Bitten by corruption, Puneites join stir

Pratiek Bhadranavar, a student, can never forget his harrowing experience at the regional transport office (RTO) to get his driving licence.

The agents there bluntly told him that unless a bribe is paid to grease the palms of RTO officials, it would be impossible for him to get a driving licence.

Although he refused to oblige the touts, his application was turned down. “On my fifth visit to office, a babu curtly advised me to approach an agent if I wanted a licence,’’ he said.

The agent demanded Rs1,500. As soon as the money was paid, Pratiek had his licence in his hand.

Like Pratiek, banker Sheetal Soman’s tryst with corruption is a regular feature, when she has to register official documents at the offices of the sub-registrar.

“Till we give Rs500 as bribe per document, the officials refuse to register the documents,’’ she alleged.

When Sheetal tried calling the numbers of the anti-corruption committee displayed in the office, she found to her dismay that the numbers were not working.

Both Pratiek and Sheetal are among hundreds of residents in the city who have come out of their homes to support Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption.

“We have been part of this peaceful agitation in Pune ever since it started on August 16. We are taking part in the stir because of our bitter experiences about corruption. There is no other alternative. The common people have to vent their anger and frustration against corruption or else things will deteriorate further,’’
Pratiek said.

If members of India Against Corruption (IAC) are to be believed, hundreds of people who have been victims of corruption, have been actively taking part in the stir.

“Hazare’s agitation has given victims of corruption the right platform to vent their anger. Each one of these victims wants things to change in India. Their response to the stir in Pune has been terrific and spontaneous,’’ maintained a member of IAC and the spokesperson of Professionals Party of India, Girish Deshpande.

According to a student, Pranav Degaonkar, who had to pay a bribe to get his caste certificate from the citizen facilitation centre (CFC), such a stir should have started
much earlier.

“The tall claims of the government about tackling corruption are hollow. Nothing moves in government offices without paying bribes. I am taking part in the agitation with the hope that Hazare will succeed in his mission
for a better future,’’ Pranav said.