Just one day in the year we think about our nation, about the people who laid their lives for our freedom. And we celebrate the conquest of our freedom fighters by watching movies on TV, changing DPs on Twitter, Facebook or the more enthusiastic ones amongst us may stand and salute the tricolor at the flag hoisting ceremony taking place in their apartment complex.
Come 16th August and we are all the same again, cribbing about the politicians, the conditions of the road, the scams happening and the government doing nothing about everything. Why can't we celebrate Independence Day each day, just once each day?
Just once each day try to be a better citizen. I don’t think it’s much to ask for. While you are driving just don’t honk the horns of your vehicle unnecessarily or drive responsibly without jumping the lights or cutting the lanes. Just once each day, switch off the lights, fans and the water tap when not in use. Instead of pledging to fight corruption by signing online petitions, just once each day try to fight it by not paying the traffic hawaldar without any receipt, or not purchasing something without any proper receipt, or not paying the babu in sarkari daftar to forward your file.
Weren’t these things taught to us in our schools? Why did we forget them?
Remember the 80/20 principle, I don’t think more than 20% of our nation is corrupt, the rest 80% of us are good, indifferent to our situation but good. Just once each day, if each one of us took care of these small things our nation would not need a Lokpal Commission at all.
After 64 years this is our time, we are one of the strongest economy in the world today, the most powerful nations look towards us in the times of world crisis, let us not waste this opportunity. Let us all do our own one small part each day. As the equation of synergy goes the sum of parts is always greater than the whole.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Independence Day. Really?
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The comment below comes from Mamta Singh and adds value to this blog post. You can follow her on twitter @MamtaSingh_.
ReplyDelete"Wish things were that simple though they should be. Sometimes we need some bledshed - a visible revolution, a little scare-factor brandished at our leaders and wait for them to react when the world watches. Deep-rooted habits need force to dislodge at times.
Yes, that revolution has to be within us as well, just the way you speak lest our gains will be ephemeral.
The Government knows we are inert people weighed down by too much inertia - they've watched us endure poverty, injustice, natural calamities and terror hits over decades with no more than a few squeals. They know they can play with us.
Yet, I believe that at least in part, what you say is true, valid and very relevant. Maybe the mantra that will sustain the well-earned change if it comes at all."
Best Regards
Mamta