Dear Friend,

You have been watching it on television and have tracked it on the Internet. India is rising.

Could it be that we might, just might, be on the verge of a change of our lifetimes?

Could it possibly be that in a short while, India would be vastly less corrupt?

I did not think it would be possible - no that is not true, I always thought it was bound to happen, but just did not think it might happen so soon……..

I think my biggest problem has been that I have found it hard to visualize an India where we don’t have to bribe almost every government official or political functionary with power over us. I have grown so accustomed to the status quo that I did not think that Indians too could be straight forward and honest.

For at its basic level – corruption is dishonesty.

It is a breach of contract. Someone simply will not do what they have contracted to do. Just like an exploiting auto rickshaw driver makes our journey unpleasant, so too does a corrupt transaction. It saps the soul, it kills energy and it has been the main reason holding back India from its position close to the top of the table.

Why else would a nation with so many hard working, smart people, be so poor?

Why are we condemned to Government Hospitals and Schools that we simply will not use? Other countries are populated by people with the same two hands and a brain of similar capabilities, but they have nice roads, great hospitals and schools. People treat each other with respect and are polite and kind to each other.

When we are forced into a corrupt transaction, we justify dishonesty and slowly it is not so wrong anymore. This pollutes us as much as it pollutes the taker. We feel sullied, we know we have been complicit in deceit and it’s hard to respect ourselves or to respect others. As victims of corruption we lose our money and our honour.

Corruption is bad at every level.

Now, for the first time in over 50 years, we are faced with the possibility that we might make tremendous changes to the way we all transact in India.

It's possible that honesty might return to all our transactions. Maybe our clients will pay us as they promised and we will pay our suppliers as we promised.

Quite simply we may not have to lie or cheat.

That is a great vision for the future. Something I would love for my children, for you my friends, and for myself.

This possibility has taken seed without much help from me, and it’s possible that it may grow into a strong tree without your help or mine.

It's also possible that without our help it might die young, without living up to its glorious promise of transforming our country.

This idea is just too precious for us to watch impassively as it struggles through its growth phase.

This idea is as precious as our most beloved, and we must do everything in our power to enable this idea to explode with its myriad possibilities for a better life.

I know everything about this movement is not perfect. I've learnt that nothing is. I have waited and debated tirelessly for far too long. This is good enough for me.

I am going to shed my fears of retribution from the various corrupt people I deal with. I will not let corruption sully my life anymore.

Maybe Anna's ideas will help me live honourably.

I am going to do everything I can to help this idea grow.

Will you join this movement as well?

Please do, India needs your help now.

M. Vennimalai

                                                   
22 Aug 2011