- India, the 7nd largest country by area with 1200 million people across the nation making it 2nd populated country in the world.
- India invented the number system. Zero was
invented by Aryabhatta.
- Chess (Shataranja or
AshtaPada) was invented in India.
- India has the second largest
pool of Scientist and Engineers in the World.
- India is the largest English
speaking nation in the world.
- India is the only country other
than US and Japan, to have built a super computer indeigenously.
- Martial Arts were first
created in India, and later spread to Asia by Buddhist missionaries.
- Yoga has its origins
in India and has existed for over 5,000 years.
- Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus are studies,
which originated in India.
- India exports software to 90 countries.
- India is
the secular country with diversity of people from different
background, caste, color and creed.
You must be feeling Proud to be an Indian reading so many facts about India. But let me tell you, I am not.
The title is a question actually. “Am I Proud to be an Indian?”
These were the facts which we used to hear while growing up. Now, if we look at present scenario, there are much more reasons for not feeling Proud to be an Indian. I'll keep the post limited to 3 facts only.
First one. Unity in Diversity
“Hind Desh ke niwasi
sabi jan ek hai.. Rang roop wesh bhasa.. sare anek hai”
We the citizens of India are all one despite the variety of color, lifestyle, language.
The words in the poem have lost their importance. It has
just become another poem to be sung on patriotic day. The Unity in Diversity is no more. All I can
see today is a person from one state is being mobbed by other people from the
state in which they are residing. A particular person can only rent an
apartment only when they belong to their community.
Second one.
Democracy.
We live in a country of great democracy, where the constitution was
made with the motto - to the people, by the people and for the people. Which
people are they talking about? Democracy is for the people, by the people and
to the people. Not when you are requesting an ex-President not to run for
election again and making their own Govt. Do they even know the meaning of
democracy? Or they just don’t want to follow any law and order by themselves
and will make an amendment as and when required so that the so-called-democracy
will not die brutally.
As I started developing my thinking
skills, I found the present is awful, more awful than it was when we were under
British Rule. Although, they looted India financially but they developed India
architecturally. What I see today is,
not only we are being looted financially but our basic rights are being
snatched away, which is my third point.
Third Reason. Right of freedom/speech.
Should I feel proud
when the right of freedom of women is tormented is forced by a group of mentally retarded maniacs and
actions were taken against the culprits only when people raised their voice and
blocked the road. Or should I feel proud when the people who are entitled to
save us are into silly fights of whether their action for taking her to a
distant hospital was justified or not. Or should I feel proud when a person is
put behind the bars when he said/draw an image of the current govt. Or should I
feel proud when a whistleblower, an RTI in India is being gunned down the goons
against whom he/she has raised his/her voice.
No, I don’t feel proud to be the
part of this shameless society anymore. And why is it happening. Because we
don’t know our rights effectively. We have a Right to Vote. You all know that.
And, how many people know that they a Right
of No Vote too.
Did you know that there is a system
in our constitution, as per the 1961 act, in section "49-O" that a
person can go to the polling booth, confirm his identity, get his finger marked
and convey to the presiding election officer that he doesn't want to vote
anyone! Yes such a feature is available, but obviously these seemingly
notorious leaders have never disclosed it. This is called exercising the right
to “NO VOTE” and under section "49-O" . Why should you go and say
"I VOTE NOBODY"... because, in a constituency or ward, if a candidate
wins, say by 123 votes, and that particular ward has received "124"
“NO” votes, then polling will be cancelled and will have to be re-polled.
This would bring fear into parties
and hence look for genuine candidates for their parties for election. This
would change the way; of our whole political system. it is seemingly surprising
why the election commission has not revealed such a feature to the public.
We have the power to change our
nation. And, what we really do. We vote
for the person from our ward or from our locality. And then we blame govt. Have
we ever blamed ourselves for not choosing the correct person? Have we ever
blamed ourselves for not casting our votes.
Be the change you want to see in
the world. Till then, I am not proud to be an Indian. I am not. And still.. Are you??
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