Tomorrow, as the clock strikes 12 midnight, we shall ring out the old and ring in the new year. It is a time to celebrate. To assess and plan. To set our goals.We boast of a rich cultural heritage. We have given the Vedas and Upanishads to the world. Ours is the land of sages and scriptures. But where do we stand as we reach the end of the year 2000 of the Christian era? How independent are we after more than 50 years of independence? What is our position in the comity of nations today? Economically, we are one of the poorest nations in the world. Ethically, we have been described as one of the most corrupt people on this planet. Poverty, pot-holes and power cuts complete the national picture. We have not been able to provide even potable water to the people. And all this despite our having the second largest manpower in the world. Mines and minerals. Five-year plans. Loans and aid from everywhere. In fact, after more than 50 years of independence, we continue to be dependent, continue to be burdened by a heavy debt. Where has all the money gone? Is it lying in the coffers of the corrupt? It is true that corruption is as old as time'. It is like cancer. It disables the able. Takes away the initiative of the individual, wisdom from the wise, shuts out the objectivity of the authority. It is a curse on the community. It is eating into the vitals of the nation, sapping its energy, retarding our progress. It must end. This is a national necessity. To combat corruption, we need to identify its causes and to find the cure. What are the causes of corruption? The shortages. The bureaucratic bottlenecks. The rampant consumerism. An ineffective complaint redressal mechanism. Lax supervision. A total lack of transparency. An extravagant and expensive system of elections. Above all, a devaluation of old values. Every morning we pray. On our knees. We kneel before Him. The very next moment, we are looking for prey. All the bad elements have combined to drive out the good from society. We are left with decay and depravity. But there are always some moral men even in a predominantly amoral society. And their existence makes progress possible. Public virtue is an attainable ideal. We have moral men. We have to set our goals and strive to achieve them. We need to look within. I claim to have good sight. Yet, I do not see my own faults. I must, therefore, listen to the voice of my small little conscience, the oracle of God, because it speaks the truth. Perhaps it makes me feel smaller, but it will always keep me from doing wrong. We also need to develop a work culture. The firefly shines only when it is on the wing. So it is with a nation. People prosper only when they persevere. Every corrupt man is an obstacle in the advancement of the society. He should have no friend. He should be socially ostracised. Every age has its problems. We are having ours. But just as the hottest furnace produces the brightest steel, poverty and problems should only pave the path to progress. We must develop what we can. Uphold what we ought to. And then we will have no cause for despair. After all, this nation has produced two immortals - Nehru and Gandhi - just in one generation. Such a nation has indeed nothing to despair of. Let us ring in the new year with hope in our hearts and a prayer on our lips. With a resolve to root out corruption. From the heart and mind. A Happy New Year!
