15 min and 58 days

'Title of the post' might surprise a bit because normally smaller unit follows the larger unit but here days are following the minutes.

Today is another important day of my life. Nothing special, just that I could get the registered deed of the 9th experiment COIT which was hanging with Sub-registrar's office since last 58 days and these 15 minutes again reaffirmed my faith on strength of 'ethics and integrity'.

My friend's father who stays in Bhubaneswar had been following up with the sub-registrar's office, however everytime the 'responsible (?)' person/s were either not available or made claims that deed registration is not completed yet. Last time when he visited he was told that deed is lost by the office.

Perhaps the root lied in my approach for registration. I didn't use any of the agents sitting outside the registration building who take commissions, part of which goes to 'transparent' registering officials. I had prepared the deed on own and applied for registration. I knew the path was going to be tough. I knew they will delay the process. I knew that delay might hamper my beloved Mayurbhanj experiment as contributions coming for the experiment from friends and professors will not reach the trust account as without registration I cannot open the trust's bank account. But I knew one thing, since I am following up the legal and ethical process I'll get it done.

Today I visited the office again perhaps like "Angry young man" of 1980's films. Requested the authorities for 5 minutes and as usual the response/s varied from one official to other that registration of deed is not complete yet ...........to deed is lost. And then I returned back to seat one and told the official that I am now giving 10 more minutes and if I don;t get my registered deed I am going to file the RTI and approach the Collector as I have recorded all the versions of reply from different officers on my cell phone. Then came the turn around. This official appeared worried, immediately left his seat and asked me to follow. We entered other room and requested second official in the computer room to give my deed and this second person said that concerned 'responsible' person is absent and so I cannot get deed today. I reiterated my sentence in simple hindi and added that whatever he said is also recorded in the audio file (meanwhile first official briefed him about my stand). And this second official immediately left his seat, took my receipt and checked my acknowledgement number and said your registration was completed 50 days back and your file is lying in the "old files" record. It will be difficult to trace it, you should have come earlier. I just smiled and said now 3 more minutes are left, tell me whether you can trace the deed. Both of them went to third official, had some discussion and COIT's trust deed was taken out from 'carefully' kept almirah. So finally I could get the 'glimpse' of the registered deed with numerous seals and signature. I thought the struggle was over and I'll get the deed. However came another turning moment. One more official came and told me, this deed has been lying with us for 58 days and so you to pay rent for it. I said I am ready to pay all the rent, provided you give me the receipt of the rent. Officer looked puzzled and said in broken hindi 'is rent ki receipt nahin milta' (you cannot get receipt of this rent). I told him fine,  I am not going to pay this rent without receipt and I am recorded your request for rent and this will be soon shared with the media. I was about to leave the place. Other 3 officials came around  hurriedly and  told me to that I can take my deed without any rent.

And thus after 58 days and 15 minutes I got what 'constitution of India' entitles me to get in 7 days and 'constitution of bribe" in 2 days. May be this exercise was futile. May be this was just a waste of time and energy which perhaps could have been invested in the Mayurbhanj experiment. May be this will not change the way "sub-registrar's" office works or for that matter any other government department with authority to give license/registration works. I know I cannot play likes of Anna Hazare or Baba Ramdev and struggle to get corruption removed across the nation. What I know is I am still uncompromised on my stand that my path will remain clean and I am within ambit of the vow that I have till date not given a single paisa as bribe. I know that whatever little road I walk on I will ensure the foot prints never smell unethical. I don't intend to clean the entire system, I am perhaps not capable of . When I see condition of Dr. Manmohan Singh, I wonder if a honest PM like him cannot do, it would be next to impossible for a feeble common man like me. I know and understand that being a common man I cannot change everything. And therefore I have decided to do what a 'common man' can do. I don't intend to sit and blame others for non performance of the extra bit which this society, country and world as a whole needs. I can do small constructive things and with God's grace I am doing. But at the same time I also understand my responsibility that those "small constructive things" must be done "ethically". Wish this common man stands truthful in other similar "58 days tests" and enforce those "15 minutes" across all the experiments.

Good or Bad perhaps doesn't emanate from top, it has its roots at the bottom and bottom in all cases is occupied by 'common man' like us. We need to stop corruption at our individual levels from TC in train to traffic policeman on road, and we need to stop 'just' blaming government for whatever problems we see, perhaps only then we may create a much better society. It pains when I hear crores of rupees being siphoned off by xyz ministers, but it certainly pains more when I see individuals like us paying 100-200 bucks to get our work done. Reason is simple, common man on street never goes for applying for 2G license but he definitely goes for getting a ticket , a driving license... and that is where we the relatively bettor off's create a 'bribe system' which he/she might not be able to afford. This is where I intend to strike in whatever path I am traversing through. It's simple 'every man is Lokpal'.

Tomorrow I'll try to get the bank account of COIT opened and with that perhaps the long wait for many of my friends who wanted to support the Mayurbhanj experiment will be able to perform their 'common' bit!