Republic Day Essay / Republic Day Essay 2014
When Indians are getting ready to celebrate the 65th anniversary of India becoming a republic, in this Republic Day essay meant for students,I am trying to take a brief look at our current political culture in which selflessness, service-minded, and probity in public life are longer considered a virtue.
Republic Day Essay
The 63rd anniversary of India's becoming a republic is being celebrated on Jan 26 this year. This day in 1950, Indian Parliament adopted the Indian Constitution, elevating India to the status of a sovereign republic. This is not just a celebration like any other celebration. This is the celebration of the vision and sacrifices made by our founding fathers, depriving themselves the luxuries of normal life so that future generations can have a good life for themselves. This is the proudest of days for an Indian, a solemn occasion, to pay tributes to those great nationalists to whom we owe our freedom.
Having said that, let us take a short journey thru post-independent Indian political culture, particularly that of recent times, to know how unworthy we have become to the proud legacy of our great leaders, who had spearheaded the freedom movement. Our political leadership has become so indifferent and insensitive to the needs of the Indian people that bribery and corruption are thriving in the society. Edifices of democracy have become breeding centers of corruption, favoritism and nepotism. Courts that are meant for dispensing justice to citizens in an impartial and unbiased manner have now become havens for criminals and rapists. An unholy nexus between politicians, bureaucrats, business men and industrialists is eating into the vitals of our nation. The recent saga of mega scams that hit the headlines of the national media is reason enough for any patriotic Indian to feel concerned about the future of our nation. Destiny of this great nation is in the hands of a bunch of voracious, self-serving politicians and bureaucrats, who would sell out Mother India for a few crore rupees, or a fat deposit in Swiss banks. It is said that Indian tax evaders have stashed away about $460 billion in the Swiss banks. This money is enough to trigger economic growth in India that can wipe out poverty and unemployment from our soil. But a government with rock-hard determination and initiative is needed to take bold steps to realize this goal. When we look back, it is bewildering to find that the selflessness, service-mindedness and probity in public life that our founding fathers considered a virtue is no longer so in our society.
One of the major problems confronting India today is the terrorism from across the border. This trend is decades old, and is focused on the Kashmir issue. Now this terrorism has taken a new form. Inducements in the form of cash and other articles of luxury are offered to our susceptible youths to fight against the Indian nation. Enemy is now engaged in a proxy war . With the help of false religious propaganda and money, they are able to win over a section of our youths, prodding them to undertake activities that are detrimental to our country's progress. The Mumbai terrorist attack of 2008 is ample proof of the enemy's determination to strike at our nation's vital economic centres. Even senior political leaders are trying to confuse the issue by coming out with inappropriate statements that would only help sharp polarization in an already polarized society. Our national politicking has come to such a pass that for a few votes, these political leaders would go to any ridiculous length. Though India was able to attain substantial progress in the areas of science and technology, economic development, education, and industrial growth, terrorism negates those achievements, and takes the nation back by a few years. When we celebrate this republic day with patriotic songs and solemn oaths, it is important to remember that as citizens of this great Bharat, every one of us is duty-bound to uphold the true legacy of our national heroes like Mahatmaji, Bhagat Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad, Subhash Chandra Bose, Jawarharlal Nehru, and Sardar Patel.
After independence, the political leadership of that time had many choices to follow as to what should be the national character of India. They embraced the social, democratic, secular path. It is a tribute to the sagacity of the political leadership at that time. This choice enables citizens uphold their religious beliefs and live accordingly. It is unfortunate that this freedom is being abused by some sections of our people by playing into the hands of our enemy. Freedom comes with responsibility. There is a famous quote by Thomas Campbell, which says: "The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's tree." Many patriots' blood served as the seed for the freedom tree of India. Today there is no shortage of people ready to shed blood for their faith, but how many are there to sacrifice their lives for the cause of Mother India?
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