“Your Intentions Are Good ! But…. This is Nagaland” !!

Many organizations and individuals are struggling whole heartedly to make India a corruption free country and it really give us the hope that our children would live in a country where people indulge in corrupt practices rarely. At least this is what we wish to say externally. In fact most of us do not believe that corruption could be easily rooted out from our society.

People now talk about scams of hundreds of crores and corruption at small scale has become an accepted norm in daily life. The anti corruption warriors concentrate on fighting corruption at highest levels but it seems that no importance is given to clean the system at the lowest level. I personally feel that the present scenario we witness regarding the anti- corruption movement may not bring much change in our society. Corruption is now like a deep rooted grown up tree and it is not possible to weed out it by cutting few branches here and there; it has to be weeded out from the grass root level.

In my opinion the basic reason for the rapid growth of corruption at the lowest level is the change in attitude of society. Few decades back people were regarded on the basis of their goodness but now most of the people value only money and not the values. All one needs to have is wealth and no one will utter a word about the means of its accumulation. As long as the attitude of the society remains as of today, the efforts made by the anti corruption warriors will bring no practical change in our life.

When I was serving as a Teacher I wrote an article about the corrupt practices employed by a section of teachers. In that article I proudly stated I have not yet been infected by the disease corruption and my past, present and future students would be the judges of my claim. One of my colleagues congratulated me for the write up and warned me, “Let me see what you would do when you get access to money and power”. My friend was right; it was easy to keep myself away from clutches of corruption when I was a teacher. Now, I am the Principal of a Govt. Higher Secondary School and struggling to live with my principles. One of my friend recently said, “Your intentions are good; but be practical; this is Nagaland”. I am really confused my friends. “ …this is Nagaland…” What does it mean? Does it mean that honest and upright officers must compromise? Is my friend’s statement the sad reality or an excuse framed by corrupt officials for self defense?

Whatever it may be, I have decided to go ahead in the way of Truth.  The plight of the poor students coming to my school gives me the strength to discharge my duties honestly and I am sure that the Almighty would use me as a tool to help His beloved children.