The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has uncovered a major case of alleged revenue record manipulation in Sunjwan, Jammu, involving former revenue officials and private beneficiaries. Acting on verified complaints of fraudulent land mutation, the Bureau has booked multiple accused, including a retired Naib Tehsildar, for allegedly conferring illegal ownership of over 80 kanals of land through misuse of official position and tampering of records. Local media carries frequent reports regarding some government employee being arrested red-handed with bribe money. The frequency of such reports indicates how deep rooted the corrupt practices here are. Though, those who are caught, in most of the cases, are small fry, but the trend is enough to convey that the menace is not confined to lower levels alone.
Corruption is the menace that hampers the progress and development of any society in the world. When the corrupt practices become a normal, the society as a whole is destined to fail economically and rot morally. Deserving get neglected and those not deserving are benefitted thus disturbing the equilibrium of the society. Corruption breeds injustice and injustice triggers unrest which in no way is good for any healthy society. This menace, unfortunately is wide-spread all over the country, Jammu and Kashmir being no exception.
Local newspapers here regularly publish news regarding arrests of corrupt government officials who fall into the net of anti-corruption agencies and get caught red handed. Most of the times the officials are of very low ranks while as the reality is that the issue of corruption in Jammu and Kashmir is much bigger than Patwaris and clerks. It is huge and needs a top to bottom approach not the other way round. Hunting small fish and leaving the crocodiles roam free is not the proper approach to curb the menace. The net is to be widened.
The UT administration has been, time and again, asserting that it has waged a full-fledged war against corruption but there will always remain some ifs and buts which the administration needs to take care of. Corruption has all along been rampant in Jammu and Kashmir, so rampant that unfortunately it has, by and large, been accepted by the populace as something inevitable. This acceptance has, in a way, provided a social sanctity to this menace.
It feels good to read that the UT administration is committed to curb the menace but it goes without saying that the task is not so easy. The main organization that deals with the menace – Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) – needs to be strengthened. The administration should identify the upright and honest officials with integrity to run this organization. The administration needs to have ample circles of checks and balances to ensure the organization that is assigned to fight corruption, doesn’t have any scope for any corrupt practices within. That said, the society, as a whole, should raise its voice against corruption in public life and offices. Like drug abuse, corruption too is eating up the very vitals of our society. Thus, it is the responsibility of the society to raise voice against this menace. The religious and social leaders have to take lead in this fight.