THE ZERO RUPEE ANTI-CORRUPTION NOTE

Inspired by the nonviolent activism of iconic social reformist Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian nonprofit organization called 5th Pillar is addressing the country's problem of corrupt officials by handing them fake money.

The key to the operation is a tool called the Zero Rupee note. This blatantly false, oversized purple bill, complete with Gandhi's portrait, can be handed to any officials who ask for a bribe in order to shame them into changing their behavior. The note communicates that not only will a person not pay a bribe, but also that they are not alone — they are part of a movement of people who support them in ending corruption.

“The Zero Rupee note is a very good weapon, it instills fear in corrupt officials and it forces them to be ashamed of what they are doing,” says Omesh Naturajan, a retired bus driver from the southern part of Tamil Nadu who decided to volunteer with 5th Pillar after the group helped him settle a land dispute. “I've issued around 5,000 notes in my district and used it in several departments."

The organization — whose name invokes the power of the people in a democracy — was founded in 2007 by Vijay Anand, an Indian engineer working in the US. Though 5th Pillar is nearly a decade old, the nonprofit, which is based in the southern city of Chennai, has only two small offices and just handful of full-time employees.

“The most important piece of advice we give to anyone that comes to us is to not act violently or be rude or raise your voice at an official,” she says, adding that you have to stay firm about what you want and not leave until you accomplish your task.

Sometimes, this involves the Zero Rupee bill. The Zero Rupee note has grabbed the attention of many Indians as well as the attention of the international media. 5th Pillar estimates that 2.5 million notes have been distributed across the country in the last nine years. While the overall impact is difficult to quantify, Gunasekhar and the volunteers that work with her have countless first-hand anecdotes of its success.

"Since the day we've started distributing the note, we've had people call us saying that they got their job done without paying a bribe,” she says.

To read the complete article, see:
How a non-profit in India is fighting corruption with fake money (www.pri.org/stories/2016-05-17/how-non-profit-india-fighting-corruption-fake-money)

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
THE ZERO RUPEE BRIBERY NOTE (www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v13n05a19.html)

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