‘HAPPY NEW YEAR'
By
J.L. Gupta
India was once known as the golden sparrow. It was the land of milk and honey. There was no poverty. No crime. The people were Vishnupraja.The incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
The stories that I heard as a child from my grandmother appeared like fairy tales from a fable book. However, a trip to London cleared some of thedoubts. A visit to the Tower of London showed that the Kohinoor Diamond, a very precious and rare diamond that belongs to India was kept there underimpenetrable security and constant surveillance. And then a local tour took me to the Windsor Palace. It showed that expensive items from different parts of India that included furniture made of sterling silver with pure silk upholstery were adorning the royal abode.
Clearly, the Rulers of the day had got our wealth. The fact that even after more than sixty years of our attaining independence, the number of thepoor has increased lends credence to the story that our wealth has gone tothe Swiss Banks. Surely, India and its poverty should make an interesting case for study.
Today, this nation of more than a billion people faces a crisis of character. A devaluation of values. There is red tape. Allegations of corruption even at the level of leaders. Resultantly, the nation’s face is scarred with a large number of scams and scandals. The Slums mar the lookof various cities and towns. The people despair of the ills that ail the nation.
But today is the New Year’s Day. It is a day for new resolutions. Wemust ring out the old and ring in 2014, the year of election, on a positive note. Let us usher in the New Year with a hope of change for the better. For the present, let us rejoice in the thought that our scientists have made us a member ‘of the select nuclear club’; that our satellites are circling the outer space. And then, this nation has produced two immortals in one generation – Gandhi and Patel. Such a nation has indeed nothing to despair of.
So, this nation of more than a billion has a lot to hope for. Hopefully,in the coming year, those who have brought the people to the state of doom and gloom shall go. The voiceless Manmohan Singh shall make way for aperson who has a bone in the back; can hear and speak. The Congress shall be dethroned by the common man. And then, the policy paralysis that has befallen this country shall end.
Let us resolve that each one of us can do some good by being good. However, a mass of men, especially when the majority is uneducated, cannot improve unless they have a role model. In the recent past, Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri was the leader who led by example. His actions were legally correct and morally right. Thus, he was a model. His word carried weight. When he asked people to miss a meal or restrict the number of dishes and guests at marriages or other functions, the people honoured his word and faithfully followed the instructions.
Hopefully, 2014 shall mark the dawn of a new era! The billion people shall find a good leader to lead. Under his leadership, the country may recover some of its lost glory. Happy New Year!
Lets all pledge to make this world and our nation, a better place.
ReplyDeletePrashant ji,
DeleteI want to be a better Indian first in order to “make this world and our nation a better place”. Since you are encouraging "all" to pledge but did not suggest what it could be. In that respect, may I suggest a well-known list of patriotic pledges from which one can choose from:
• I will abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem;
• I will cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom;
• I will uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;
• I will defend my country from any external aggression;
• I will promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of different faiths and culture and abjure violence against the minority groups;
• I will be respectful to the dignity of women and protect children from abuses;
• I will protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, to have compassion for living creatures;
• I will develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;
• I will reject bribery and raise voice against corruption, corrupt officials and politicians;
• I will reject any politician and the political party that promotes breakup of our nation's cohesiveness by advancing concepts such as establishing Hindu Bharat, Khalistan, Islamic Khilafat, etc.;
• I will strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement.
Over the years on patriotic level I am fulfilling successfully some of the abovementioned pledges but have also failed in keeping many. I pledge to continue striving this year where I failed last year.
Best wishes for 2014, Salam and Jai Hind
AMEN.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to Uncleji and the readers.
The article is a reality check. It also instills hope and faith in the future of India. Here is to the health of our country and the able men like the writer that maketh our nation great! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteConsidering that it is a time of pledges and resolutions (hopefully not made to be broken), we need to resolutely resolve to progress despite all odds. It is with an overwhelming sense of awe that one reflects on the esteemed history of our nation. It is time to realise and live up to this grand and majestic culture that we possess. We after all cannot let our future generations down.
ReplyDeleteHopeful and Happy New Year!
Uncle, this is what every Indian is hoping for. But miracles do not happen by themselves. The people have to resolve that they will be the change they wish to see. Only then things will change. The signs are good. I hope we end this year with many positive changes. Amen!
ReplyDelete