Corruption is inevitable in any part of this world. In India, it has become a serious issue that has rocked the country’s political as well as the economical system. In this country, if an official is expecting a bribe, he will ask for Mahatma Gandhi to “Smile” at him. This is the secret language of corruption in India. Mahatma Gandhi, the revered leader of the independence movement is on all denominations of rupee notes.
gandhi.jpg

To purge corruption activities, 5th Pillar, a non-governmental organisation working to eliminate corruption has initiated an anti-corruption campaign. In this campaign, a direct copy of the 50 rupee note, including Gandhi’s portrait, is designed to be handed out to official s who demand bribe. In the place of the usual promise of redemption by the central bank governor, the new pledge is: “I promise to neither accept nor give bribe.”

According to 5th Pillar, 25,000 notes have been printed and distributed to all levels of society in the city of Chennai. This strategy is seem working. One auto rickshaw driver was stopped by a policeman in the middle of the night and asked for backhanders. The driver gave him the note instead, the policeman was shocked but smiled and let him go!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 10th, 2007 at 11:01 pm and is filed under Interesting Stuff. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.