Gandhian and former State Minister V.C. Kabeer has called upon the new generation to create a mindset that would never crave for the wealth and property of others.
Addressing a seminar on ‘Development and corruption’ held as part of the International Anti-Corruption Day celebrations here on Wednesday, Mr. Kabeer said that the desire for other’s wealth was at the basis of a society falling for bribes.
The celebrations were held under the joint banner of Palakkad Press Club and Victims Information, Sensitisation, Welfare and Assistance Society (VISWAS).
Sharing his experience of withstanding coveted offers of bribes when he was in active politics, Mr. Kabeer said that rampant corruption in the society had begun to drive people to desperation.
“Fifty per cent of the politicians are corrupt… I don’t even have a good opinion about judges,” he said.
Feudal thought
N.N. Krishnadas, former MP, brushed aside the argument that corruption and development are twin sisters as a ‘feudal thought.’ Complete democratization is the only way out to root out corruption, he said. “Decentralisation of power does not decentralize corruption. It actually helps prevent corruption by bringing more accountability to people.”
Mr. Krishnadas called upon the people to change their ‘weird notion of democracy as people having voting rights.’
According to him, statutory roles like that of Prime Minister, Chief Minister and Ministers should not be viewed as ‘positions,’ but they should be held as responsibilities.
Narayanan Namboothiri, lawyer and official spokesperson of the BJP, said that social change was a must along with stringent laws to root out corruption from the society. “We should add more teeth to our laws. We look upon a person who drinks and hurls abuses at others on the road as anti-social, but does not view a person who amasses illegal wealth as anti-social. This mindset should change,” said Mr. Namboothiri.
Nepotism
Thomas George, child psychologist and chairman of Lead College of Management, Dhoni, said that nepotism had attained legitimacy in the entire corporate world. “Buying and selling of stolen goods are equally wrong. This theory should apply in all areas of our social life,” he said.
According to Dr. George, the theory that crises would enhance corruption is being proved the world over. “Enhancing transparency and improved definitions and demarcations of roles and responsibilities would help prevent corruption,” he said.
VISWAS secretary P. Premnath presented the topic. Managing committee member M.P. Sukumaran welcomed the gathering.
Press Club secretary Shajil Kumar proposed a vote of thanks.
