Ujjwal Karki

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Published On: February 18, 2019 02:43 PM NPT By: Ujjwal Karki

Corruption and us

Corruption and us

I was strolling around 'Napi Sakha Karyalaya'. Those who have already visited know the environment inside the office. Let me make it easier for the ones who haven't been there yet. Imagine a group of mad people pushing, yelling, spitting, and quarreling most of the time. The officer inside told me to wait for more than four hours, and only then would they be able to look for my trace map. He told me, “Many cases are pending, and we are busy to death.” Quite frankly, they seemed to be busy too.

I wasn't sure of what to do- Return to Itahari? Or wait for my turn. Just as I was about to march towards a tea shop, someone asked me if I was there for the trace map. I looked back. A man in his fifty was standing beside me. He had a gloomy face “Yes, but I have been waiting for more than four hours already,” I said. “Hahaha, they always say so. Give me a thousand rupees and I will bring you your map in an hour,” He added. I was confused. I didn't know what to do. I paused for some seconds and bargained on the amount and finally settled for Rs 500. Then he took my 'lalpurja' and walked inside the office. I went to the tea shop and had tea. I was a bit stressed. I wondered if he was telling me the truth or was a fraud himself. What could I do if he never came back? But, he came back with my trace map just after half an hour and handed it to me. I gave him his 500 as agreed earlier and returned to Itahari.

That same evening, I found out that research had listed Nepal as the third most corrupted nation in South Asia. I got worried about Nepal and annoyed with the leaders. But then I felt that I am as responsible as any politician or leader. I still remember that moment when I gave him 500. It wasn't about money but about the culture I was encouraging. I was promoting corruption and quite honestly I was as responsible as any leader. Maybe all of us, who get our work done by paying extra money, regardless of the amount, are responsible for a number of such corruptions in Nepal. Besides, if I could give 500 to get my job done, why can't richer people add a few zeroes behind that amount and get their job done? Today, I wish I was able to fight back that day. I wish I could have waited for hours for my turn. I wish but I didn't do it when it mattered. Just like me, all of us might wish to do it by law, but we didn't do when it matters. And all these small 'did-nots’ which we did, is the reason that Nepal is a corrupted nation. Well, if we don't stop this culture of getting your job done by hook or by crook, in the coming years we could find ourselves ranked first in the list of the corrupted nation.

 

corruption, us,

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