Tryst with a Crusader against corruption

  Going down his memory lane, Justice N Santosh Hegde, who was the Chief Guest said that during his childhood when his parents identified corrupt people, society would shun them. But today, society does not distinguish between honest and dishonest people. He owes most of the values he inherited to the education he obtained in Jesuit institutions. Criticizing the present system of education, he propagated a system that motivates the students to think of the society first and themselves only next. He explained that the present system of eudcation has to be totally revamped in order to create a value-based society.

  Terming corruption as a contagious disease, he said that it prevails in every sector from state affairs to private affairs. "In this country, if there is anything that is secular, it is corruption". Talking about the prevailing corruption in all three organs of constitution: The Legislature, The Executive and the Judiciary, he said that the worst form of corruption is the one that arises from the nexus between politicians and bureaucrats. He explained that the bureaucrats, who are supposed to act independently, succumb to the pressure of the politicians. Consequently, there are two types of bureaucracy viz., Political and Administrative. He said that even the Judiciary is not free from corruption, "We have Judges, who deliver judgment for other than legal consideration."

  A person tends to be corrupt when his desires are more than the known sources of his income. One of the main excuses for corruption is less salary. Lok Ayuktha said that this can no longer be valid excuse as the 5^th Pay Commission has come out with a revision of pay for the Government employees, which doubles their salary.

  Although absolute eradication of corruption is impossible, the fight against it should start from our homes. Appreciating the dress code in practice and the ban of cell phones in Christ Junior College, he said that they help in inculcating self-restraint and discipline among students.