The stall feeds scores of people working in the corporations based in the building and the area and hundreds of visitors every day.
Just like almost every other ordinary Indian, corruption is inevitably attached to his life as well. The number of palms Brijesh has to grease regularly is bewildering. There are local beat constables who take free lunches. Some of them even get food packed for their friends and family. Then come their bosses, the senior police officials who take as much as Rs 10,000 a month for allowing Brijesh to keep the stall open till late night.
Add to this the offcials from various local authorities who receive regular payments - around Rs 3000-4000 a month - to ensure that health, safety and hygiene inspections go smoothly.
It doesn't end here for him. He made the RTO officer richer by Rs 3,000 in pursuit of a driving license. Getting an appointment with a good public doctor can also cost a good amount. And then the traffic cops, who, Brijesh thinks are after his life. Every other month he is stopped by a cop but manages to get away by paying an amount which can range from Rs 50 to Rs 300.
Such sentiments are prevalent almost everywhere in India. They explain the sudden outpouring of anger and tens and thousands of people taking to the streets in support of Anna Hazare's crusade against corruption.
Though an array of major corruption scandals such as the 2G scam that cost the country a humongous sum of Rs 1.76 lakh crore, and the Commonwealth Games scam, have fuelled the fury, it's actually the day-to-day petty corruption which is becoming a menace for the common man. In India, you pay all your life for things which are essentially free. You pay for a birth certificate and you pay for the death certificate.
While Anna observes his fast, his core team comprising people like Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi etc., which is supported by a group of dedicated activists all around the country (and even abroad), is doing all the running around and mobilizing people in support of the movement.
What India is witnessing is an unprecedented middle-class awakening. And the good thing is that it is wholly peaceful. Though Delhi is the epicentre of the activity, the heat can be felt all across the country, and even in places like Boston, San Francisco, Sydney, and London. Teachers, lawyers, businessmen, doctors, call-centre employees, students, housewives - everybody is eagerly lending support to the campaign. The strongest support for Hazare stems from the youth of India. Many of those who waited outside Tihar jail in Delhi to greet Hazare on his triumphant exit were in their teens or even younger. A 12 years old kid outside Tihar Prisons held a placard which read “Save my Future”.
Some senior Congress leaders have argued that some amount of corruption is bound to happen in a developing economy like India. But the fact of the matter is that corruption is endemic in India. It is so rampant that there will be hardly anybody whose life wouldn't have been touched by it. India ranks 87 out of 178 in the Transparency International's index of corruption in the world.
There are some who say that the law-making and law-enforcement processes in India are not up to the mark and hence the extraordinary corruption. We have all the institutions - courts, parliament and a long tradition of democracy but very few people are held to account. Others say that even the bribe-giver is equally responsible for spreading corruption. Bribe-givers say that they really don't have an option apart from giving bribes; such is the system in place. Corruption is deeply entrenched in the lives of Indians, quite like air-pollution.
But let's be honest. It's not just the system which needs to change. We, as indians, also need to do an overhaul of our own actions and destroy the seed of corruption inside us. Self-cleansing is as important as the ongoing war against corruption. This ongoing movement is giving us a chance to rise above the “chalta hai” attitude which is responsible for a lot of things going wrong in our country.
The widespread anger stems from the fact that the sense that modern India deserves better than this and should curb corruption to find its rightful place on the world stage prevails. The politicians must realise that the trickle-down effects of corruption are grave. It affects everything. Terrorism, price rise, crime, mafiadom, huge economic divide, lack of civic amenities, human rights violation, lack of development etc. can be safely linked to corruption.
High-profile cases of corruption have inflicted serious blow to the image of Brand India . A text message circulating last week focused on the huge sums of black money stashed in overseas account. The message said that the return of black money could pay for "Oxford-like universities", borders stronger than "the China wall" and roads "like in Paris".
It's heartening to see such unity for a common cause among masses all across India. None can deny that we need a strong law to take on the monster called corruption. But apart from that it's time to do some self-inspection and steer clear from the petty corruption we indulge in every other day and ensuring that the existing system is revamped.
