This book written by Aravind Adiga won Man Booker award for the year 2008. Man Booker prize is given to English Fictions written by Commonwealth nations and Ireland. At the outset, it is inevitable but to feel proud for a debutant Indian writer won it. But dont get carried away! Take a deep breath and delve into its content.
It is the story of an innocent boy (nick named "The White Tiger" - rarest animal that comes along only once in a generation) in abject poverty who constantly struggled, faced humiliation, yet kept his eyes and ears open to grab that one chance to earn decent livelihood. But India, with its inbuilt inequalities, caste prejudices, corruption, distorted electoral processes, blatant denial of poor's rights, insensitivity to the needs of millions of under-previleged, inefficient bureaucracy, mutilated democracy, absence of rule of law has produced a corrupt young murderer instead. All this to give that one simple chance the boy sought. Alas! what a pity!
Now I dunno where I should hide my face for the sorry state of affairs. I laughed at myself for once proudly feeling that India won Man Booker. Largely it has been pessimistic and portrayed only the negative side of the country. In a way it ignored anything good that has happened to the country. But I don't find it wrong cuz there is no need to defend it all the time by showing something positive. That leads to complacent attitude. None of us can deny the fact that it is not too far from reality. Indeed, possibly this is the only side visible to millions of Indians living in "Dark India". (He divides India into 2 parts - India in darkness, India in the Light).
What is the way out? Let us arise, awake and stop not until we reach our goal! Lets assert our rights. Let us vote out the corrupt, criminal politicians. Let us not be indifferent to our own problems. Let us work when we can work. Let us do our part of the job - in the best way it can be done. Let us have integrity, honesty. Lets not be corrupt and lets replace those corrupt politicians and bureaucrats and every corrupt officer with the young blood we have. Let us dedicate ourselves to the cause of nation. This is minimum we can do to BE THE CHANGE.
Signs off,
Deeply hurt Laya.
2 comments:
Thats a good post. lets think in terms of corruption.
do u agree that govt offices and institutions are the one which are highly corrupted?
the reason could be (m)any of these
1) Low income
2) People ready to offer bribe to have their work done.
3) Low monitoring on officers.
Of this I think the #2 one is the main culprit. Govt procedures are too lengthy for us to wait. Thus we addicted ourselves and them by asking them to finish the work asap by giving them money.
To take this topic to lighter side, mite be we must follow what sanjay dutt showed us in lage raho munna bhai..
kudos to u and ur posts..
dont stop this instinct in u to BE THE CHANGE!
Good to see such a detailed response! You are right. So what is the solution?
1. Procedures should be simplified - Positively privatization, automation, e-governance are leading to this. Result: Speedy, non-cumbersome delivery of services. Eg. Getting driving license, broadband connection etc
2. People should have zero-tolerance to corruption. It is so deep-rooted into our society that it is accepted as a casual thing. Greater awareness among citizens is remedy to many problems.
3. Exemplary punishment for both corrupt official and one who offers bribe. Who is interested in cracking down serious cases of corruption?
4. Rewarding non-corrupt officials
5. Single cell grievance redressal mechanism which is responded to immediately.
6. Proper implementation of Right to Information. Utilization of this by people.
7. Reducing supply-demand gap. When there is scarcity or scope for bureaucrat to act based on his discretion, corruption creeps into the system.
8. When leader is corrupt, followers tend to be corrupt. This is true other way too. So more and more non-corrupt officials, politicians will definitely reform the system.
And finally it is our responsibility to change the mindset of people in such way that no man with an iota of self-respect can ask for bribe. I feel when there are reduced disparities and uniform development corruption would reduce to a great extent.
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