Care Not for Thy Future, Care for Youngsters’!
No, I am not here to talk about ozone layers or terrorism. This blog post refers to our dream. I am writing about the dream our forefathers had seen while setting this nation free from the shackles of British demons. Do we even care about making a future of our nation what it deserves? We always talk of our mother nation, how great this country is and what not. Are we doing enough to make our youngsters be proud of us?
I am neither left nor right. Not even center. Just a human being trying to express what I see in my day-to-day life. Can I speak, sirs? Do I still have right to express myself? Am I still independent in 2015?
Men and women had to lay down their lives back in the century to bring us the freedom. The freedom where we can talk, shout and argue. We have forgotten the freedom of compassion though. The days in Kendriya Vidyalaya where I spent my childhood learning, one thing which was etched in my mind for being a good citizen was the morning pledge. I took pledge all those years which said – “All Indians are my brothers and sisters”, it never said – “All Hindus are my brothers and sisters”, it never said – “All other religions are a burden on my country”. But then why so many of my friends who would have taken similar pledge are behaving so differently today. Has our education gone down the drain? Who has taught us more? Politicians? Characters of hatred? Where is the compassion?
I am a Hindu by faith and my religion or any of the mantras during my any of sanskars on several occasions never said – you have to hate other religions to prove worthy of your faith. Lord Rama or Hanuman or Krishna never asked men to save them or their religion. But let’s keep religion separate because if pundits or fake yogis are reading this, they would love to manipulate interpretation of some of the Veda’s content to prove me wrong. Anyway, I am neither a religious preacher.
To talk about science, while a man can use electricity to cook a man’s food or cook a man too. Depends on usage. Similarly, religion has been a tool for hate mongers to use it in their own ways to spread lies and hatred among humanity. While I am referring to science I must say, if you are able to read this post, you must be literate enough to understand basic science and its usefulness in our day-to-day life. Yes, that computer in your lap or on your table, that smartphone in your hand. That’s a boon of science. If science has made society a better place, how can we use it to go beyond horizons? If Bertrand Piccard’s Solar Impulse has taken a full round of world without fuel in 2015, it is science.
When I turn to social media or news channels, everyone is debating on politics, murders and other’s tolerance levels. Where are we up to? Where is Indian society going? While a 44-year-old Elon Musk born in South Africa is making it big in the United States, you can argue about our own Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella. They all would have got such environment or some would have struggled to become what they are. Can we make that struggle easy?
How can a student focus on general knowledge if day-to-day life is full of so much filth and hatred? A student who must be asking questions on science, commerce, and arts is now participating in hatred sessions, asking people about their religions. Because our society is on that way. A sales and marketing director of one MNC commented on my Facebook post trying to preach me why should we be wary of other religions, along with this he quoted me as “an educated fool” responsible for all the wrong happening with this nation. I agree I am the one fool who asks questions, or questions those who are red-handed. I should have accepted silently whatever happened. No, but my education doesn’t teach me that. It makes me a free thinker and compassionate person. I know most of you out there are/were free thinkers, but if you keep your mouth mum on every time nuisance is created, you are no less than a wrongdoer because this country’s future is in your hands too. If you don’t care for your own future, please do care for your younger generation. A generation learns from its elder ones, see what we are teaching them – Killing humanity. No brotherhood. Religious differences and hatred.
Hatred will lead to the end of civilization in this very nation where civilization started once across Indus valley. You, whosoever you are, you should care. You play games all day or you run business all day – you’ll have to care and we all will have to care. Rise above religion and politics. Voice your opinion, raise voice against wrongdoers. You are one of the kings of this Loktantra. Work for future and become an example for youngsters. Be a hero for them. Be an Elon Musk or Satya Nadella or Sundar Pichai or Kailash Satyarthi or Sania Mirza or Saina Nehwal or Kalpana Chawla or Mary Kom or Priyanka Chopra or Chanda Kochar or Indira Nooyi or Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. Be someone to look up to. I am not saying become someone else, be yourself but be an example for those who’ll look towards you in future. Be the one who cares for a nation, not just a religion.
India is India because it didn’t choose to become Pakistan in 1947. So let it be an India. All men and women irrespective of their faith/religions must and will be respected equally. If someone tries to paint a picture otherwise, he/she is a traitor. Not the others who raise voice against them. That was a huge preachy stuff. Wasn’t it! Though it was from the heart.
Guest Post, written By Raman Kumar
The author is a digital marketing enthusiast with interests in social and political issues. He has been writing about freedom of speech, political intolerance & social issues and believes that discussions lead to awareness, which can be transformed into actions to further shape society and future of the nation. To read more from him you can visit: The Purple Street
[The views expressed are of the Individual author]