67 years back at midnight of the 14th of August, 1947on the brink of independence Pandit
Nehru the first Prime Minister of the nation, addresses the nation thus “Long
years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall
redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At
the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to
life and freedom……
This event in history was the
culmination of centuries of struggle for freedom from slavery, suffering,
discrimination and freedom from exploitation by a foreign power. The cost for
this freedom was paid through the blood, sweat and tireless efforts first
ignited by Mangal Pandey, Rani Lakshmi Bai kept alive by Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Ram Mohan
Roy, Lala Lajpatrai and Subhash Chandra Bose, taken to realization by Sardar
Patel,Mahatma Gandhiji, Nehru and so many other freedom fighters. India
as a free country was born on 15th August 1947 incorporating the Nobel
values and aspirations:To bring freedom and
opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of India; to fight
and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic
and progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political
institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and
woman.
This
vision has been realized to an extent in terms of food self-sufficiency,
transformation into the largest democracy in the world, a major economic and
military power and largest exporter of software in the world. India today has
millions of millionaires and cities with tall towers, shinning super malls,
roads packed with cars and is a major market for almost all products.
But
is this true freedom and success which the founding fathers of nation aspired
for ?
Will
they be proud to look at the state of our nation today – the nation for which
they sacrificed their lives?
Lokmanya Tilak said "Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall
have it!"and today
our ‘ supposed to be’ leaders say - “corruption is my birth
right”. Thousands of crores of rupees have been and is being looted under every
possible head ranging from fodder, coffin for soldiers, arm procurement,
2G/3G/4G, sports, cricket, oil, coal, airlines, agriculture, dams, licenses
etc. etc. The shocking part is that these corrupt leaders are given 5 star
facilities during detention and hero’s welcome after jail terms. Years back
there was count down show for hindi movie songs in Doordarshan called –Ek Se
Badkar Ek -----today corruption is having the same shameless show ‘Ek Se
badkar ek….every day newspapers, Television and internet is flooded with legends/
stories new corruption cases being unearthed which exceeds the previous
records. This is true irrespective of the political parties.
British Kings have been replaced with
political kings, queens and princes - political dynasties rule the nation with
MP’s, MLA’s propagating their family rule.
The tricolour has been replaced by –
saffron, white, red, green, yellow, blue, orange and so many other colours in
terms of allegiance. Loyalty to country has become secondary to loyalty to
party, caste, and religion, Language and region and so many other factors
In ancient India women were addressed
and respected as Devi’s, today these Devi’s are hunted by assura’s/devils who
go unpunished leading to more assura’s getting inspired.
India is losing her rich traditions
and culture to - Cut copy paste practice of western values. Today western
countries are realizing the futility of the fads/fashions which ruled them once
and making changes, but in India people are blindly copying the negatives proudly
taking it to be fashionable. The sad portion being we are knowingly or
unknowingly transferring the same values to the next generation – leading to
break up of families, inculcating materialistic values, teaching might is right
and corruption is necessity to get work done.Today Ram of value based culture is getting replaced by Ravan of
materialism based culture from Indian homes. Children are taught that money can buy anything.
So we have rich kids driving recklessly killing innocents on the roads, taking
to drugs and alcohol.
Patriotism and patriotic thoughts are
confined only for special days: 15th Aug/2nd October/ 26th
Jan. So for many people patriotism means buying a Indian flag , hearing a few
patriotic songs, feeling happy when Sunny Deol blasts a few enemy tanks in
Border or Sachin hitting sixes….and then forgetting it the next day. Nation
building and national pride is something which rarely crosses the mind of an
average Indian who is focused on his own daily struggle for freedom from
hunger, debt and insecurity.
This is the biggest bane of India
today. We forget everything very fast – each day some new news catches our
fancy – the latest scam, the latest molestation, the latest murder and then it
gets replaced by something more latest. At the end of the day we blame it all
on bad leaders, bad governance, wrong role models etc.
Today for a change let’s ask
ourselves – are we not equally responsible for the ills facing the country. We
are very good when we visit any other country but what do we do once back in India
- throw rubbish on the road, spit, try to bribe government officials. Indian
homes are the cleanest but Indian neighborhoods are the dirtiest. We blame our
leaders for everything that is bad – but there is a saying "People will always elect the
government they deserve"?.
Let me ask –
how many of people among us actually vote and exercise our franchise - the power of a democratic nation?
Do you go for voting or is voting day
a vacation day…..In any country the middle class makes the difference in the
political equations – poor – struggle to survive and lack awareness – so 1
drink, plate of biryani, 100 rs maybe enough to get their votes on the other
hand for rich it doesn’t matter – any government which comes can be influenced
by money is what they think…..so it people like you and me who have to make the
difference – but do we ??
But is everything lost……can’t we do
something about it…yes we can……any change starts with yourself---bible says Matthew 7:3: "Why do you look at
the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in
your own eye?
Let’s ask ourselves what we are doing and what we are
teaching our children and people around us. Is it contributing to making India
a better place to live in. Are we doing our duty with devotion, are we keeping
our surrounding clean, are we making money through honest means, are we
respecting the rules of traffic, are we fair to the people working with us…..we
are doing so people around you will also do so. We are role models for the future citizen of
our country. More than 50% of India is
younger than 25 and more than 65% are 35 or younger and by 2020 India will be
the youngest nation in the world
Looking at us our children will learn and looking at them more
people will follow and soon there will be chain reaction and over a period of
time India will become a better place. This is our duty not only to our own
selves but to the coming generation that they get a country for which so many
of our ancestors gave their lives and blood for.
Lord Krishna says in Mahabharata "Man must do his duty.
Do not think of the gains of your actions. A man must understand and do what is
right. So partha, give up this base faint-heartedness, arise, and do your
duty!" ~
Lets do our bit/ our duty towards making India/
Bharat/Hindustan a nation which is truly ‘ Sare Jahan se Accha’ - Jai Hind
by Tony K Joseph
tomjoe2003@gmail.com
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