Through aam aadmi's glasses

As I sit to write this blog-my first, a lot is happening around me. First of all ill it’s the occasion of Independence day-India’s 65^th. Lots of emotions attached to it. I am a person who believes in the adage- “actions speak louder than words”. Then why is it that I am writing a blog? I have been following blogs of a couple of my friends and I realized that it can be a nice medium to put up your views and find out what others are thinking.

Getting back to the thought process…

These few months have been one of the toughest for the country and if I may say, for the UPA government in particular. Anna did take the attack to the opposition, but he now finds himself in the same boat. I would like to take the analogy of a tennis duel. As long as the opponents are in different halves of the court the match is fiercely fought. When you have the ball in your court you have the decision in your hand. You either attack or defend. But by announcing his own political unit, Anna has ventured in the opponents half. Now what is the point of a match that is being fought in the same half? It is as good as a dead rubber.

But I am not a critic of politics. My knowledge of politics is limited. Though I would prefer to get a more insight into it, but this is not the time for it. I am here for a completely different reason.

“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment, we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity”

These were the words of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India, in his address to the nation on the occasion of independence at the stroke of midnight on 15^th August 1947. The nation took its baby steps towards the larger goal of regaining its glory as the progenitor of civilization, the land of some of the greatest rulers in the world. The song “Hai Preet Jahan Ki Reet” from the film Purab aur Paschim aptly tells this story. We framed our own constitution, built world class educational institutions, initiated space programs and set out to excel in every sphere.

But over the time we have stumbled. Be it the 1962 Sino-Indian war or the 1975 emergency. No doubt we did some remarkable progress. We successfully implemented the Green Revolution to metamorphose into a grain surplus nation from a grain deficient one. We marched towards self-sufficiency in missile and space technology under the able leadership of Dr. Sarabhai and through self-abnegation and dedication of great scientists like Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. The 1991 economic reforms would undoubtedly be at the zenith of the list of turning points of modern India.

But this phoenix like resurgence has its down sides. When I put Nehru’s words in today’s perspective I find many fundamental flaws. India did wake up. Perhaps more like a phoenix rising from the ashes. The nation’s soul did find utterance. But where has this voice subsided. I fail to seek our nation’s soul. Perhaps it has been locked in the Swiss Bank lockers where we say our ‘kala dhan’ is kept. When I see Anna or Baba seeking answers from the government regarding this ‘kala dhan’ my mind is perplexed. Why do we need that ‘kala dhan’? Seek our nation’s soul instead.

To me a nation without soul is like a patient surviving on life support system. And a nation’s soul is its people’s soul. There is a line in the famous movie Munnabhai - “Desh to apna ho gaya, lekin log paraye ho gaye”. But I beg to differ. The meaning of our independence is valued only by those who fought for it. For the rest it means nothing. We are continuously searching for greener pastures abroad. Pandit Nehru founded the educational institutions like IITs and IISc to promote research in India. But today, these are mere stepping stones to go abroad and earn a few extra dollars. Why do we fail to realize that it is upto us to bring about a change? Dr. Kalam could have gone abroad. Why did he have to dedicate all his life to India’s missile program? He could have very well have shied away from it.

Recently there was an article in an Indian daily where Mr. Amitabha Ghosh, a NASA scientist of Indian origin commented that India is nowhere close to sending a human to space. I do agree with him. But when India attained independence, it was nowhere close to firing a small rocket leave aside an intercontinental ballistic missile. But we did that. This was due to sheer dedication of people who believed in Nehru’s pledge. I would like to pose an innocent question to Mr. Ghosh. Why didn’t you opt to settle in India and help it send a moon to space? I am not at all being critical over here. He might be right on his part. There are problems in India which make people prefer foreign destinations. But history says that the world remembers and praises only those who have achieved something through hardships.

I have stretched this post far too long. I will conclude on the following note. I am ready to give utterance to my nation’s soul hidden inside me, are you??