New Delhi, February 26
India’s Central Vigilance Commissioner, Mr N.
Vittal, today launched the Corps of Vigilance Awareness (CVA), a pioneering initiative to spread awareness about the perils of corruption.
Addressing a gathering of more then 600 students at Amity Campus in Noida, Mr Vittal said, “While war is too dangerous, a matter to be left to the generals, fighting against corruption is too important for the agencies like the Central Vigilance Commission.”
“Starting a students movement under the auspices of the CVA is indeed highly commendable because this will cover the youth. I am happy to see the enthusiastic response to combat corruption through a private concern,” he added.
The CVA is a registered body, headed by Dr Ashok K. Chauhan, founder president of the Ritnand Balved Education Foundation, the umbrella body for 32 Amity institutions having seven campuses and 15,000 students. “We are a corrupt country, ranking 72 among the 91 countries in the corruption perception index published by Transparency International. But, out of 100 crore people of India, hardly five crore may be corrupt and 95 crore are not corrupt. If we can mobilise the civil society to fight against corruption, we are bound to succeed,” he said.
Answering queries of students, Mr Vittal agreed with the view that the recent elections had raised a debate ‘whether corruption is no longer an issue’. “In some of the opinion polls conducted, issues like price of food grains, drinking water, employment, shelter etc. came higher in the voters’ priority list than corruption. This points to a total lack of awareness about the damage of corruption or lack of probity in public life in the well being of the people,” he said.
Elaborating on his views, he said, “The voter who considers drinking water, shelter or school or employment opportunities as higher priorities are perhaps not aware that if there was no corruption, these issues could have been tackled more effectively and benefits would have been much more than what they have got.”
Congratulating the CVA, Mr Vittal said, “The tussle between good and evil is eternal. The CVA represents the force of good designed to fight the evil of corruption. I am sure it will triumph and make India a economic and military superpower.”
Speaking at the launch of the body, Dr Chauhan said, “The CVA aims to promote awareness about the dangers of corruption and the need for vigilance in public life, in government, semi-government, public sector undertakings and other such organisations.”
The body seeks to promote highest ideals of integrity in public service and public governance by chalking out strategies to fight graft in cooperation with agencies like the Central Vigilance Commission, CBI and other law enforcement agencies. Encouraging public servants of high integrity and social commitment by way of rewards is also one of its endeavours. Dr Chauhan emphasised that spirituality had a big role to play in inculcating values for the eradication of corruption and said, “No punishment or penalty can be effective as changing the heart of the human being. It was the ceaseless endeavour of Amity to spread this thought.”
