Thoughts On Independence Day

Happy Independence Day to all of you!

We are celebrating 75 years of independence today. I was born in free India, so I have not experienced how it felt before independence, but I can easily imagine the excitement people of that time must have felt. It has been a long journey… we have come so far in these 75 years. Still as you look back, it is very likely that you may feel less than satisfied at our present situation. Even after so many years India as a country is struggling with some very nagging problems, and successive governments have not been able to deal with these issues, inspite of making tall promises.

• Progress of country has been sluggish and choppy on almost all the fronts.
• Rampant poverty and inequality continues to stare us in the eyes even today.
• Despite having a right to education in the constitution, we have not yet managed to provide the benefit of education to a large section of our population.
• People in power have raised corruption to the level of an art. Nothing seems to work to tackle this menace.
• Black money continues to be a major problem that is impacting our systems.
• Party after party come and go, but none is able to provide good governance.
• Hatred between communities and religions is touching a new high.

I can go on and on. With so many issues, is there no hope for our country?  Will there be no change ever? When will we get the leader who will lift our country out of this mess? Is democracy to blame for it, and will we be better off having a benevolent dictator rule us?

To find answer to these questions, let us take a look at the independence movement. Our struggle for self-rule was started by a few passionate freedom fighters who gave up their lives in their fight for freedom, but it was obvious that this small spark, even if it was very bright,  could not shake the roots of the mighty British raj. This spark became a big fire only when the entire country woke up and joined the independence movement. Only then we could gain our long cherished freedom.

The same applies to today’s situation as well; only when all of us rise and join the movement for change, things will start to improve. If we do nothing and just criticize others, we are part of the problem, not the solution. Let us resolve to be the change that we want to see in our country. By taking a small step every day, each of us can contribute towards the betterment of the country. There are numerous ways we can contribute:

• Look at the ways you can help the poor around you. Can you not help their children get access to education? Just try, and you will find many ways to help those who are less privileged than you.
• We think that a strong leader will eliminate all corruption with a magic wand, but do we stop and think before bribing an official to get our work done. Why can’t we do our bit by being corruption-free ourselves in day-to-day life?
• Similarly, why don’t we decide to stop dealing in black money ourselves? It is this parallel economy that feeds the corruption in politics.
• Why can’t we resolve to not get biased by the hateful propaganda by political parties to divide people for their electoral gains?
• If the government does not perform, we have a right to make it accountable. Why do we not take the power of our vote seriously? If only the voter become vigilant, political parties will begin treating him with respect and will stop taking them for a ride with unrealistic promises. 

You may ask, why should I do all of this while the problem lies with politicians, bureaucrats, and the system in general? My logic is pretty simple. If your house is on fire, do you wait for others to extinguish it or do you spring to action yourself? Similarly, our country is facing problems today that are much bigger than a fire. We can’t sit idle doing nothing about these problems.

Let us take a pledge today to bring a change in our attitude and behavior, to become an active participant in the development process, not an observer and critic, and to make our contribution towards a better India each single day. If each one of us do it regularly, it will soon become a massive movement which will be unstoppable.

Finally, I am leaving you with a ghazal that captures this thought in a poetic manner.

रात में कौन वहां जाए जहाँ आग लगी |
सुबह अखबार में पढ़ लेंगे कहाँ आग लगी |