Corruption in politics: The new normal?

During elections, politicians claim their only motive is to serve the people, but when they are given a chance to do so by being made ministers, they demand some particular portfolios. And there are reasons for that.

Some portfolios enable the minister to impact a large number of people through welfare or developmental projects; a few departments are considered lucrative because the ‘income’ is high; and the least in demand are those where they can neither undertake any major works nor line their pockets.

Though it might be wrong to generalise, because there are some exceptions even among politicians, the scene is more or less the same in almost every state. So, how does a minister make money?

Usually, ministers and bureaucrats receive a ‘cut’ in most government contracts, which run into hundreds of crores of rupees. But how can there be any underhand dealings when these contracts are awarded through the tendering or open bidding process?

In many cases, the contracts are ‘managed’ even before the tender document is made public. Often, big companies, with the connivance of ministers and officers, get the tender conditions tailored in such a way that only they will qualify, while their business rivals are eliminated on one ground or the other. There are also many cases where the minister is ‘committed’ to a particular company, but the competitor is better qualified. Here, the minister adopts the direct approach. He calls the competitor and requests them to withdraw from the fray, with a promise to award a major contract in the future. That way, everybody is happy.

Another source is official transfers, with the price of each posting determined by how profitable it is for the officer. The bribe could range from a few lakhs to a crore or more. But this does not guarantee the officer a peaceful stint. Some posts are so much in demand that the chair becomes shaky within a few months when another officer offers a higher price. In many such instances, the babu may have to pay a ‘top-up fee’ if he intends to continue in the post. At the end of one year, it is also common for officers to receive a call asking them to pay a ‘renewal fee’ or vacate their seats to the highest bidder.

In addition, in many states, officers are required to pay a monthly ‘retention fee’ or ‘mamool’ to their bosses. Usually, a quota is fixed for departments like the sub-registrar’s office, regional transport authority and police stations. The burden, of course, is passed on to the common man.

One state, for instance, has evolved a very transparent system of distribution of the spoils at every level in the police department. A monthly fee is fixed for liquor vends and business establishments, and the total collection which is pooled from all police stations is distributed from the lowest to the highest level according to a set percentage, depending on the rank of the officer. On rare occasions, when an honest officer in the ‘value chain’ refuses to accept the money, his share is divided equally among the subordinates.

Corruption is so deeply ingrained in the system that people have come to accept that it is normal to pay a bribe for almost all services, especially when it comes to obtaining a driving licence or registering a property. Oddly, an officer is considered corrupt only when he harasses people for bribes. Otherwise, the usual refrain is, “He is a good officer. He never demands money, but only accepts what is given to him.” It is a different matter that if ‘something’ is not given, nothing will move.

Corruption has become a way of life, but we cannot blame our politicians and bureaucrats alone, because the giver is as guilty as the taker.