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Outlook-MDRA Opinion Poll

One In Two Indians Vote For The Corrupt

Opinion poll in Chandigarh, Calcutta, Bhopal, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai

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Contrary to fears that outrage against graft may be diminishing, three out of every five Indians say corruption still shocks them; 83% feel sleaze has shot up after the liberalisation process began; 73% say it could stall India’s progress vis-a-vis China. These are the findings of an opinion poll in Chandigarh, Calcutta, Bhopal, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai, on November 10, 11. The sample size was 802 adults. The margin of error is +/- 3.46%.


Why do corrupt politicians keep getting elected?
Because everyone is corrupt	23.1
Because we have no other choice	39.9
A corrupt politician is better than an inefficient politician	15.0
It is difficult for honest candidates to compete against money and muscle power of corrupt candidates	21.4
Don’t know/Can’t say	0.6

Do you agree that the courts, vigilance commissions, Lok Ayuktas have been successful in checking corruption?
Completely Agree	24.2
Somewhat Agree	28.8
Neither Agree/Disagree	11.2
Somewhat Disagree	13.1
Completely Disagree	22.7

What punishment should be given to corrupt politicians, bureaucrats, policemen, judges, et al?
Public Hanging	34.2
Lashes in public	29.3
Lifelong jail	31.3
None	5.2

What is the main reason for the uncontrollable and ever-increasing corruption in public life?
Greed	15.8
Opportunities to make quick money	33.9
Political expenses	14.7
Low risk of getting caught	12.5
Voter indifference	7.0
Ingenuity of politicians	8.7
We are all part of a corrupt system	7.2
Don’t know/Can’t say	0.2

Does corruption as an issue shock you any longer?
Yes	66.2
No	32.5

Have you ever voted for a candidate knowing fully well that he or she is corrupt?
Yes	47.5
No	45.3

Has the declaration of assets by candidates brought down corruption?
Yes	53
No	41.8

Do you think corruption will stall India's progress compared to China?
Yes	73.2
No	22.4

Has corruption gone up or come down after the liberalisation process began?
Gone up	83.4
Come down	14.2

Would you accept corruption as long as progress is achieved?
Yes	44.3
No	51.6

Rest: Don’t know/Can’t say

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Filed In Topics: Corruption

More In: National, Cover Stories, Opinion Poll

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HAVE YOUR SAY

Nov 19, 2009 02:23 PM 3	Every tool that's handed over to the people of India to establish democracy and usher progress (by the present rulers) is designed / packaged in a way to defeat its purpose. These (cloaked as well meaning) faulty tools are meant not only to hurt the user but also squeeze out whatever self-esteem is hidden in honest citizen. Be it acquiring a Passport or getting the cops to file FIR against a crime or justice for 5000 sikhs killed (all over India, following Indira Gandhi's assasination) or justice for 2000 Muslims killed (Godhra khand) or justice for women raped and killed & being killed in North East or justice for Kashmiri pundits driven out of their homes nearly half century ago or Kashmiri muslims killed by security forces ... it is an ordeal. Well meaning laws exist but they are beyond the reach of ordinary citizens, in other words, they are not meant for ordinary citizens. Please don't blame the people for corrupt practices. Ordinary working people, given a choice, will not like to bribe anyone as they would like to spend a little extra on their family's comforts / needs. The system Indians live in, has been corrupted by politicians to such an extent that (upper) middle class and working class pay the extra price. Poor farmers and tribals have no resources to bribe. No surprise they look up to Naxals. Corruption is the privilige of top few, custodians of Indian democracy i.e politicians, courts, parliaments, administrative babus, police officers, Govt officials. These are the criminals who hold entire nation to ransom. Corrupt elections are a boon for the rich to justify and continue their criminal activities. According to the election commission, expenditure ceiling for a MP candidate is Rs. 1,500,000 (rupees 1.5 million). Religiously every candidate files an expenditure of Rs. 14,99,999.99 and the election commission accepts this statement, signed by a corrupt auditor. No questions asked!! Candidates like Sonia, Rahul, Advani, Sharad Pawar and many more spend not less than Rs. 15 lacs or more a day during elections. Who are we fooling? Ourselves? Throwing out the existing system once and for all is the only solution. I am sure many judges, politicians, admin. babus, police officers would welcome a system where they can work without fear or favour. It would be a great relief for the poor and honest citizens to expect fairness in every walk of life. We all can live with minor flaws in the system but to accept a system with major flaws affecting everyday life is suicidal. Saraswathi Zurich, Switzerland
Nov 18, 2009 03:22 PM 2	Why blame only our elected leaders ... we Indians as people ourselves are the most corrupted in the world ... "Ooper ki aamdani" (extra income) is the accepted and well practised in our society ... most of bridegrooms are selected on this and its potential ... Vijay Agarwal Northampton, United Kingdom
Nov 15, 2009 12:38 PM 1	Corruption--both bureacratic and political-- is the biggest obstacle to economic growth and development in India. True, there were/are incorruptible politicians bureacrats. We have Gandhis, Nehrus, Lalbahadur Shastris, Achuta Menons, Antonys,Puchalapalli Sundarayyas, Vavilala Gopalakrishnaiahs and P.S.Appus--to site only a few examples-- on one side as blemishless people with impeccable personal integrity and the rest of the tribes with varying degrees of weakness for money and power. As Rajaji said long ago, it is impossible to root out corruption--bureacracratic and political. How true, he was! I feel all that one can do is to build up public opinion against it by starting a people's movement and encourage vigilant media to grow as watch dogs and at least LESSEN THE LEVEL of corruptin in public life.But at times, I wonder whether even exposure by the media will lessen the level of corruption.We see in some of the Telugu TV channels almost every week the corrupt bureacrats being caught red handed either by the Anti Corruption Bureau officers or by the electronic media. Has it lessened the level of corruption ? I do not think so. I am from AP but spent almost all of my working time in academics outside the State--in Pune, Chennai and Trivandrum. I lived in Kerala for nearly two and half decades and returned to Hyderabad only recently. Life in Hyderabd is a matter of daily revealation and sense of outrage and shock for me. Nothing works here without what we Telugus call "Aamyaammya ".There is a price for everything--including as simple a routine matter as getting the electric bill to be changed in your name. Well, if you do not pay the bribes, you are left behind.I wonder, what should a tax-paying law-abiding and honest citizen do to get his work done in the Govt offices. I dare say, with pain in heart, that perhaps Andhra Pradesh is the most corrupt state in India. I wonder how many Jayaprakash Narayans and Lok Sattas are required to bring down the level of corruption in the state.I have no hope !! G. Niranjan Rao Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India

Nov 15, 2009 12:38 PM 1	Corruption--both bureacratic and political-- is the biggest obstacle to economic growth and development in India. True, there were/are incorruptible politicians bureacrats. We have Gandhis, Nehrus, Lalbahadur Shastris, Achuta Menons, Antonys,Puchalapalli Sundarayyas, Vavilala Gopalakrishnaiahs and P.S.Appus--to site only a few examples-- on one side as blemishless people with impeccable personal integrity and the rest of the tribes with varying degrees of weakness for money and power. As Rajaji said long ago, it is impossible to root out corruption--bureacracratic and political. How true, he was! I feel all that one can do is to build up public opinion against it by starting a people's movement and encourage vigilant media to grow as watch dogs and at least LESSEN THE LEVEL of corruptin in public life.But at times, I wonder whether even exposure by the media will lessen the level of corruption.We see in some of the Telugu TV channels almost every week the corrupt bureacrats being caught red handed either by the Anti Corruption Bureau officers or by the electronic media. Has it lessened the level of corruption ? I do not think so. I am from AP but spent almost all of my working time in academics outside the State--in Pune, Chennai and Trivandrum. I lived in Kerala for nearly two and half decades and returned to Hyderabad only recently. Life in Hyderabd is a matter of daily revealation and sense of outrage and shock for me. Nothing works here without what we Telugus call "Aamyaammya ".There is a price for everything--including as simple a routine matter as getting the electric bill to be changed in your name. Well, if you do not pay the bribes, you are left behind.I wonder, what should a tax-paying law-abiding and honest citizen do to get his work done in the Govt offices. I dare say, with pain in heart, that perhaps Andhra Pradesh is the most corrupt state in India. I wonder how many Jayaprakash Narayans and Lok Sattas are required to bring down the level of corruption in the state.I have no hope !! G. Niranjan Rao Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Nov 18, 2009 03:22 PM 2	Why blame only our elected leaders ... we Indians as people ourselves are the most corrupted in the world ... "Ooper ki aamdani" (extra income) is the accepted and well practised in our society ... most of bridegrooms are selected on this and its potential ... Vijay Agarwal Northampton, United Kingdom
Nov 19, 2009 02:23 PM 3	Every tool that's handed over to the people of India to establish democracy and usher progress (by the present rulers) is designed / packaged in a way to defeat its purpose. These (cloaked as well meaning) faulty tools are meant not only to hurt the user but also squeeze out whatever self-esteem is hidden in honest citizen. Be it acquiring a Passport or getting the cops to file FIR against a crime or justice for 5000 sikhs killed (all over India, following Indira Gandhi's assasination) or justice for 2000 Muslims killed (Godhra khand) or justice for women raped and killed & being killed in North East or justice for Kashmiri pundits driven out of their homes nearly half century ago or Kashmiri muslims killed by security forces ... it is an ordeal. Well meaning laws exist but they are beyond the reach of ordinary citizens, in other words, they are not meant for ordinary citizens. Please don't blame the people for corrupt practices. Ordinary working people, given a choice, will not like to bribe anyone as they would like to spend a little extra on their family's comforts / needs. The system Indians live in, has been corrupted by politicians to such an extent that (upper) middle class and working class pay the extra price. Poor farmers and tribals have no resources to bribe. No surprise they look up to Naxals. Corruption is the privilige of top few, custodians of Indian democracy i.e politicians, courts, parliaments, administrative babus, police officers, Govt officials. These are the criminals who hold entire nation to ransom. Corrupt elections are a boon for the rich to justify and continue their criminal activities. According to the election commission, expenditure ceiling for a MP candidate is Rs. 1,500,000 (rupees 1.5 million). Religiously every candidate files an expenditure of Rs. 14,99,999.99 and the election commission accepts this statement, signed by a corrupt auditor. No questions asked!! Candidates like Sonia, Rahul, Advani, Sharad Pawar and many more spend not less than Rs. 15 lacs or more a day during elections. Who are we fooling? Ourselves? Throwing out the existing system once and for all is the only solution. I am sure many judges, politicians, admin. babus, police officers would welcome a system where they can work without fear or favour. It would be a great relief for the poor and honest citizens to expect fairness in every walk of life. We all can live with minor flaws in the system but to accept a system with major flaws affecting everyday life is suicidal. Saraswathi Zurich, Switzerland

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