Our great President has some clear solution to the problem of corruption that India is so famous or infamous for. Every one talks about it. Even in a TV programme from Davos World Economic Forum on January 28, one Chinese expert talked of the rampant corruption among the elected representatives of India. Bimal Jalan in his book ‘The Future of India’ says if we can somehow reduce corruption, our GDP growth can automatically jump into twodigit figure. But no one provides any solution. Hre is what our President said in his Republic Day Address:

On 21st November 2005, I had visited Adhichunchanagiri Math, attended a function of FUREC (Foundation for Unity of Religions and Enlightened Citizenship) and interacted with over 54,000 students of various schools and colleges of Karnataka.

A 10th class student Bhavani studying in Adichunchanagiri Composite High School, Shimoga asked me the following question. ” Dear Sir, What is the role of students to stop corruption, which is deeply rooted in our county just like cancer?”

Agony of the young mind is reflected in this question. For me it was an important question, since it comes from a young mind. I was thinking what type of solutions we could give. My thought process was the following:

I said there are one billion people in the country and nearly 200 million homes. In general most of them are good people. However, if we find that people in few million houses are not transparent and not amenable to the laws of the country, what can we do? These houses apart from parents have one daughter or one son or both. If the parents in these houses are deviating from the transparent path the children can use the tool of love and affection and correct the parents to come back to the right path. I asked all the children assembled in that gathering, whether parents of a few children get deviated from transparency, will you children boldly tell your parents, father or mother you are not doing the right thing. That is what we are taught by you and in the school. Most of the children spontaneously responded. “We will do it.”

The confidence comes from them that they have love as a tool. Similarly I have also asked the parents in some other meeting, initially there was a silence, later, many of them hesitantly agreed that they would abide by the children’s suggestion since it is driven by love. The children took an oath. The oath was: I will lead an honest life free from all corruption and will set an example for others to adopt a transparent way of life. Finally I told the students that they should start a movement starting from their home.

Can we follow this route to end corruption? Perhaps this concept of appealing through the children is behind the new ad of the revenue department where the son asks his father- “Dad, you say honesty is the best policy. Then why are you suggesting your client to save by avoiding paying tax through cash payment?” Many would have opposed to the President’s suggestion to appeal the students in the task of removal of corruption. But perhaps his personality is such that no one can dare do that. I am myself of the opinion that the issue must be discussed in the school. If the students require lessons on sex, they should also get some lessons on the dangerous and contagious corruption.