“As long as millions die in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor who having been educated, nursed in luxury of millions of toiling poor, never even takes a thought for them.”
61 years after independence, the word ‘patriot’ has lost its significance. It is confined to only some films and ‘boring’ freedom struggle stories. People who show loyalty to their own country are considered fools. Everyone will be on their toes to criticize, mock, laugh at a person who dares to bring a change. Yes, we are all part of it.
Since independence, India has achieved remarkable progress in several arenas and now, the country seems to be in an era of frenetic economic growth-in fact, its annual growth is the second highest in the world, after china. The entire world is fascinated by our success; many predict India will become the next ‘superpower’, ‘powerhouse’, ‘a pillar of stability’, ‘a country whose time has come’.
REALITY: Rabindranath Tagore had said that darkness usually intensifies under the lamp. So it is in India. The outstanding progress in many areas merely highlights the bullock cart pace in the basics of daily life. Our Porsche-driving new millionaires and billionaires whiz past urban slums that are among the most depressing in the world. Nearly 30% of our population lives on 14 Rs. a day. More than one lakh farmers have committed suicide since 1999. The average debt for the farmer household is 12585rs. Our courts have a backlog of 3.5 million cases. 30 million youth are unemployed. There are only 3 beds per 10000 people. 60% of Indians have no access to safe sanitation. Female foeticide accounts for an estimated half-a-million deaths every year. Politics has become the shame of our country, having people, who are on their deathbeds, who can’t even support themselves, but want to support the country through service. Elections are a mockery of democracy with criminals, corrupt occupying the highest seats of power. There is no ideology left in any party except hunger for power and everyone wants to have their share from the large pie. The masses remain mute spectators while the destiny of the nation is being decided by a handful of so called ‘intelligent people’ who know nothing about the problems of common man. If they grumble, it is because they did not enjoy the amount of power they deserved. People fight over religion and caste endlessly. They want to keep the wounds green by reciting the gruesome periods of history. They fight for it, write for it, anything but live it. A new threat of terrorism and naxalism is proving dangerous for the internal security of India. They are supported by our “best friends”, Pakistan, china and new ally, Bangladesh.
The last nail to the coffin- Ever increasing population has ensured one thing for the progress of the country, “One step forward and two steps back.”
“A nation can survive its fools and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within.” – Cicero
CAUSES FOR DOWNFALL:
- The main cause for all these problems is lethargy and selfishness. No Indian commits at least ten percent of his thoughts for his country. Everyone is content within their zones of comfort and they don’t even care if the next house burns. They will do their utmost to avoid the flames reaching their house.
- Before independence, people had a goal in their life and that was to drive the British out. Unfortunately, they had not seriously thought about the goals after independence. So today, ‘selfless’ goal has become ‘selfish’ goal. Many of our people don’t have a goal in their life. They seem to be keen to take bath in the sea after the waves stop themselves.
- What can a country expect from its youth who are physically weak, lazy, selfish, lacking energy to work and only work when compelled to do so? The moral degradation of the youth is a concern. They are content with petty jobs with less work and high pay. Obscenity has replaced spirituality in the minds of the youth and their ideals are the film stars and cricketers who have ‘served’ the country by amassing huge wealth for themselves.
- Neglect of the masses is another cause. One Christ or one Buddha doesn’t determine the country’s fate but it is the common people whose fate and ability to think and live, decides the country’s fate. The one thing that is the root of all evils in India is the condition of the poor. They cannot rise, try however they may.
- The distinction of upper and lower class is still to be eradicated which treaded upon the necks of the poor and the low for centuries. Untouchability is still to be removed from the minds of many of our people.
- We have forgotten two kinds of people. Men who are saving our country, the soldiers who have forsaken their home, families everything for the sake of our comfort sleep. And the farmers because of whom we eat like gluttons everyday. It is a shame that we are doing nothing for them.
“The nation is sinking…. which has been ferrying millions and millions of souls across the waters of life. The curse of unnumbered millions is on our heads…. The unnumbered millions of poor to whom we have hated with all our strength, to whom we talked that we are all the same, without even an ounce of practice.” - Swami Vivekananda
So what is the solution? You ask. We have heard many logical and idealistic solutions. People today want practical solution. Something which they can believe that it will work.
The very first thing is to change ourselves. To become, ‘Independent’ that is, responsible. Even if you change, one person can never bring about a change in the country. You may become a leader but you need a group to follow your ideals. You may become a writer but you need people to read it. The answer is to organize.
“Interdependence is of higher value than independence.”
My friends, our nation is totally lacking in the faculty of organization. We are lazy, we cannot combine, we are intensely selfish, and not three of us can come together without hating each other, without being jealous of each other…. We speak many things parrot like, but never do them. This can be done through organization.
We, a group of eighth semester students of NIE are starting an organization to create national awareness among youth. There is no fee. The only requisite for this organization is your interest and obedience. Don’t wait for anybody or anything .In this need-of-the-hour we need a band of fiery patriots who can salvage the losing pride of our country.
Please contact these numbers to get enrolled.
Ø 9964244855.
Ø 9844601992.
Ø 9739643304
You can email us to
“The future of a country depends on its people and how they think.”
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