Seventy years ago the cynical rule of the British ended and it was the new dawn for India. Dawn of Independence. Dawn of Freedom. Struggle was hard and Goal was very far away. After 70 years India is now a major power in the world. Economic giant and fastest growing country. But still when we look through this years we must ask to ourselves are we really independent now?
In my opinion we aren’t! Still today to some extent or to much extent we are the mental slaves of the Brits. I have many reasons to say that. The long sinister British Rule has had so much impact on our culture and minds that we haven’t revived the essence of Indian civilization and culture. People still don’t recognize themselves as children of Mohenjodaro the oldest and greatest civilization of the world. Thomas Babington, first Baron Macaulay introduced western Culture and Education System in India. And taking into consideration the present system, he has surely succeeded. One of them was introduction of the English Language.
I surely have no doubt that English proficiency gives us edge over other countries while dealing with the western world. But my dissent is with English being used as a measure of someone’s intelligence and knowledge. India’s obsession with the British culture is evergreen and it continues to flourish.I have no objection on the love for this culture neither do I criticize it. My objection is to the stupid comparison of the two cultures and imposition of the British Culture by some or today may be many ‘Brown Sahibs’.
Moreover, the imposition of British oriented western principles is unjustified and wrong. Sanskrit, the mother of all languages originated in this land is forgotten and so are the epics and texts in this language. Till today formals mean suite, tie and shoes and not the Khadi. A person’s value and status is judged upon his clothes and his language. And if it is even slightly similar to the western style he is celebrated. India has seen a vast growth in almost every sector but still today we are mental slaves of Colonial rule with the spectacles of British Mindset and principles.
