In India, a silent revolution is in the making to fight against corruption, which has deep roots in government offices and private sectors too. The common man now has a potent weapon – ‘Zero Rupee Note’, which is a visual aid to mobilize people to say ‘no’ to corrupt officials and to expose where and when bribes are demanded.
Printed by 5th Pillar – an NGO working to fight corruption in the country, the Zero Rupee Notes are meant to be used by ordinary citizens whenever they are asked for bribes. Realizing what man could achieve if corruption was to be completely eliminated from our day-to-day lives, Vijay Anand founded the 5th Pillar back in 2006. Beyond the four pillars of democracy (legislature, executive, judiciary, and press), the 5th Pillar was formed for the citizens hoping and working towards a better society and a corruption-free governance system. In 2007, Vijay returned to his home in Tamil Nadu with a rather brilliant plan to fight a corrupt society – The Zero Rupee Note.
The notes are paid in protest by angry citizens to government functionaries who solicit bribes in return for services which are supposed to be free or charge more than the fixed value.
The Zero Rupee Note is designed to resemble the Fifty Rupee currency in India, but made larger than the Thousand Rupee note, with an Anti-bribery Pledge replacing the Reserve Bank Governor’s pledge of the actual money’s tender. The note has “I PROMISE TO NEITHER ACCEPT NOR GIVE BRIBE” printed on the front bottom center, the message: “Eliminate Corruption at all levels” at the top. The organization’s contact info and an anti-bribery appeal (“If anyone demands a bribe, give this note and report the case”) is also printed on it. Only one side of the note is printed to resemble currency and to avoid any legal issues. Zero rupee notes have been printed in five languages-Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Tamil.
Distribution:
The 5th Pillar, with the help of volunteers, started distributing the Zero Rupee notes at railway stations, bus stations, and local market-places, to raise awareness about the campaign and reminding the public of their rights as citizens of the country. They set up information desks at various places distributing the notes along with pamphlets.
The NGO had obtained more than 5 lakh signatures from citizens as a mark of endorsement to their “Zero corruption” pledge. Over 3 million of these notes have been distributed across the country. The organization plans to keep expanding, to make sure that the Zero Rupee note reaches every oppressed Indian and corrupt official in the country. It’s the perfect way for “Empowering the voiceless and the powerless of the country.”
For more details on the movement, log on to www.5thpillar.org.