A few days ago we celebrated the completion of 64 years of our independence and that got me thinking...are we truly free?? Why do I say that? Are we not the modern India...advanced in space and nuclear research, an emerging world power and a country force to be reckoned with??? True...but when this is all juxtaposed with the fight against corruption and all the other signs of a non emerging power it makes me really wonder.
Why are we tuned the way we are...the government so lacklustre...our political system filled with loopholes...citizens who are not willing to take a chance to make a difference. I believe the Anna Hazare campaign came as a breath of fresh air in the otherwise arid desert of public opinion. The sheer numbers by which we responded to his call physically and virtually was a refreshing change. Corruption is not the only taint in our acquired freedom that I see. This morning while going through the newspaper I came across an article about a village in Tamil Nadu which still discriminates between high caste and the dalits. Apparently the dalits can't ride a bicycle on any high caste street (whatever that is) I mean which century are we in??
During my trip to the UK I was seething when I saw some of the riches that we had lost. Looking back at some of our history I really wonder...were we ready for the freedom that we had fought and won? Look at some of those countries which gained freedom from the British years later...Singapore, Malaysia, even a city like Hongkong...technologically advanced, civic sensed, still rich with their culture...but we in India? Growth in bits and spurts but abounding in wealth in the hands of a few....rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer, bad roads, taxes going berserk but no actual action from it to improve civic amenities..WHERE ARE WE???
Time to wake up India and by that I mean the citizens of India...the campaign against corruption was just a squabble which we had won. We still have battles to win, wars to win, World Wars to wage if we ever want to be a truly developed nation. I'm proud to be an Indian, I'm proud about it's rich and varied heritage but I'm not proud about everything that we have to fight for...0% citizens who are below the poverty line, a health scheme to be reckoned with, better roads which don't wither away at the slightest sign of a drizzle, better drainage system...Oh the list is endless...Is this a new beginning? Can I see a light at the end of the tunnel? I'm keeping my hopes up that dreams can become reality....and soon!!
