Looking at the several sting operations that bring corruption to the public’s notice, it won’t be wrong to say under the table deals are quite common in government offices in India. And accordingly, to no one’s wonder, it’s the common man’s notion that ‘most of the government officers are corrupt’.
And sometimes, people who offer a bribe to get their work done, forget that not every officer is corrupt. Assistant Divisional Engineer (ADE) in the Northern Power Distribution Corporation Limited (NPDCL) office, Podeti Ashok decided to clear the air on the matter at his office in Karimnagar district of Telangana.
Ashok held the office as an Assistant Engineer in the year 2005. In 14 years of service, Ashok has allegedly been repeatedly receiving bribe offers from people to get their work done, reports NDTV. Tired of being offered unwanted bribes, he decided to put a board behind his desk that indicates that he doesn’t take bribes.
“In our office, every day a new set of people come to the office and offer bribes. I was tired of repeating the same thing, that I don’t take bribes. Finally, when I had had enough, I thought I should put up a notice, which will clear all their doubts,” he said.
“Some people are harassing me for doing the work as per procedure without violating any norms,” he added.
Kareemnagar: Podeti Ashok, Additional Divisional Engineer at Electricity Board has put a board, "I Am Uncorrupted" at his office reportedly after the death of Tahsildar Vijaya Reddy, who was burnt alive at her office. #Telangana pic.twitter.com/Pr9RkwiZSH
— ANI (@ANI) November 19, 2019
Alas, Ashok has been facing backlash from fellow officers who feel he means that he’s an exception and he’s calling the entire department corrupt.
“Now, I am very much scared and worried as my colleagues are harassing me for putting up such a poster in the office, and saying that I am blaming the entire department as corrupt,” he told The Hindu.
But Ashok said he’s in no mood to take the board down. “However, I will not remove the poster and even If I am transferred to a new place I will erect the same poster and continue till my retirement. I am not blaming the electricity department, but the truth should prevail,” he maintained.
The officer who is strictly against corruption asks people not to offer a bribe to any government officer. “If your work is not done, approach the higher officials or the media, but don’t bribe,” he said.
Innovative and straight forward much? We hope his candid declaration works and discourages people from offering him bribes.