The Corruption Perceptions Index released by Transparency International for 2024 shows where each country stands in terms of corruption. According to it, India is ranked 96th out of 180 countries in the world. According to the report, 32 countries have made a significant reduction in their corruption levels since 2012, but corruption is stable or worsening in 148 countries. Denmark is at the top among the least corrupt countries, followed by Finland and Singapore. Among India’s neighbors, Pakistan (135) and Sri Lanka (121) are struggling with their own poor rankings, while Bangladesh’s ranking is even lower at 149. China is at 76th place. The average level of corruption worldwide has been stable for 43 years. More than two-thirds of these countries have a score below 50. Billions of people live in countries where corruption is destroying lives and undermining human rights.
India’s decline in corruption since 2015 is astonishing.
In 2014, the BJP, led by Modi, came to power by defaming the UPA-2 government for corruption. Modi’s slogan was “I will not eat, I will not let you eat.” This slogan has proven to be a lie. In 2015, India was ranked 76th in terms of corruption, 79th in 2016, 81st in 2017, 78th in 2018, 80th in 2019, 86th in 2020, 85th in 2021 and 93rd in 2023. It is clear that corruption in the Modi government is ‘growing’ every year. The report says that a large number of people around the world are facing the serious consequences of rising temperatures, because the funds that are given to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in all countries are flowing into the river of corruption. Such funds are misused disproportionately. This corruption hinders the implementation of policies designed to deal with the climate change crisis and damages the environment. Corruption is an emerging global threat, which, rather than undermining development, weakens democracy and brings instability and also violates human rights. The report advises that tackling corruption should be given the highest priority by the international community and every country.
It is surprising that corruption is continuously increasing in the Modi government, but people are forming BJP governments in the states and at the center. The tendency of people to accept corruption as a part of life is very dangerous. The lives of the people of India will also be better only when they elect honest people. Honest representatives will make India developed, otherwise corruption will develop.
