Our Motherland Bharat, India, the ‘United States of India’ (as
I would love to call it) celebrates her 65th Independence Day
tomorrow. Who am I, to write about India on the eve of the Independence Day?
The President? Certainly not! Just a concerned citizen! But here in India,
every concerned citizen is a President on his own. It is just that we people
are not aware of our strengths.
India is a developing nation, that’s right. But for how long
have we been carrying the same label? For the past 65 years! We are definitely on
the track of progress and development, but we need to ask ourselves this question- "How steady is our
growth?". What is hindering the growth in our country? The reasons seem to be
many.
Corruption is undoubtedly a major cause. Anti-corruption movements
have gained momentum, only because the citizens are fed up with all pervasive
corruption. It was the JP movement in 1975 and the Anna Movement now. Such
movements are a sign of health democracy; but they cannot go to the extent of
running a parallel government. There is a section of people, who are against
corruption and support these movements, yet another group against both
corruption and these movements. The corrupt group obviously is not against
corruption, but the problem is with the section of people who are against it, but
divided on the issue. It has therefore become very difficult to reach a consensus,
and it is due to this reason that the Jan Lok Pal bill has never been passed by
the parliament though it has been tabled 9 times. (In the years 1968, 1974, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2011)
I personally feel that such a bill is not required, if only
we choose the right candidates during the elections. When the top order is
corrupt, the lowest order is also corrupt; it follows the waterfall model. People
who accept cash during the election time for voting for a candidature do not
have moral rights to speak on corruption. The argument that it is only the tax
payers’ money that is being given back to us in the form of bribe is absolutely
invalid. Never accept bribe for voting! Never abstain from voting!
They say India was the richest nation once. I would say it is
still the richest nation; just that so much of money is stashed abroad illegally.
Perhaps, they don’t realize the fact that black money wouldn’t accompany them
to the grave. It is wrong to blame the politicians alone. Our favourite film
stars also do that, and we continue to admire them extremely stupidly. Remember,
you can admire any artist for his immense talents, but we never know how pious
they are in public life.
The members of the principle opposition party in the Parliament
have given in writing, a declaration to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, that they
do not possess any illegal accounts outside India. It’s a welcome step; I just
hope every word in that declaration is true, or else it’s nothing short of an ‘unkindest’
cut.
The national mood today is that of anger and frustration. I
hope things change soon, but it is impossible without our contribution as
citizens. On this day, let us take few resolutions. Let us improve our
political wisdom, rightly choose the candidates in the elections, and vote
without fail. Let us strive hard to see a superpower India.
WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!
भारत माता की जय!!
