Happy Republic Day?

“Happy Republic Day!” “Happy Independence Day!” – we tweet, share status updates on Facebook, attend our colony’s flag hoisting, games and  parties, and are back to our usual selves the next day. Flags lie strewn on the streets a day after every colony has patriotic songs blaring from rented loudspeakers. Our sense of patriotism gets deflated in less than a day.

What is achieved by celebrating Independence or Republic Day? At the national capital, the Prime Minister and the President speak hollow words; the government shows off our military prowess in parades when it can’t provide safety to its own citizens. Closer home, we attend parties which have nothing to do with talking about becoming responsible citizens after flag hoisting, play games and worst – liquor shops remain shut.

Google Doodle - Happy Republic Day

This Unity in Diversity is hurting us more than doing us good. The politicians are preying on pockets of caste, creed and religion and each community abandons the other when it gets what it wants. We gel well and accommodate each other but live as fragmented parts of society. We can’t take someone grievously injured on the street to the hospital for fear of a police enquiry on us. Cops, politicians, lawyers and government servants take more advantage of their power than use it to fulfil their duty – protect common man. Rapes, murders and other crimes are the order of the day. New infrastructure takes eons to build, and when done, they lie idle waiting for some minister to inaugurate. Each state has a separate history, separate Gods, taxes, festivals... how are we ever going to feel united?

Do we need Republic/Independence Day to organize sports competitions in our buildings? Can’t we do it on any given Sunday? Why waste these days having fun? Why not try to do something (at least on these days), that make us feel more Indian? Why not forget our caste, creed and more and look at ourselves as Indians first? Shouldn’t we stop differentiating on the basis of language? Ensure safety of people who live around us? Aid in spreading education so that reducing illiteracy will make a stronger India? Or would we rather prefer satire tweets and Facebook updates about how messed up our country is?

The time is not only now; it is always. If we want India to be better, we must start with ourselves. Make ourselves worthy to contribute to society. Then pay back to our motherland who has given us so much but is being raped repeatedly by politicians and the likes.

image courtesy: Google