61 and counting…

India Flag

August 15th 2008… 61 years after a tryst with destiny, India is celebrating (yet again) a pseudo democratic ‘Independence Day’. Politicians would want us to believe that our biggest threat today is “Terrorism” or “Pakistan” or “China”. But a closer look would reveal that our own apathy towards this nation is what has caused the present state of affairs.

What is the present state of the nation you ask, well let me give you my view of India ‘Today’.

Today, India is on the road. Not on the road to development, but literally on the road, where the highest bidder or the one who can grease the hands of the politician the most, will win anything his heart desires and steer India in any direction that they see fit. The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, and the middle class are unhappy with where they are but don’t do anything about it. India is still taking baby steps in the fields of development. We are still coming to terms with ‘Nuclear Power Stations’, while other countries have started to look for alternative fuels to gasoline. We still dream of a decent stretch of road, while the rest of the world plans a ’skywalk’. In any field, India seems to be a mile away from what the world considers ‘the present standard’. What has happened to all those promises made by the politicians? What has happened to the billions that was invested?

How did the politicians get away with this deception? For starters, they make us fight each other. Hindus vs. Muslims, Sikhs vs. Christians, it doesn’t matter who fights who, and on what issue, as long as everyone is involved. If this doesn’t get the job done, then they start a war with our neighbors, our least favorite ones. Next, they use the ever successful ‘Westernization is against Indian culture’ card or the ever popular ‘Caste Quota’ card. These will make sure that they can knock off billions of dollars into their personal accounts, without even a squeak. What they plan to do with so much money, is their prerogative.

But sometimes they can get caught even after such a heavy camouflage. That’s why they actually do some good things. They con us into believing it as ‘progress/development’ and we sing praises to them. There are so many who know whats going on and want to do something about it, but don’t. They argue that when you step in to change the system, the system changes you. So, they take a backseat and view this ‘development’. There are some others, who actually step in to change all this. But they are either powerless to do anything, or are dealt with in the budding stage of change.

Lastly, there are people like me. I know what’s going wrong and I know where to start to correct it, but I console myself by saying make something of yourself first, then take up the fight for the country. And so, everyone watches as India is governed by corrupt, degenerate, perverse politicians who have made sure that they had their share before they take care of us. Our freedoms, our wishes, our dreams mean nothing to them and they will stoop as low as possible for their win.

This has been going on for the past 61 years and it seems that it will continue for some more time at-least. It will continue, until you and I decide to step into the sewer and clean it up. I know that I ain’t gonna do this soon. I will be off in a week, to an alien land to make a name for myself. I hope to return one day and take up the fight for ‘My India’.

Until then, Godspeed to all my predecessors.