Narendra Modi’s Gujarat is a shining example of a state that has put integrity and development above everything else. And this is not just me saying it. During my travels in recent times, when I speak to people, they all unanimously hail what he has done for the state. “If only we could get Modi … Continue reading Corruption Stories – Part 9
Corruption is a cancer that eats away at the fabric of a society. That has what has happened in India through the years since Independence. We let our standards drop. It must have started slowly – like a frog being boiled. Those in power condoned the first actions of the corrupt, thus lowering the bar … Continue reading Corruption Stories – Part 8
When I opened the morning paper recently, I read about the price of an MLA – Rs 25 crore. I was not that surprised. It has often been mentioned that the price of an MP was about Rs 200 crore. Given that there are about 7 assembly constituents in a Lok Sabha constituency, the maths … Continue reading Corruption Stories – Part 7
I said in my last post that the rot starts at the top. Look at our beloved Prime Minister. He presides over a Council of Ministers where the whole nation except him knows that the Telecom Minister has presided over a scam that has cost the nation Rs 1,40,000 crore (nearly $30 billion). His government … Continue reading Corruption Stories – Part 6
I was speaking to a friend who got into building a hotel. This was his first construction-linked project. When he started, he had estimated the cost project to take about 2.5 years and cost Rs X. It took him 4 years and cost him 2X. At every stage, he had to pay off people. Every … Continue reading Corruption Stories – Part 5
We all groan about the high prices of real estate in India’s cities. Rates in South Mumbai have reached Rs 75-80,000 per sq ft ($1,800 per sq ft). Have we ever thought about why that is the case? In urban areas, real estate is one of the biggest money generators for politicians. About 25-30% of … Continue reading Corruption Stories – Part 4
This story is about how innovative our political parties are becoming when it comes to buying votes. In the early days, voters would be paid an amount (say, Rs 500) to vote for a candidate./ The payment was made prior to voting. Then, the payment was linked to outcome. 50% was paid prior to the … Continue reading Corruption Stories – Part 3
A large company won a contract for a waste management project in a global tender. Everything clean so far. Then, it started. Party 1 called up for Rs 8 crore. Had to be paid. Party 2 called up for Rs 10 crore. Paid. Party 3 called up for Rs 7 crore. Paid. Then, a senior … Continue reading Corruption Stories – Part 2
I was having a conversation late one night with a few friends and relatives, whom I was meeting after a long time. Inevitably, the topic shifted to politics. One topic that kept coming up was that of corruption – at the high levels and at the low levels. Its pervasiveness has now become so deep … Continue reading Corruption Stories – Part 1
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