We have celebrated our 68th independence day yesterday. Looking at the celebrations I was wondering are we really doing what we have to for our country. What do we usually do on the independence day. We decorate schools, offices, streets, hoist Indian flag, sing national anthem and remember the sacrifices of the great freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh and Subhash Chandra Bose etc. This is what I know about celebrating our Independence day. You also see many people being proud to be an Indian on this day. While watching all the celebrations I couldn’t restrain from asking one question to myself, is grand celebration of the independence day enough to show respect towards our country? And, my answer to that question is a big NO. Let me put somethings forward that have maligned India’s image on world stage.
- Harassing women
- Looting whatever you can
- Commonwealth and coal gate scams
- Giving senseless statements about women’s dressing
- Stooping yourself to any level just for the sake of power and money
Wait wait, you must be thinking that you don’t do any of these. Let me tell you some bad behaviour on the part of a common man, which has a lot of impact
- Taking bribe
- Jumping traffic signals
- Using mobile while driving
- Showing no courtesy towards others
These are very simple things which we can correct ourselves and we should not be in a position to be told by others not to do such things. But we don’t do that because we think that we are entitled to do that as everyone is doing so. The most important point every one has to remember is that “A wrong can never become right just because everyone is supporting or doing that”. The sad state is that earlier if you say that some one is corrupt, he would say that he is not. But now the same person is saying that you are also corrupt so I can be corrupt.
This is not our culture, many don’t even know that this is a part of a country’s culture. When we say culture people start giving harangue speeches about women’s dressing. But that is not the only thing in the culture, men is also part of the culture. A motel in USA has stopped giving rooms to people from India who represent a particular company, because one employee who stayed in that hotel has left the room in such a bad state that it took the hotel thousands of dollars to fix everything. Wasn’t he representing India? Respecting teachers is a part of Indian culture, but we don’t do that. Respecting parents is a part of Indian culture, but we are show immense alacrity to leave them at old age homes. Unity in the family is a part of Indian culture, but we drag our brothers and sisters to courts for the sake of money. Respecting women is part of Indian culture, but we see so many harassment cases every day.
Change has to start at individual level. Show courtesy towards others, don’t live for money and treat the country as your home. If everyone does what they are supposed to. We can see a developed India in the next 5 years.
***BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE COUNTRY***
