Is there a lot of corruption in your country?
There is a lot of corruption in my country, in terms of the government scams and the local people’s ups and downs. But, I think India is surely not one of the most corrupt country. The situation in our country has improved a lot in last few years, bringing down corruption. But, having said that, I think there is a long journey that we as Indians have to take to get rid of corruption.
What businesses have the most corruption in your country?
If I start numbering, I think real estate is the most corrupt business area in our country. For anyone to be able to build a house or company, there is so much of cash inflow that takes place to the wrong hands. Perhaps, it is even said that no construction can be done in India if you are not ready to give bribe. The next would be education. Getting a good job in our country, becomes a tough job when you are going at a higher level. Even for a transfer there is so much of money flowing in the government sector. Apart from these, IT, defense and communication are some of the areas where we can find lot of corruption.
What do you think are the problems with corruption in the political system of your country?
There was a time, when people thought that the entire political system of India is corrupt. There are ministers who are bothered only about their food and the bungalows that they are buying. Often, taking money from the taxes that the people are paying. Like, if the government is sanctioning 4 crores for something, 50% of it goes to the ministers, the left is used for the project.
Do you think corruption will always be a part of business and politics?
I hope that with changing times and with more youngsters coming up, there will be more transparency in business and politics. I am not very sure of if it is possible but I can always hope that with more educated people and with more awareness, people will less likely to be corrupt.
What recent corruption scandal was in the news?
The most recent corruption scam that our country witness was the “Indian Coal Allocation Scam” of 2012. It took place under Manmohan Singh’s government and led to the possible fall of the government in the next elections. During this scam, it is believed that wrongful allocation of coal was done to the PSUs.
Who is the most corrupt politician or businessperson you know of?
There are so many of them, but then if we think of the most corrupt, I would say Ramalinga Raju should be the one guy who can be named the most corrupt. He was the chairman of the Satyam Computer Services and admitted to have changed the accounts of the company for a long period to gain profits. The company shut down and lot of employees were in roads after it.
What is the best way to fight corruption in business and politics?
In my opinion, the best way could be transparency. When one finds corruption taking place if a common man can make a video and upload it in the social media, it could be great help. Because people will then start noticing the person taking bribe and with this awareness that people are watching you, I think corruption will definitely reduce.
Is corruption ever justified?
No, I think it is never justified. When you are talking of a country which has fought for independence, with so many freedom fighters dying for that one independence, when you can see so many soldiers leaving their homes for the safety of a country, there is nothing in this world, that can justify corruption.
Can a corrupt organization ever be more efficient than a less corrupt organization if they are about the same size and in the same industry?
Effectiveness of an organization, in my opinion, depends more on the employees. Having said that, I think definitely yes a non corrupt organization will be surely less corrupt than a more corrupt. Because, there will be more transparency, a healthy environment and much more thinking about how to improve than how to earn more.