Large-scale corruption observed in Tamilnadu during Pongal Holidays
On 13 January 2022, a day before the Pongal festival, the menace of corruption has reared up its head aggressively. At all check-posts and tollgates, people could be observed boldly flouting the Covid appropriate behaviour by bribing police personnel.
Police could be observed collecting a bribe of Rs. 500 for two-wheelers and bribes upwards of Rs. 1000 for four-wheelers. After the money was collected, the vehicles were allowed to pass – but only until the subsequent tollgate or check-post, when yet again a similar bribe was demanded. Those who refused to pay were in for a rude shock when their vehicles were temporarily confiscated. However, police in many instances refused to officially impound the vehicles, insisting that the bribe be paid, after which the vehicles were allowed to pass. The collection of money at each and every check-point has resulted in a huge accumulation of unaccounted-for-income in the hands of the police officials.
In many cases, police allowed two-wheelers overladen with four people (parents accompanied by two children) and luggage to pass after collecting bribes from them. This resulted in many unfortunate casualties due to accidents.
Even a conservative estimate of the total amount of unaccounted-for-income generated in the hands of the toll officials and corrupt police personnel would place it at approximately Rs. 10 crores.
This unfortunate situation deserves to be condemned in the harshest-possible terms. Further, to restore the trust placed by the people in the government, suitable and timely legal action needs to be implemented against the perpetrators.
