Thursday, February 01, 2007

Will I change?

I was asked to open a branch office within a few months of starting my career. The Sales Tax Officer wanted money to clear the file for sales tax registration. I refused and asked our CA to sort out. The postman wanted a tea everyday to get us our mail, I told our accountant to complain to the Postmaster. Soon I faced the AASU activists in our office to ask for 'mandatory donation', I used some 'elders' and did not pay. As I grew I faced more such situations but did not pay. Sometimes though, I have bought movie tickets in black...but felt angry at myself. I bought 2 properties and paid everything in cheque to the amusement of many. Now I want a commercial property in Gurgaon and am not getting anyone to accept full cheque.

Will I change ? No, even if it means putting my life on hold till such time. If I did not compromise when I was 20 why budge 24 years later?

My Son today wrote in his essay that Common people pay an estimated Rs. 21,000 crore ($ 4200 million) a year in petty bribes for 11 most-used services like the police, judiciary, land, municipal and health. It is hard to imagine how much the government loses out on. In fact, a UNDP report says if corruption came down to Scandinavian levels, growth would jump 1.5% and FDI by 12%. This is why corruption is an issue of national concern. We have a duty towards our nation.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Rajeev there are very few of your kind left in this nation.We all need you as a torch bearer of morality in public dealings.By the way, eve if you try you can't change now............

Adesh Sidhu said...

Sir,

I am working with a Retail Chain and currently managing a store in rural India. I everyday face such situations where in various department people asks for money from me on one pretext or the other.
I have paid bribe thrice because business have suffered a lot and if I continued with my stubbornness, my company would have transferred me to some role where I have nothing much to do. However, I have refused number of times because I am not comfortable in doing this.
One more reason that India is still a developing country is that even after paying corruption your work is pending!

Adesh Sidhu

Rajesh Kumar said...

Rajeev, your indignation is fairly understandable.Manytimes we do come across choices which are completely unacceptable. Do not think you or any like minded person should change one bit. This is the right thing to do.

Incidentally, last Saturday,I managed to get my Driving License ON MY OWN. (I did consult the automobile association though). End of it all, I feel more possessive and happy having got it without the services of touts, who float around like fleas in such offices.

Anonymous said...

This post comes at a time when "Do we need to teach ethics in b schools" is the most debated topic in management colleges. Coming straight from you, this is a sure shot indication that to scale up the corporate ladder one needs to make unethical choices at somejunctions.
I will be joining an FMCG in june and have heard a lot about compromises made pertaining to bottom line, distributor relations etc....Personally this post has guided me a lot.....
Ashish
MT -Agro Tech Foods Ltd.
IMT Ghaziabad(2005-07
)

Rajeev Karwal said...

Pls do not compromise on your value system, ethics and Good governance. Be fair to all stakeholders.

Unknown said...

Dear Mr. Karwal,

I will support what rajesh says.. Some times we are stuck in a dead end... we have only one choice... unless there is some one in that chair revolutionizes things... But to me it looks like things are changing young blood is becoming against it... We have to youngest population in our country...

I have worked in one of your ex companies sir... where to get an institutional order out of a goverment organisation is next to impossible... how do we over come this ??