A Patriotic Feeling- The Forsaken Independence

It’s a bright sunny morning. Ram, a 10 year old boy wakes up at 6:00 AM. Takes bath, has breakfast and all set to attend the independence celebrations at his school. As he has already informed his parents about it the previous day, his parents keep ready things for his programmes at school. Ram takes part in March fast and drill. Completes them successfully and brings smiles to his parents.

His parents belong to lower middle class family, with a meager income to manage monthly expenses. Despite their struggle, like all parents, they want to provide good education to their only son and have great dreams about him.

As years go by, Ram graduates with flying colors and he is OFF to USA leaving his ailing parents back home. He marries and settles down in USA. As his wife is also working, he hardly finds time to visit India. Festivals are celebrated by doing Google search and checking that so and so exist. One day he is working late night in office for his counterpart in UK.

Its night 10PM and he is all set to leave home after a tiring day when he sees the date displaying 15th August. He goes back home and tells his son that its independence day. But the son is totally confused.

Seeing the confused look on his son's face,

Ram: Son, what are u thinking?

Son: Have u gone mad, today is not independence day..

Ram: No dear. It’s 15th August. It’s our independence day.

Son: No papa, July 4th is our independence day. It’s written in my text book and my Maam taught me the same. We already celebrated Independence Day in school a month ago.

This situation of a family is very similar to the situation our country is today. Our ancestors shed their youth and blood so that the next generation can enjoy independence.

But as youngsters what are we doing today?

On educational front:

Nehru set up the prestigious Indian Institute of technologies so that there are world class engineers created every year and they can make India a super power technologically. The engineers shall become tomorrow’s entrepreneurs and make a road to innovation and invention of products.

But the scene at campus recruitments of IITs is completely different with every lad aiming for multinational offers. With higher reservation and entry of highly coached students rather than highly intelligent students, IITs are losing their charm year after year.

Its not just IITs.. Its dream of every software engineer to work in MNC, use his brain to make better products for a foreign country. If fortunate settle down in developed country instead of struggling with the problems of infrastructure, corrupt government and so on In India.

On the medical front too, the scenario is not very different. Government hospitals have lost all the trust of good treat with middle class people. So private doctors are more in demand. In the name of scanning, all sorts of unwanted tests are made to make use of the highly priced imported equipment and drill the pocket hole of patients.

The scenario with other fields is still worse where it is a struggle to maintain a decent standard of living with inflation of 8% every year.

Only the fortunate ones are business men who hardly pay taxes and create a virtual demand for their products. These people are hardly caught by the income tax people.

The forgotten part is sports where it is only accessible to fortunate few in cities.

Independent India wakes up with high spirit only during cricket matches. The loss at Olympics and various international sport events will be entertained with “Sab chalta hai” attitude. With few medals, trophies here and there, we easily go in to our comfort zones. Then where is the question of excellence??

On Agricultural front:

It’s been 66 years since independence and we are still not self-sufficient. Come June, July, August- Newspapers will have information about farmers suicide.India shining moment, The Super power India has a grey side of not able to feed its own people. Over to these issues, there is much publicized debate on FDI in retail to help farmers. Are these really helping farmers? Is the monopoly of foreign brands the only solution?

On Social front:

Gone are the days when children of neighborhood play together, fight together.

Celebrations at home are never complete without neighbors visit. But now the scene is completely reverse. Materialistic India is giving rise to a new social phenomenon - the apathy. With the land space price shrinking, real estate price sky rocketing, apartments are the only choice left even for the citizens of upper middle class. The residents in these apartments hardly know each other. Where is the time and energy to celebrate festivals with nuclear families and dual earnings? Forget the celebrations; the residents do not even help each other at the time of emergency.

Couples need the much awaited holiday of 15th august so that they can hang out in always attractive malls, binge on high calorie food.

Is this called a raise in standard of living? Does this signify a good quality of life?

Times are changing as in the family of Ram where the younger generation does not connect to the struggles of older generation in the name of "Freedom" of choice, expression. Ram’s parents certainly would not have thought of the day when Ram leaves them and lives thousands of miles away. Similarly our ancestors would not have dreamt of adulterated young generation in the name of developed independent India...