873. Bribe taker or giver..... who is culprit???

It was a Saturday afternoon I and my sister were back from school. There was a knock on the door Amma opened it a man with a carton box was at the door. “Sahebru kotbarakke hellidru” (Sir asked me to give this) he said. My Nana was Assistant Engineer working for Karnataka Electricity Board. Amma thought maybe he had sent something related to office work and asked the person to keep it in the corner. 

Evening my Nana came home and Amma told him about the box. Nana was surprised as he had not sent anyone. He opened the box in the box were lovely colourful famous Channapattana wooden toys the whole collection. Nana wondered who could have sent it. 

I am talking about an incidence that happened in 70’s at those times Government officials seldom took bribe, though out of gratitude the contractors or general public used to give gifts or presents after the work was completed. My Nana used to object to that also. He used to say we officials are paid by Government to do the job and it is our duty and there was no need of anybody to show gratitude. We thought maybe one of his contractors might have sent the toys as he never accepted maybe he had sent it without Nana’s knowledge. Nana did not allow me or my sister to touch the toys. For a fortnight he tried to identify who has sent the toys home but he could not. 

From those days when officials daunted to take gifts to a time when without greasing the palm no work happens to the present situation where bribe is a norm, what a change. Analysing this I notice that earlier a government official maintained dignity of himself and also of his post. How much ever he was tempted to accept gifts or souvenirs he would say a firm “No”. Then a few started to accept the gifts and souvenirs after the work done, and then it gradually took a mode where the gifts and souvenirs were given before the work was done. Then finally we are here where now it is so unofficially official that there is a Bribe Tag for every Government work to be done.

I am not cynical but I want to get few answers for the following questions that are bothering me, please find time to answer them.

1.   Is it O.K to give gift or souvenirs to Government Officials after getting the work done?

2.   Is it O.K to give bribe to get a work done by a Government Official?

3.   Is it smartness to bribe a Government Official and get the work done quickly by jumping the queue?

4.   Is it cleverness to bribe a Government Official in order to deviate from the set guidelines?

5.   Is it ingenuity to bribe a Government Official and make him dodge the law of the land?

6.   When Government is paying the salary is it O.K for a Government Official to expect bribe for doing the duty he has to do?

7.   How correct is it for a Government Official to deviate the set guidelines by accepting bribe?

8.   How can a Government Official dodge the Law of the Land and be not accountable?

9.   If taking bribe is a norm then why should the Government pay salaries and all those post retirement facilities?

10.  How can the guideline change to those who have purchased the Government Official by paying bribe, who is the main culprit the bribe taker or bribe giver?