• Bribe Fighter
  • 13 years ago
  • 3469 views

Did not agree to pay bribe and hence did not get my ration card (2004)

Reported on August 23, 2011 from Kolkata , West Bengal  ι Report #31596

The time was around 2002-2004. At that time, ration card was still considered as an identity proof.I lost my ration card and applied for a new one. It took almost 6 months and then one day I went to the local office to enquire about the same. It was 11:30 am on a tuesday and was a very normal working day (no rain, no procession etc), but to my surprise there were only 2 people in the whole office, one of them was having tea outside the office from a stall on the footpath. However, one sitting inside took the receipt, checked inside and told me that my card was ready. So when I asked for the same, he told me to wait until "Boro Saheb" (big boss) comes.I waited and they went for lunch. In between 2 more people came to the office and finally "Boro Saheb" came. I told him the whole story and he told me to wait again. In the mean time one of the employee asked me to come out of the office and asked me if i was ready to pay something to him so that he could bring my card from office. I did not say "yes" or "No" to him and told him I would see after I talked to their " Boro Saheb". Finally, The big boss called me in his office and asked why i needed a ration card. I replied becoz its my right to have it and I need it more for my identity, address proof.Finally he asked me the same(bribe) but in a different manner. I said "If I need to pay anything for my ration card, which is an official document, I need a receipt." Now that "Boro Saheb" got angry. After a heated conversation for almost 30 minutes, He threatened me saying I would have a lot of problem in future for not having the ration card. Even if I wanted to go abroad for higher studies, it might be an issue. I refused giving loose money as bribe to them ( the amount was 500-800 INR as they asked for) as well as I left my newly issued ration card with them in their office. I never had a ration card after that. However I had my passport and Voter ID card and hence never had any problem for the identity proof. Rest, I left my city for job and never had to use ration card to buy something from local ration shop. But what if somebody have the voter ID/ the ration card and the person uses his/her ration card for drawing ration stuffs????? Where to complain against these people??

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