When they can.... Why cant we???

This is one of the cases where size and strength does not matter. Depicted by a dot on the world political map Lithuania has shown its will to eradicate corruption from the system. In the map above the smaller circle depicts those Balkan States of which Lithuania is just a segment.

A country with an area less than that of the state of Sikkim and population one third of Chennai, Lithuania has undergone major political and administrative reforms to curb the epidemic tainting the process of development.

As coined by former president and missile man Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam, development and corruption cannot go hand in hand, India has always been rueful for the snail's pace of its development. On the contrary the much younger Republic of Lithuania has flown in the drift of development quiet fast.

Since 1920, during World War I, the small nation had been an an apple of discord between Poland and Germany. After its annexation by Poland in 1920, Lithuania was ceded to Germany

in 1930. Later on ruled by Russia in 1940,the nation had also witnessed the gruesome period of Nazi rule after the German attack on Russia. Post the retreat of the German forces, Lithuania became a part of the Soviet Union. Eventually owing to the fragmentation of the USSR, the United Nation recognized it as an independent state in September 1991.

As young as a teenager, Lithuania follows strong democratic traditions with its political system not quiet different from India. However, unlike India Lithuania has shown a major rise in its growth rate because of which it became a part of European Union in 2003.

Rather than its radical improvement in the GDP growth rate from 7.4% (2004) to 8.8% (2008), the country decries of the widespread corruption in its political and administrative system. Still the ascent economy of Lithuania can be owed to the Anti-corruption Reforms carried out in the recent years.

Suffering with the problems of corruption spread in Business, Political, Administrative and Judicial system the nation has fought back quiet vehemently. It has also paradigmatically proved that the influenza of corruption is not incurable.

According to a survey by Transparency International, Lithuania has shown a wide improvement in the confidence level to eradicate corruption. The survey also affirms the rise in its score in the Corruption Perspective Index (CPI). The graph below illustrate the same:-

Although these reforms are not so unheard of, for the countries like India which stand way behind this small country in the CPI, yet they are unimplemented or unsuccessful here because of the lack of zeal amongst us.

Vis-a-vis the CBI and the vigilance department of India, Lithuania has formed the Special Investigation Service which on the contrary is free from political and administrative interference. Secondly, the Free Market Institute keeps a check on the corruption in business establishment by allowing free market and individual freedom, thus limiting the role of government officials in this field.

The corruption in the judicial and administrative offices has been taken care of by introducing strict laws and fast track courts in cases related to corruption. The abuse of power by the Public Servants is now considered as a serious criminal act and results in severe punishments to the guilty. The fast track courts are bound to pronounce a quick judgement in such cases hence effacing the possibilities of long awaiting justice to the victims.

But the most important factor in tightening the noose over corruption was the awareness amongst the masses. Unlikely to India where we easily surrender to corruption and succumb to the vicious system, people of Lithuania have always promoted the cause of limiting corruption.

Hence it elucidates the fact that morally upright & awakened masses, when make a righteous use of the law, even the wildest beast can be tamed.....

In the end we should ask ourselves, "If Lithuania can do it, Why cant we...???"

AN ARTICLE BY GAURAV TRIPATHI, produced in general interest of public by GAAP