On a facetious note, I would like to end by expressing the fervent hope that our public servants discover how to make money out of providing us with the best public services and infrastructure, instead of making fortunes by giving us second-rate infrastructure and abysmal public services.
This week I want to talk about ethics and corruption in public life. Not just because yet another chief minister has been found indulging in dodgy practices, but because I believe the deeper issue lies in the system that allows such corruption to flourish—starting with the usage of currency bills. Physical cash transactions, often untraceable, allow corrupt practices to thrive. If we genuinely want to prevent politicians and high officials from engaging in unethical behavior, we need to address this root cause by moving towards a cashless society, where every transaction is traceable and transparent.
You do not need to be a political scientist to know that politics in India is the quickest way to become rich. You do not need to count the number of houses they miraculously come to own, or the fancy cars and foreign holidays. Just observe closely the politicians of ‘humble’ backgrounds who pop up on the national stage. Expensive watches, Italian loafers, gold Cartier glasses—all funded through untraceable currency bills. These luxuries highlight the deeper issue of unregulated cash flow. If we truly want to put an end to this systemic corruption, abolishing physical currency and adopting digital payments is a crucial step. Without it, we will keep making excuses for some, and hold others to account inconsistently. Only a cashless economy can usher in a culture guided by higher ethical standards.