A movement by youth to root out corruption

In 2011, the Indian anti-corruption movement attained its peak with a series of demonstrations and protests across India. Inspired by Anna Hazare, the movement fought for strong teeth to laws and their enforcement agancies against corrupt netas and babus. A watershed movement in history, it died down in time. However, nearer home a movement against corruption by youth who took birth just about that time is not only sustaining but growing steadily, drawing thousands of youth into its fold. They use social media to organise, communicate, and raise awareness and even pursue trapping and subsequent prosecution of the corrupt among bureaucrats. It is growing its base steadily. It has 50,000 members and its Facebook has 12 lakh followers.

The Youth for Anti-Corruption (YAC) is inspiring thousands of youth to join the anti-graft force since its inception over a decade back. Its members pass on info about corrupt officials to the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) and even helps the latter's sleuths catch the criminals red-handed, accepting or demanding bribe. So far 18 officials from police, revenue, social welfare and other departments landed in the net of ACB, thanks to YAC. "Most of them were suspended and facing prosecution," says Rajendra Palnati, the founder of YAC.

Started in 2010, the motto of the YAC remained prosecution of the corrupt men who are demeaning the entire system. With this sole motto, they have been running the organization and creating awareness amongst the people through different campaigns in schools and colleges. They raise the need to stand upright and face up to the corrupt bureaucrats and natas. India disgracefully stood at the 80th rank in the Global Corruption Perception Index-2019 of the Transparency International.

During the lockdown, the YAC members helped a lot of needy people by providing basic provisions.

YAC has the support and takes the advice of former CBI JD Lakshminarayana, former IAS officer Akula Murali and also the music director RP Patnaik. While exposing the corrupt system that is eating away the vitals of nation, the YAC also recognises that it is equally vital to make publicly well-known honest officials braving pressures inside and outside. Rajendra says that people have to pay due recognition to these honest officials. "They should be honoured, as they provide strength to nation-building and clear of all kinds of vices impediment to development of the country." The YAC teams are presently collecting the data of officials who working ethically in the Telugu States. "The process is underway and new innovative ideas we are hopeful of bringing about a big change and hope to strike at the roots of corruption and free the nation from all kinds of corruption. We resolved many issues peacefully. Our endeavor will continue unabatedly," Palnati adds.