I believe in a robust democracy. One where, there is an honest appraisal of the Government’s performance by the opposition and one where, the freedom of speech and expression is absolute. But for that to happen, the citizens of that democracy should collectively move towards the welfare of the country rather than political, religious or any other self serving bias clouding their judgement. There are absolutely no two ways about it. The freedom to demand a constitutional right comes with the duty of respecting that constitution in the first place.
For the past year and a half, our country has witnessed a spate of protests, communal violence and rioting with people from various walks of life, whether they are college going youngsters or old nannys, participating in the literal abuse of our constitutional processes. While blatantly ignoring the injury to the rights of other citizens of the country, these people have been demanding their constitutional rights be upheld. Whether it was the CAA protests, the Delhi Riots following it or the present farmer protests, that resulted in the insult to our national flag on our Republic Day from our Nation’s capital, they followed a clear pattern of blatant disregard to the laws of the country.
I am not going to speak about the politicians, who have squeezed every bit from these protests for their own political agendas, nor will I speak about the protesters, who have been misled by various vested interests including the aforementioned politicians. I don’t have a problem with either of them. What I do have a problem is with the woke generation of this country. It is hightime that this generation wakes up from its idealistic and utopian idea of the society and look at what is happening on the ground before blindly associating with causes that are destroying the so called rights they think they are upholding. Right from the time, the Azaadi slogans have been raised to the day when an almost insurrection happened on the ramparts of Redfort, there has been a concerted effort by vested interests in creating unrest in this country over absolutely nothing.
Take for example the current farm laws that seems to have upset a lot of farmers and from whose shoulders the vested interests are again trying to create unrest. Before we jump on the farmer bandwagon, I want the educated and the Woke generation to understand the plight of the farmers and whether the present laws alleviate their pain and suffering. For almost 70 years since independence, the Indian farmer has been getting poorer and poorer inspite of being in a position to feed the country. Why has it been like that? Are the APMC Mandis and the MSP’s actually making any difference to their lives? Has the Indian farmer been in a position to innovate and succeed? These are just some of the questions one needs to ask before looking at the laws themselves.
I believe in the ability of our educated to actually make a difference. Don’t go by what I have written here. Look at the problems facing the Indian farmer with an open mind and then look at the laws that have been passed to give them a level playing field bereft of middlemen. The very fact that neither could the protesters in CAA nor those in the Farmers agitation could point out what is black about the laws and only want a repeal without a reason should make us understand that the intent is to disrupt and not discuss to find a solution. I haven’t spoken in depth about all the benefits accruing out of these farm laws or the CAA before that or the many other reforms undertaken by the present government.
The answer to the present malaise effecting our country is education. And by that I mean the educated amongst us taking up the responsibility of being socially aware and educating those under the misguided notion about the laws. It is not such a difficult task considering the fact that we will be doing this country a great service by helping in building of a robust democracy we all so love to see. Let us not let the hatred that we might harbour for a person or a party manifest itself into a destructive cancer to the country. Whether Disha Ravi, a supposedly young 21 year old climate activist is guilty of sedition or not, one cannot condone her actions and have to bemoan the education that she has been imparted. When an educated young girl feels that there is no humanity left in this country anymore simply because a person she doesn’t like is the Prime Minister of this country, then there is something seriously wrong in our education system, which is producing absolute dimwits.
If 1000 years of invasions, loot, plunder and occupations could not kill the humanity of this great nation, can one person sitting in the chair of the Prime Minister kill it? Are we as a nation so bereft of morality? After hearing a young girl, that the liberal media constantly refers to as the 21 year old climate activist, speak with such hatred and venom against her own country and her own people, it begs a lot of questions about her education. Does she believe that her parents are inhumane too because they apparently support BJP? Where is she getting her information from? Does she not realise that she is shaming her country and its people in front of those, who tried to and are still trying to, control us? Has her education made her such a dimwit that she doesn’t realise that her personal bias is making her act against her own country? And that is why I say, it is time for the educated amongst us to take the time to explain the history of our great nation minus all the Nehruvian liberal whitewashing to the younger generation. The kids of today surely need to understand their history better so that more don’t become like Disha Ravi and spew venom against their own country and countrymen and women in their hatred towards one man.
For our democracy to survive and for us to make our place in the new world order post the pandemic it is the duty of every citizen, whose heart beats for this country to make informed choices and educate those around us to make informed choices. Let’s not let the hatred for a man or a party tear the very moral fabric of our great nation. Let us all stand up to be counted as a part of a robust and vibrant democracy. None of us would want to live in the chaos that was our bane for the past 65 years.
We have moved on from it. We have twice elected a Government with overwhelming majority. That speaks volumes about how much we have come forward as a nation. Let us not falter when the victory line is in front of us. Speak about the laws, the Government’s performance and the situation of this country. But speak only after understanding things with an open mind. Again I reiterate this is not a clarion call to support a party or its idealogy. This is a wake up call to our citizens to be vigilant and keep national interest above one’s own prejudices. If one thing Disha Ravi’s case should teach us, it is that our so called educated young generation have a lot to learn. Let’s not let that malaise destroy this country!!! Jai Hind!!!
