A lot of people will wish you today to have a "Happy Independence Day". This is a strange term to me. I can understand if someone says, "Have a Nice Day" or, "Have a Happy Christmas". But how does one have a happy Independence Day? Especially when the Government of that nation leaves no stone unturned to keep you feeling absolutely helpless. The biggest irony of all times is, and has been, that we, the people, who have unlimited power are the ones who are rendered absolutely powerless. We are being systematically kept ignorant (lot of distractions to our minds) and taught to believe that politics is dirty. So we wash our hands off it. And celebrate one calendar day as an ode to "Independence".
Doesn't matter if our Independence was a chance, carefully planned by the US and UK together (mental slavery instead of physical slavery) or it came about due to the violent and non-violent movements by our freedom fighters. However, it is interesting to note that a lot of countries "won" their "independence" in between the years of 1947 to 1950.
There are those who are quick to criticize Gandhi, often blaming him for the creation of Pakistan. I am intrigued by this blame and hatred towards a person who also gave the world a fabled and almost impossible principle of doing things the non-violent way. Are we so morally pure to judge someone else's actions? And does morality give you a divine right to judge people? And what good can ever come out of it? Are we looking for heroes embedded in the pristine garb of perfection? Is Modi a hero? Can't we be human, and accept others as humans, too, and learn to appreciate the little good that people once in a while do? Or will we ignore Valmiki's Ramayana and Kamban Ramayana and focus on his days of being a ruthless, immoral pirate?
History has given us reasons to hate ourselves and wonder if we are really capable of unspeakable horror and inhumanity. And there are some people who have shown us that may be, we can control our choices, and once a while apologize for our mistakes, and try and do one simple good thing. So will we judge Nelson Mandela for two marriages? Gandhi, for his womanizing? Or creation of Pakistan? Or can we learn to appreciate the little good that comes out of humans once a while and try and become like that, or perhaps, even better? No, we cannot do that. Because that's the hard part. To change our own selves, and to turn the other cheek. Criticism and hatred has always been easy. Especially when History is also reduced to meaning, perception, interpretation and influence. Bringing the other person down is always easy. It frees one from the burden of admitting the good, and following it too.
That's exactly what Congress is doing right now, too, isn't it? Judging Baba Ramdev, Kiran Bedi and Anna Hazare, simply because they are asking the Prime Minister's Office to be accountable. I am aware that the Lokpal Bill isn't entirely a rational one in its entirety. However, it's basic aim is to reduce corruption. That's the big picture. So why isn't the Government stepping forward and improvising on it, rather than pointing fingers as to who's more corrupt? Hasn't the Government lost enough face already?
It's the height of superficiality when Celebrities are interviewed about the Bomb Blasts that tear a city. These celebrities and starlets never take the train back home, or stand in bus-stops, awaiting their ride back home. They are the ones vacationing in London (Hell, even that's not safe now) and the rest of the world, yet they are called to comment about what they thought of the blasts. Why? Because they'll tell you they condone it, and it was all a bad thing, etc. but if you would ask the people, the media and the government are going to receive a strong response. Because these people have lost limbs, or an earning member perhaps. And they would demand accountability, or worse still, justice.
It's the height of superficiality when MBAs talk about hitting the double digit industrial growth percentile. Corporate India (Tatas and Ambanis) tell FM Pranab Mukherjee that they need more "independence" and "incentives" if they are to compete with China. The thing about China is that it was the first nation in the world that came out with the concept of a SEZ (Special Economic Zone) and vowed to support the smaller industrial units. These SMEs, who started off on small incentives from the Chinese Government are the ones who are playing it large. Cut back to the scenario at the SMEs in India: most of them are planning to shut down. Why? Because their contracts are being given to huge companies who have foreign venture capital assistance, and who have the money to lobby and "please" the Government Officials. The Corporate India today can buy almost anything: natural resources from any corner of the planet, or even a seat in Rajya Sabha. Yet, they need more "incentives".
SMEs are planning to shut down operations, the farmers are also thinking of selling their lands and getting rid of the middle-men, gray markets and negligence of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for once and for all. These MBAs think that farmlands are a waste of a precious natural resource called "land" and Industries must be set up there, instead. Of course, they can go to malls to have their pizzas and lasagna; these are not grown directly from a farmer's land, are they? Instead, they are artificially produced in a laboratory somewhere. Or better still, they will tell you, we can always export grains from elsewhere. True, export the basic items, and then leave it to the Government to decide the pricing, and let the farmers or the poverty-stricken people beg, borrow or steal to afford it. And if these people happen to be in the Valley, in their desperation, they can always resort to the side-occupation of "terrorsim" like Kasab. That option is also made perennially available by the Government.
The concept of independence about a nation should always come from the individual. Are we free yet, from day-to-day corruption, lacunae of our own morality and attitude. I think am not. Can we strive to better our own selves by thinking of the good deeds of world leaders, saints and philosophers? Can we walk on their principles, or better still, improvise on them? Can we forgive each other's imperfections and mistakes and intentional harms done unto us? Can we be compassionate? Can we adopt a village or a family in a village, a native village, visit them once in 4-5 months, and help them in any way we can? Can we step out to think about others' welfare, too, even in such desperate times? Can we lead by example? Can we change for the better?
If we succeed in doing some good deeds, irrespective of the magnitude, but fierce in intensity of our own will to do it, we can celebrate our own personal independence a year from now.
Doesn't matter if our Independence was a chance, carefully planned by the US and UK together (mental slavery instead of physical slavery) or it came about due to the violent and non-violent movements by our freedom fighters. However, it is interesting to note that a lot of countries "won" their "independence" in between the years of 1947 to 1950.
There are those who are quick to criticize Gandhi, often blaming him for the creation of Pakistan. I am intrigued by this blame and hatred towards a person who also gave the world a fabled and almost impossible principle of doing things the non-violent way. Are we so morally pure to judge someone else's actions? And does morality give you a divine right to judge people? And what good can ever come out of it? Are we looking for heroes embedded in the pristine garb of perfection? Is Modi a hero? Can't we be human, and accept others as humans, too, and learn to appreciate the little good that people once in a while do? Or will we ignore Valmiki's Ramayana and Kamban Ramayana and focus on his days of being a ruthless, immoral pirate?
History has given us reasons to hate ourselves and wonder if we are really capable of unspeakable horror and inhumanity. And there are some people who have shown us that may be, we can control our choices, and once a while apologize for our mistakes, and try and do one simple good thing. So will we judge Nelson Mandela for two marriages? Gandhi, for his womanizing? Or creation of Pakistan? Or can we learn to appreciate the little good that comes out of humans once a while and try and become like that, or perhaps, even better? No, we cannot do that. Because that's the hard part. To change our own selves, and to turn the other cheek. Criticism and hatred has always been easy. Especially when History is also reduced to meaning, perception, interpretation and influence. Bringing the other person down is always easy. It frees one from the burden of admitting the good, and following it too.
That's exactly what Congress is doing right now, too, isn't it? Judging Baba Ramdev, Kiran Bedi and Anna Hazare, simply because they are asking the Prime Minister's Office to be accountable. I am aware that the Lokpal Bill isn't entirely a rational one in its entirety. However, it's basic aim is to reduce corruption. That's the big picture. So why isn't the Government stepping forward and improvising on it, rather than pointing fingers as to who's more corrupt? Hasn't the Government lost enough face already?
It's the height of superficiality when Celebrities are interviewed about the Bomb Blasts that tear a city. These celebrities and starlets never take the train back home, or stand in bus-stops, awaiting their ride back home. They are the ones vacationing in London (Hell, even that's not safe now) and the rest of the world, yet they are called to comment about what they thought of the blasts. Why? Because they'll tell you they condone it, and it was all a bad thing, etc. but if you would ask the people, the media and the government are going to receive a strong response. Because these people have lost limbs, or an earning member perhaps. And they would demand accountability, or worse still, justice.
It's the height of superficiality when MBAs talk about hitting the double digit industrial growth percentile. Corporate India (Tatas and Ambanis) tell FM Pranab Mukherjee that they need more "independence" and "incentives" if they are to compete with China. The thing about China is that it was the first nation in the world that came out with the concept of a SEZ (Special Economic Zone) and vowed to support the smaller industrial units. These SMEs, who started off on small incentives from the Chinese Government are the ones who are playing it large. Cut back to the scenario at the SMEs in India: most of them are planning to shut down. Why? Because their contracts are being given to huge companies who have foreign venture capital assistance, and who have the money to lobby and "please" the Government Officials. The Corporate India today can buy almost anything: natural resources from any corner of the planet, or even a seat in Rajya Sabha. Yet, they need more "incentives".
SMEs are planning to shut down operations, the farmers are also thinking of selling their lands and getting rid of the middle-men, gray markets and negligence of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for once and for all. These MBAs think that farmlands are a waste of a precious natural resource called "land" and Industries must be set up there, instead. Of course, they can go to malls to have their pizzas and lasagna; these are not grown directly from a farmer's land, are they? Instead, they are artificially produced in a laboratory somewhere. Or better still, they will tell you, we can always export grains from elsewhere. True, export the basic items, and then leave it to the Government to decide the pricing, and let the farmers or the poverty-stricken people beg, borrow or steal to afford it. And if these people happen to be in the Valley, in their desperation, they can always resort to the side-occupation of "terrorsim" like Kasab. That option is also made perennially available by the Government.
The concept of independence about a nation should always come from the individual. Are we free yet, from day-to-day corruption, lacunae of our own morality and attitude. I think am not. Can we strive to better our own selves by thinking of the good deeds of world leaders, saints and philosophers? Can we walk on their principles, or better still, improvise on them? Can we forgive each other's imperfections and mistakes and intentional harms done unto us? Can we be compassionate? Can we adopt a village or a family in a village, a native village, visit them once in 4-5 months, and help them in any way we can? Can we step out to think about others' welfare, too, even in such desperate times? Can we lead by example? Can we change for the better?
If we succeed in doing some good deeds, irrespective of the magnitude, but fierce in intensity of our own will to do it, we can celebrate our own personal independence a year from now.
