Mangalore, March 17: A corruption free society is reality, if laws are simplified, a habit of law abiding culture is propagated and if children are raised with discipline, believes non-executive chairman of Karnataka Bank Limited Ananthkrishna.
Inaugurating a day-long seminar on “Is corruption free society possible?” organized by the Integral Yoga Satsanga (IYS) and Divyas at Fatima Retreat House at Valencia, he rephrased French philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau's famous quote and stressed that 'man is born non-corrupt, but everywhere he sees is corruption.'
He emphasised that there would be more corruption if there were more laws. In present times expertise is measured in terms of finding loopholes in law. Budgets will be presented at the centre and state and there will be talks on how to escape from paying tax, he added.
Citing incidents form his personal experiences, he said law abiders are harassed and law breakers are respected. The habit of law abiding culture should be encouraged. Being non-corrupt is not enough, one must also be morally non-corrput, he said. Students must answer to their conscience and not to others, he said, highlighting the advice given by his father, an upright village accountant, on how one must not work for others but to be true to our conscience. “The system will make you corrupt but resist it by all means”, he said.
Ananthkrishna also called upon elders to stop sulking but to share ideals adopted in their life with youth. Values, ethics always have value in life, he informed and added that elders must encourage youth not to chase money. “The society on their part must not only merely follow the letter of law but intent of law. Teach discipline to your children and learn to live within the framework of law”, he said in his passionate plea to the audience.
Padma Bhushana awardee Dr B M Hegde , retired lecturer Prof Surendra Rao, IYS secretary V L Rego , Fatima Retreat House director Fr Ronnie Prabhu were present.
Tough Nut to crack: Ananthkrishna said on retiring, an incident was enough to spread word on he being a tough nut to crack on the issue of corruption. After a farewell organized in Puttur, he was taken to a local Mahalakshmi temple. To his surprise the priest garlanded him with a gold chain offered by bank's employees. Unhappy with the act, AnanthKrishna removed the chain and dropped it in the temple hundi leaving all stunned.
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