This post is not a rant. It’s a sharing of the experience we are going through. Hence, we request you to take out some time and read it thoroughly.
We have realized that we have been so busy, taking care of our day-to-day responsibilities & accountabilities, that we have started ignoring the state our community, society and our country is in.
We have started believing that we already have our hands full with things we have to handle in our personal life and have no time to think about the issues that plague our country, like corruption, illiteracy, poverty, unemployment, etc.
These issues affect us in our day-to-day life, especially when we deal with the local municipal corporation, government bodies, regulatory bodies, local politicians or various institutions (including schools & colleges). Almost everywhere where we want to get something done, things rarely happen without an ‘under the table’ payment. But just because we feel that we don’t have the time to fight against the system and the corrupt culture, we choose to pay the bribe and get our job done. And that is how we contribute to that corrupt culture and feed it, due to which it continues to grow.
The corruption is so bad that it has reached a level where even if our dealings, payments, records & documentations are authentic & in integrity, we need to pay some fixed amount to ensure that we aren’t dragged into some unnecessary trouble. It has always been a frustrating experience for me whenever I have received a call from a team member asking for permission to pay a bribe to a government official to get a job done. But after a while, I forget about it and move on with the belief that “One has to be practical in a business”. Besides the frustration, it’s been costing us money too, a substantial amount at that. But as a business organization, we have included that as an additional overhead and have got used to living in this corrupt environment.
The courageous & bold initiatives of Shri Anna Hazare have triggered us to think that:
…we have to spend more years in the country than he has to (he is already 74 years old). Hence, he is actually fighting for us.
…our generation and our children could live in a “Corruption Free India”.
…we could live with the feeling that our country’s political & bureaucratic system has strong value systems.
…we could respect and honour the various institutions in our country.
…we could live in a society which is based on honesty, integrity, fairness and selflessness.
…we could be free from the frustrating experience of paying bribes to get the smallest job done.
…we and our children could be Proud of our Country!
As an expression of our commitment towards this cause of a “Corruption Free India”, we at Newreka, have chosen to contribute two days of work of all our team members. This is not a holiday, but a paid-off, where Newreka is freeing its team from all day-to-day responsibilities so that they can dedicate the time (which other-wise would have been dedicated to serve the organization) to connect with our country and think about the country’s needs.
A 74yr old man is selflessly fighting for a huge and a deserving cause. He is willing to stretch himself (physically & emotionally) and completely devote himself (body, mind & soul) for the noble purpose of a Corruption Free India. He has ignited a fire, to which if all of us contribute, can take the shape of a revolution and can cause a completely new reality for our country. We invite you to partner with Shri Anna Hazare through whatever means you choose.
We invite you to take this opportunity to think about our country for two days. Dedicate yourself and contribute to creating a county we would be proud of!
We invite you to come forward and make a difference for the country that has given you the life that you have now. If the critical mass of this country, people like you and me, won’t do anything, who will?
We invite you to get in touch with 100 people from your network (family members, relatives, friends and colleagues), and ignite & inspire them to contribute to this cause in whatever way they choose to.
Industrial Green Chemistry World 