Saw many of my friends sporting a Facebook status message of feeling happy and proud on the Republic day …Got me thinking …but didn’t feel like putting any such message on mine , not that I m less of a patriot …but still….!
We drove away Britishers...dreaming of a brand new start. Unfortunately we continue to be slaves ..albeit to ones handing over batons of power ....generations after generations …most being natives who had a first movers advantage into Indian politics ...With an exception of a few like Mahatma Gandhi...most had an agenda to pursue...They were the ones who studied abroad, were groomed there, who enjoyed good stuff in life , whose clothes used to go abroad for dry cleans....and so on….and who got the best deal out of this nation’s partition …Heroes like Sardar Patel , Bhagat Singh and Netaji got a raw deal...they were seen as extremists and not conforming to the unilateral strategy and agendas of the then powerful lobby controlling the direction of the freedom movement...
India finally did see light of independence .. and it took us 3 more years to cut , paste and remodify to Indian political palate ….a Constitution ...adoption and of which is a day that we are celebrating today ....61 years...but sorry to say we are no better off !
Progress is being seen in improving GDP numbers…New-age professionals busy in number crunching, touting impressive growth and consistently improving bottom lines, booming stock market, evolution of a new strata of noveau rich in the society , setting up of high- end entertainment retreats and get-aways, luxury properties, glitzy malls , fast tracked toll roads, foreign brand cars, glamorous couture , improved communication and other such typical paraphernalia indicia of a new-age India…
However.. Republic of India …..…are we anywhere even near there in true sense ?…Scores of amendment to the bulky Constitution have taken place ….most are ineffective …We are governed by laws that have basis in last century and were drafted to suit those ages ...modern day scenario is a neither here nor there ..we are a developing nation and a still immature society ....crime aplenty ..both white collar and blue collar…assets of the nation being grabbed and exploited for personal interests by political mafia and organized corporate ghettos….Citizens who are mentally attuned and obliged to feel proud in celebrating this day are the ones who in their small own ways and capacity are contributing to the nation’s perceived growth…putting up with rampant corruption , tiding over all the petrol price hikes , paying education cesses ,property taxes ,airport development and usage taxes, service taxes over and above the income /wealth taxes and of whatever is left …praying that it be enough to pay for the home loans and the daily bread .. ..Gone even are the days when sight of a road side labor or a construction worker eating roti ,if not with daal or subji but with onion was common…Contemporary is a dog-kill-dog scenario where we see personal/bank wealth managers swindling money from people who already made wealth elsewhere and didn’t know where to put it…. wanted to make more out of it……what is it if it was not a “me-too” greed propelled and fuelled by overall political , social and economic scenario of this country where rich get richer by fair or unfair means and poor getting poorer and when taking to crime..landing up behind bars…and then this Republic ensures that this category of an offender remains behind bars indefinitely while the other category of Rajus and alike get bail after public memory wanes...Who really is bothered about the Constitution's sanctity and whether it is being abided in true sense ? ...rather every one.... whether individuals or entities... have mastered the art of circumventing the laws and their implications... This attitude emanates from a discontent in absense of a fair life guarantee that our Constitution and laws of this land that it governs had assured its citizens but failed to provide ? Cureently..we as a nation have no will , no law that drives our inner consciousness to righteousness and self-control…that inspiration is missing…no role models….each day bringing a new scam to light…..everyone seems to know what is happening……perpetrators, facilitators, even the so-called victims….all of them in apparent collusion or a resigned silence …. Propensity of general public to challenge this aggression and exploitation is severely and understandably limited…Media..the so-called watch dog …talks about stuff that gets them TRPs then goes silent or picks up a new TRP attracting topic…Saga goes on…..and we ...the ordinary citizen of this great nation continue to celebrate Independence days and Republic days year after year …some enjoying a holiday, some picnicking, some eating out , some lazing at home , some planning their evening and some planning an extended weekend…..Believe me..... to a disillusioned cynical majority like me….it is a day..no more to feel prouder or happy…. than any other day…. Of course to each his own…Hope you all had a great Republic day ! J
We drove away Britishers...dreaming of a brand new start. Unfortunately we continue to be slaves ..albeit to ones handing over batons of power ....generations after generations …most being natives who had a first movers advantage into Indian politics ...With an exception of a few like Mahatma Gandhi...most had an agenda to pursue...They were the ones who studied abroad, were groomed there, who enjoyed good stuff in life , whose clothes used to go abroad for dry cleans....and so on….and who got the best deal out of this nation’s partition …Heroes like Sardar Patel , Bhagat Singh and Netaji got a raw deal...they were seen as extremists and not conforming to the unilateral strategy and agendas of the then powerful lobby controlling the direction of the freedom movement...
India finally did see light of independence .. and it took us 3 more years to cut , paste and remodify to Indian political palate ….a Constitution ...adoption and of which is a day that we are celebrating today ....61 years...but sorry to say we are no better off !
Progress is being seen in improving GDP numbers…New-age professionals busy in number crunching, touting impressive growth and consistently improving bottom lines, booming stock market, evolution of a new strata of noveau rich in the society , setting up of high- end entertainment retreats and get-aways, luxury properties, glitzy malls , fast tracked toll roads, foreign brand cars, glamorous couture , improved communication and other such typical paraphernalia indicia of a new-age India…
However.. Republic of India …..…are we anywhere even near there in true sense ?…Scores of amendment to the bulky Constitution have taken place ….most are ineffective …We are governed by laws that have basis in last century and were drafted to suit those ages ...modern day scenario is a neither here nor there ..we are a developing nation and a still immature society ....crime aplenty ..both white collar and blue collar…assets of the nation being grabbed and exploited for personal interests by political mafia and organized corporate ghettos….Citizens who are mentally attuned and obliged to feel proud in celebrating this day are the ones who in their small own ways and capacity are contributing to the nation’s perceived growth…putting up with rampant corruption , tiding over all the petrol price hikes , paying education cesses ,property taxes ,airport development and usage taxes, service taxes over and above the income /wealth taxes and of whatever is left …praying that it be enough to pay for the home loans and the daily bread .. ..Gone even are the days when sight of a road side labor or a construction worker eating roti ,if not with daal or subji but with onion was common…Contemporary is a dog-kill-dog scenario where we see personal/bank wealth managers swindling money from people who already made wealth elsewhere and didn’t know where to put it…. wanted to make more out of it……what is it if it was not a “me-too” greed propelled and fuelled by overall political , social and economic scenario of this country where rich get richer by fair or unfair means and poor getting poorer and when taking to crime..landing up behind bars…and then this Republic ensures that this category of an offender remains behind bars indefinitely while the other category of Rajus and alike get bail after public memory wanes...Who really is bothered about the Constitution's sanctity and whether it is being abided in true sense ? ...rather every one.... whether individuals or entities... have mastered the art of circumventing the laws and their implications... This attitude emanates from a discontent in absense of a fair life guarantee that our Constitution and laws of this land that it governs had assured its citizens but failed to provide ? Cureently..we as a nation have no will , no law that drives our inner consciousness to righteousness and self-control…that inspiration is missing…no role models….each day bringing a new scam to light…..everyone seems to know what is happening……perpetrators, facilitators, even the so-called victims….all of them in apparent collusion or a resigned silence …. Propensity of general public to challenge this aggression and exploitation is severely and understandably limited…Media..the so-called watch dog …talks about stuff that gets them TRPs then goes silent or picks up a new TRP attracting topic…Saga goes on…..and we ...the ordinary citizen of this great nation continue to celebrate Independence days and Republic days year after year …some enjoying a holiday, some picnicking, some eating out , some lazing at home , some planning their evening and some planning an extended weekend…..Believe me..... to a disillusioned cynical majority like me….it is a day..no more to feel prouder or happy…. than any other day…. Of course to each his own…Hope you all had a great Republic day ! J
