STRAY THOUGHTS IN MUMBAI ON 11.11.2007.

Today I got provoked ! Usually it does require a lot more than a mere blogpost to get me worked up. But then it triggered off a series of thoughts……not a usual event with my peanut brain, which has a tendency to shrug and carry on with life.

I decided to jot down my own thoughts for you blogger to read - all put down after my peanut brain underwent a lot of churning.

As if you bloggers had nothing better to do……but read this…...

Anyway… (Shrug! Shrug!) here goes…..

MORALITY OF GIVING AND ACCEPTING GIFTS

I read with great interest a post titled “STAIN IN MY SOUL” by PGR who went on to explore the moral values involved in Diwali gifts. He daringly went on to talk about the inquisitions of his in-laws into his morality after he accepted a Diwali gift from one of his suppliers. The rest you can read at

 http://pgr.rediffiland.com/scripts/xanadu_diary_view.php?postId=1194439036

A number of ilanders also echoed the sentiments of PGR and nodded in agreement through their comments ….

Lissome Lady amongst others said… “….a child who is bribed with sweets as a kid becomes a brat and will think less of bribing than one who is not”

I know, I am in dangerous territory when I tread in to the realm of moral values. But what I don’t agree is the simplistic judgements passed by each of us about such acts.

Let’s not forget that what started as “bakshees” (token of appreciation) has turned into an act of extortion by those in power. I know, because I am a tax professional who has to interact with Government Officers on a daily basis.

But this extortion is not restricted to only Diwali but is a whole year round practice.

A few of my own thoughts –

1.    Not all Government officers are corrupt. I vouch for that. Most of them work in obscure sections where there is hardly any interaction with the public.

2.    Some don’t take bribes - not that they don’t have the opportunity – it’s just that they don’t have the stomach (guts) to do so. There are risks involved in favouring an outsider.   

3.   A small miniscule percentage of the influential don’t accept gifts because of their moral values. A rare flower. But then they do not last in their influential post because of peer pressure. The flower wilts in no time.

4.   The rest have no qualms about taking gifts, bribes, favours … you name it, they will take it.

Now for a true incident – I went for a hearing in a tax office. Excise officers for some inexplicable reason hate CA’s. They don’t hold such negative emotions for other professionals who appear before them.

The moment I introduced myself the officer told me at the top of his

voice that CA’s are not allowed into his cabin.

I was dumbfounded because the Excise Act clearly states that a CA is eligible for appearing in hearings.

So I politely asked him “Why Sir?”

He said, “You CA’s teach people to evade taxes…. And also corrupt my officers”

To which I replied, ”Sir, if a man sleeps around with ten women – who will you blame?. The man? Or the women?”

(The other way too holds good).

He did not expect such a response from me.

I took a chair and added further, ”If your people stop accepting bribes, how will CA’s corrupt them?. You go ahead and implement the word of the law – and punish the defaulters. It is in the hands of the taker to decide whether to accept a bribe or not.”

“A giver of bribe has no such choice – its either bribe or official taxes and penalty.”

The hearing went on peacefully and was concluded in the right spirit of the law.

And that is the truth. The giver has no choice.

This is not the last post on this subject. I am sure there are others who have their own take on this matter.

But for heaven’s sake don’t call gifts and rewards given to your children as “bribes”. Who will reward them if not YOU? Otherwise they will reward themselves by stealing from others.

I think that’s enough of strain for my peanut brain and I hope to come back again with more …. And that depends on your response to these STRAY THOUGHTS!!