IF there is one phenomenon that both disturbs
and incenses Indians, it is corruption. No other
issue has contributed as much to sapping India's
faith in itself. Almost 41 per cent of Indians
believe that the nation is innately corrupt, and
the police and politicians more so. The extent of
repugnance with corruption also varies with age
and education. The more educated and the elderly
seem far more affected by it.
Meanwhile, the poor and illiterate are less
incensed with corruption, though they acknowledge
by an overwhelming majority that it exists.
Perhaps, they have nothing in their possession to
satisfy someone else's venality. Corruption
consistently chalks up the highest scores when
compared with other social and economic ills --
dowry comes in fourth, after unemployment and
rising prices; communalism and separatist
movements score the least.
|
How corrupt are we
Indians?
| VERY |
41 |
| SOMEWHAT |
|
40 |
| NOT
AT ALL |
|
9 |
Rest: Don't Know / Can't Say
All figures in percentage
Do you think
politicians are honest?
| HONEST |
5 |
| SOME
ARE HONEST |
|
32 |
| DISHONEST |
|
46 |
Rest: Don't Know / Can't Say
All figures in percentage
Do you think
the police are honest?
| HONEST |
6 |
| SOME
ARE HONEST |
|
27 |
| DISHONEST |
|
50 |
Rest: Don't Know / Can't Say
All figures in percentage
The graphs are only representative, not to scale
|
50 years of
existence as an independent nation has produced
convictions, attitudes and fears which are real, tangible
and, more important, identifiable. An exhaustive India
Today-ORG-Marg Independence poll sought to track and
interpret some of these. 
