment & Forest minister and the Forest Secretary. The truth of the matter is, all departments that can be corrupted has been corrupted and the only difference between them and the Forest department is that prominent persons have not mentioned them.
Practising corruption is now the rule rather than the exception in Mizoram, which is indeed regrettable. It is because of these rampant corruptions that the masses have complained unceasingly of neglect and indifference towards their welfare. While politicians get the most blame for this most despicable situation, officials too need to share the blame as it is through them that funds get sanctioned and expended.
The real heartbreaker in this is that these funds that get side-tracked for private purposes are meant for the development of the land and through them, the development of the people as a whole. However, with government officials and politicians fattening themselves on these funds, the masses get left behind resulting in a widening rift between the haves and the havenots. So wide is the chasm between the rich and the poor in present times, many people have predicted a revolution of the type faced by the French royalty in the latter part of the 18th century if no corrective measures are implemented.
Being rich or being poor in the state now has become not a matter of hard work or laziness, but in knowing or not knowing the right people and belonging or not belonging to the right political party. The blame here, however, points directly to politicians who are at the helm of the government. If they encourage corruption, overtly or covertly, who is to shun it, human nature being what it is?
A silver lining in the dark clouds of Mizoram is now glimmering faintly with NGO activists and bureaucrats speaking out against corruption and directly accusing government officials of wrongdoings. The next step is with the politicians with the ball now in their court. If they will speak out against corruption without generalising it, a trend will follow that will soon see corruption practioners squirming in shame.
If each minister can speak out against corrupt practices in his department, positive results will soon be seen. However, for ministers to speak out, they have to be free from what they will be accusing others of first.
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