IT IS a fact that the country has progressed on many fronts and is moving ahead to keep pace with other countries in respective fields - and we as Indians feel proud of these achievements. But, it is also a fact that there still are many areas where we are performing below expectations – because, mainly, of rampant corruption at all levels.

In India, it is corruption from the cradle to the grave and those who indulge in corrupt practices invariably get away with blue murder. They have captured the people who matter by exerting their power of money and muscle and the dismal picture that we see around us is the ill effect of these ‘bad fruits’, which the President has mentioned in her speech, as reported by The Times of India.

She is so very right but, unless the entry of criminals is prevented to decision making bodies like the Parliament, it would be well nigh impossible to remove the ‘bad fruits’. These ‘bad fruits’ are the fruits of ill gotten gains and assets obtained through unfair means.

India is probably one of the few countries in the world that can boast of ministers being in the million rupee plus ‘income’ bracket, who view the world through tinted glasses, who love to shed crocodile tears and take an unholy delight in pitting one section of people against another and watch the resultant fun from a distance.

Keep the population divided and rule with impunity is an art they have mastered. Therefore, there is a need to plant new trees and see if these new trees can produce better fruits.