What does Independence
Day mean to us- those who are born after Gandhi-Nehru era?
It’s a million
dollar question, which many of us ponder to have answer about. Without any
credible reasoning, we resort to spend the day (after all it’s a much deserved
holiday) in a mall or an outing with a leisurely spending of the day. Sometimes
we flaunt ourselves with tri-colors, asserting our patriotism to ourselves as
well as to others. We sing the national anthem, take part in some Indian
tricolor furling but always have a big confusion about what does Independence
day mean to us?
As I am writing
this, I am quite sure that the definition is quite varying, sometime
contradicting to people of same generation, whereas there exists a wide chasm,
when it comes to those who fought for this. A good 99% are gone by now and few have
sporadic encounters with the independence struggle. Even a bigger percentage of
them could still be normal people who were not necessarily part of various movements
made by revolutionaries.
I keep
assessing the situation of our generation, to avoid confusion let me say people
born after independence. There was a sea change in things on rolling out of
five year plans to make India grow as there was to be a lot of industrialization,
globalization by cooperation of foreign investments and participation, welfare
of people with improved education system, health care, agriculture and source
of income that is scalable and more importantly export oriented so that we grow
as the external needs increase. There were a lot to be addressed when Angrez
left us as they had the only intention of prospering Britain at the cost of
further down spiraling of India. This has been very much argued by Dr. Tharoor
in Oxford union on “What
Britan owes India for reparation.” That was the post-Independence
challenges, which was preceded by the challenge of how to evade British from
India both through violent (teaming up with like-minded parties like Japan) or
non-violent medium. The history gives all the credit to MK Gandhi but my interpretation
is he served a wing of the movement, which would have been impossible without
the sacrifice of the likes of Bhagat Singh, Bose and the countless true
patriots, who preferred their guts not be surrendered by a handful British employees
those enjoyed serving their boss at the cost of some traitors to the rank of so-called
kings of India! The truth be told, we never rose to the occasion of a
socialistic country. The colonialism was existing even before the British
empire. Our history also tells that we are the ones love to be ruled without
any contribution from ourselves from becoming a part of the system and that
exists till date!
Today, we seek
shelter in social media to vent our anguish instead of confronting. We think someone
else will do the job for us - our job is to just play moral police. Don’t you
think that way communists are better? Heard better? They take to the roads at
least thinking little as “operating with a mask!” Of course, the former
approach of anonymous or virtual reporting works only if there exists a perfect
system and the system cares of its users. But, in current generation after five
decades of okay (read poor) governance, a lot of mass (who happen to be part of
the system) has understood and understood really well that there exists short
cuts, tampering provisions or the least excuses to tweak/ by pass/ weaken the
system. So, why not follow the easy path? Dr. Tharoor pointed it right (during IIMA CHAOS speech), with
some (or more) education, we feel perplexed to put our feet in the mud, then
there exists a moral angle, which is often diluted by the surrounded people,
who force you to change for bad. Some say, Kejriwal started with a good
intention but in the journey got to know how to play politics.
All these sound
lecture, when there is no medium to fight it out for better. The other day I
read about a smart city in Japan- Kashiwa-na-ho (google if you want to know
more about it). The idea here is for lakhs of people living as a family,
sharing everything that is possible- still not invading to personal space. This
is a concept, where technology goes hand in hand with humanity. We in India are
also talking about smart cities as well as Amruts, which sound nice in technology,
but how do we bring in the humanitarian angle? How do we stop violence towards
child abuse, sexual maniacs, rich-poor gaps, racism and more importantly
corruption? Someone made a valid statement-“ it starts at home,” well then why don’t
we do it and not just that, spread the message? The problem is so grave that we
don’t feel it safe offering a lift to a stranger in highway or city nor feel
safe to ask for a lift. The trust factor is gone. The racism, rich-poor index
is only widening though there is no caste-based business existing anymore in
India by and large.
The problem is
wide spread and each one of us are aware and concerned about it. What’s the
solution? Well, lets take baby steps but not get derided in the process. It’s a
pledge, we have to take for the interest of our next generation and the greater
sense of patriotism so that we keep hold of the Indian values, which is “Atithi
devo bhaba.” Here are few resolutions I
think for me, which sounds appropriate to you as well. So let’s give it a try!!
1.
Lets
offer a welcoming gestures to the foreigners in India by not luring them,
trapping them, not considering them as super rich tourists J. They could be poor back packers to have a glance of what
this part of the world got to offer them! Lets enrich their experience. Read
what a foreigner thinks about India from her angle.
2.
Lets
be little courageous not to offer bribes to those who are seeking it and before
that lets not overspeed, indulge in traffic incidents, wear helmets, carry a
driver’s license. Lets use social media to expose the babus who are directly
and indirectly asking for bribes for the basic needs of us- like ration card,
registration documents.
3.
Lets
show solidarity to Modi’s digital India initiative, that will shut doors for
corruption in multiple ways.
4.
Try
helping others in any possible way, you could. Take it as an action to help
someone during your day and see the contentness within self. In return, ask
him/her to extend the same to someone else. Let there be a chain reaction.
5.
Lets
promise ourselves not to throw garbage by the road when you go out to work from
your home. Its everyone’s duty towards a Swachh Bharat. Lets plan our toilet
plans such a way that we don’t have to answer nature calls unwarranted, you
know what I mean J!
6.
Let’s
switch from “Chalta hai” attitude to “nahin chalega-unacceptable” progeny.
The
list could be endless but the point is we can still instill Indianness and
teach others no matter what our education and profession and family teaches us.
I
was quite fascinated by some of the figures Modi showed on his independence day
speech, what caught my attention is-
-
20
lakh people have given up LPG subsidy – as they are rich enough not to have it,
isn’t that incredible?
-
425000
toilets were built in school in last one year- it’s a shame that it took so
long but it better late than never.
Long live our
independence.
Jai Hind
© Subrat
