Corruption and OJT (Training) and what not !

 Corruption and OJT (Training) and what not !

Dinesh K Kapila
The general articles we come across on corruption are centred around its impact and ethics. Serious ponderous stuff. Very few are of the personally experienced types, difficult to believe if you are a citizen here. We pretend we do not know it practically while decrying it generally. Sitting around, I thought why not share a few such episodes, with the OJT - On the Job Training - (OJT) on Corruption and Bribery really giving me a deep insight into the importance of good hands on training and inputs in all walks of life, be it legal, illegal, ethical or unethical. A sort of skill development and empowerment through practical exposure. Professionalism !
This was say three decades or so ago. Our ancestral city of Hoshiarpur. My grandfather’s grand mansion was to be sold, times were trying, we had lost my Tayaji (elder uncle) to terrorists, I do not want to delve into that unhappiness.
Well, my father, his brother, nephew and yours truly were at Hoshiarpur. Sad and disturbed but going through it. The property dealer was a thorough guy, talking rapidly in Punjabi, glancing around all the while and determined to push it through fast. He introduced us to his son, around twenty three years or so, said he was joining him in the business and he would be with us. An apprentice., As is the way, Dad blessed him. Well, we had to be at the revenue office to attend to the documentation. The property dealer guided us in, tells his son, this Bauji is our entry point, this Bauji was an elderly person standing at the entry gate, then said Rs 50 to him. Rs 50 was paid. With deference. Now we met the Nambardar, another Rs 100 gone, handed over with utmost deference. Dad had been meanwhile seated away, comfortably. I, tagging along with my first cousin, were watching this exercise, hands on training, in awe. Then the son was introduced to the reader, or was it the clerk in the Naib Tehsildar’s Office and next a similar official in the Tehsidar’s Office. The property dealer was very courteous and with folded hands requested for the officials to bless his son, while simultaneously instructing his son to pay so and so amount to the officials. Very polite, civilised, correct, deferential. We also met the revenue officers briefly as the son touched their feet for blessings. Then there was a peon, sitting dourly on a stool, the property dealer told his son in Punjabi, this old Buzurg (respected elder) is the key, touch his feet and every time you come, you must convey your respects. A currency note changed hands as the old man raised his hand in a perfunctory blessing. Now we went to the deed writer, a young man, who refused to look up, as the property dealer with humility introduced his son. Just then my cousin exclaimed, he is my class mate, Hi ! How are you and all that. The guy just looked at him once and looked down. The property dealer told me kindly take Major Saheb (my cousin) out of this room, please, urgently. So I took Bhaiya out, gently coaxing him, while he told me Danny, I know him. Well, I popped back into the room. The property dealer advised the son to introduce himself, seek blessings (Note - prior to every bribe the son dutifully bent low and requested for blessings) and then pay a certain amount to the deed writer. There was a silence, the property dealer cleared his throat and said any issue, the deed writer said you know the locality and the value. So some more value addition took place. The Major Saheb meanwhile walked back in and the deed writer says, Raman, how are you !! My cousin was so very taken aback !! We chatted briefly. We were served hot sweet tea with besan barfi too !!
Now the tehsildar decided the documentation we had were under valuing the property. Silence. Dad came over, but there was silence. The property dealer disappeared and reappeared, face flushed, the rate has been re-negotiated. I will be damned said Dad. We knew the Deputy Commissioner, so we went over. And while we were inside the property dealer got busy networking and introducing his son to the staff. Tea over, the DC told his peon, go along with them and tell the Tehsildar, General Saheb ko Pharik kar do !! Roughly, free the General Saheb. Off we went, we were happy, the property dealer was not. He explained that this language implied he still had to pay his enhanced share, only we were spared ! And he explained some sentences and their implications to his son. Well, that was that. The best On the Job Training (OJT) I have ever seen in a long career. No manual or formal SOP, yet so very effective. In getting work done. Times may have changed, it’s now the apartment sellers (developers) arranging an add on service quietly but it’s all there.
Then there is a relation. He had to transfer an industrial plot in the name of his wife, the father and mother of his wife now being deceased. The wife’s name was there, only the name of the parents had to be stuck off. I was with him as one official said with a very emphatic tone, just remember what your in laws actually paid years ago for this plot in what is now a very booming city, your wife is inheriting it for nothing, just consider it a very small and really minor part of the cost today. All said and done, my relation paid up a negotiated amount. And said at least we saved some amount. Here I learnt about the gray market having its own concept and understanding of the nuances of equity, social equity in inheritance. If you think on these lines, it’s so very logical. Our ponderous economists miss this crucial aspect.
Then I learnt about being concerned about children in any tragedy. This again often escapes us. Twenty plus odd years ago. A young staff member, a lady had committed suicide. We were told she had a very unhappy life, the lack of adequate dowry was creating problems. There was a young baby, now without a mother. A court from the district where she stayed called upon my organisation formally to attend a hearing. Suited up, I met the District Attorney, who met me like a long lost friend. And then took me to the judge. I was asked to bring along her PF and Gratuity Forms on a set date. Two of us, including one from Tamil Nadu were there on the date. All that was noted was that the young lady had nominated her husband as the receiver of the funds, ergo, she loved him, was the refrain. By the lawyer, district attorney and the judge all agreeing. Looking at our faces, dumbfounded, I was advised in Punjabi, Duniyadari Samjho, Nayane da socho ! Be realistic, think of the young baby and its welfare. We just scooted out. Aghast but learnt that every action has a deeper implication, in this case, the infant. It’s care and well being. We being not worldly wise had not understood this. Wisdom dawns late on some of us. 
This could carry on. An apartment I purchased, my father in law came along for the registration, a civil servant retired since long, he simply sat with the SDM. I had my documentation done in the company of the saddest and angriest of faces, with the Nambardar telling me at least give something, you cannot just walk away. So very miserly.

One Deputy Commissioner, seasoned a bit, not one of those just evolving, once said, develop a perspective. You know the PRIs, Panchayati Raj Institutions. Who is better, a Sarpanch who gets Rs 20 lakh as grant, is very honest, spends Rs 5 lakh and lets the amount lapse or the Sarpanch who understands, maybe manages a certain amount as retainer for himself and his team and expends the rest on works. The District Project Officer told later that these were very thoughtful words.   
My parting shot, a senior bureaucrat, a solemn meeting, the TV in the office on silent mode. And then an exclamation, look at the news, a senior officer caught in Delhi with if I remember correctly one and a half Kg of Gold. The observation, now who does not have this much gold now a days !! Honestly, is this all. I kept a simple straight face while mentally calculating it.,

In one district around 2002, I told some famers, your coop society is overcharging you on on interest, they chortled, smiled and said of course we know, better this then paying more straight up. As I said, we avoid the reality of it and minimise the toll of paying it but get emotional about the subject. So be it. But some recent news headlines triggered a thought and certain memories. What the hell, might as well share them ! We all have our stories, we just want to look the other way. These I thought I can safely talk about. They are valuable lessons on aspects and considerations we often overlook but the informal market understands.

Tailpiece - I was coming back from a rather remote part of a district, I oversaw three districts in Punjab two decades ago. Seeing two bank branches along the highway, I stepped into a commercial bank branch and thought I would get acquainted with the socio economic and banking profile and potential of the area. Then I walked across to the Cooperative Bank. I could not place the Branch Head. After some time, seeing him fumble, I inquired who was the Branch Head and he said he was a substitute.  When I   got aggressive, He conceded the actual head was running his own business while he, a total outsider, sat at the Branch.  On return I contacted the District Manager, a tall Sikh Gentleman, stylish, always well dressed  and a thorough professional. He transferred the Branch Head though he was very much protesting. A few days later, the District Manager was transferred out and the Branch Manager was back at his preferred Branch. And one JE - Junior Engineer and SDO I travelled with around that era only. They said our XEN (Executive Engineer} is over reaching himself, the empty gunny bags are of the Beldar, he wants  a share of that too ! Reality bites.