Bhagat Singh 27 September 1907 – 23 March 1931

The Government is busy, and they do not see any need to do chamcha-giri for our departed freedom fighters. They also do not need to bother about inflation, scamsters and other sundry problems. Of course if today were the birthday of any one of the Gandhi-Nehru clan the newspapers would have been full of Birthday wishes and such like stuff.

Today is the birthday of Bhagat Singh. I feel that our freedom fighters were full of idealism, patriotism and perhaps the history of our nation would have been different had they come into power. Of course the rationalist and cynic me also wonders if it would have been better or worse ….. Romantic rebels do not make good pragmatic leaders.

I admire Bhagat Singh for his patriotic spirit, zeal and idealism. He, to me, represents a beautiful dream that India has yet to achieve. Shine on superstar, wherever you are ….

Mera Rang De Basanti Chola Rang De Rang De
Rang De Basanti Chola Maiye Rang De
Mera Rang De Mera Rang De

Nikle Hai Veer Jiya Le Yun Apna Seena Taane
Has Has Ke Jaan Loota Ne Azad Savera Laane
Marke Kaise Jeete Hai Is Duniya Ko Batlana
Tere Lal Chale Hai Maiye Ab Teri Laaj Bachane
Marke Kaise Jeete Hai Is Duniya Ko Batlana
Tere Lal Chale Hai Maiye Ab Teri Laaj Bachane
Azadi Ka Shola Banke Khoon Rago Mein Dola
Mera Rang De
Mera Rang De Basanti Chola Maiye Rang De

I have followed a very simple thumb rule in life. Of course its got me into trouble, its also earned me a lot of joy and love.

The thumb rule is this:

1. Think from your heart (I know, I know, my brain isn’t there, but it works for me)

2. Say things without thinking them over (Popularly termed as foot-in-mouth-itis)

3. Apologizing unrestrained-ly when I realize that I have hurt a person I did not mean to hurt ( Normally happens when the kids kick self-absorbed me in the shins ouch!)

4. Generally staying true to my conscience i.e. praising what is good and raising my voice against what I think is wrong.

5. Always reminding myself I wasn’t born to win a popularity contest (I am not a politician or a cine diva so I can get away with it)

Now I am fifty plus and I think I have got my act together, but some things really get my goat!

I put this as my status message on Facebook

At least Lalit Modi and IPL did not shame us like Kalmadi and Co.

and this on Twitter and Buzz

In any other country Suresh Kalmadi would be held and prosecuted for treason.

And I get this message on my phone

Avoid negative comments about CWG at this point on social networks as many foreigners read this

Hello, I am angry. I will speak out – the whole damn country has been taken for a ride by some inept and corrupt bunch of jokers. People in power are shifting blame. These guys have undone all the hard work done by the common man. People have gone abroad and won a reputation for being hard working and intelligent. People in this country have worked hard (no not the leaders but the common man). Yes, progress in our country has happened in spite of our politicians and leaders. You and me and our neighbors and co-workers have done it. Our money has been robbed and we have been shamed.

Keep silent? No I can’t.

Why shouldn’t I speak out?

Rant over!

I am proud to be an Indian. I say this in all sincerity, I have seen my childhood in the early sixties, which was rather simple. That was a time when we scarcely had a car in the neighborhood, the streets were empty most of the time and had two wheelers driven by men without helmets. I don’t remember streetlights. People who had refrigerators could be counted on your fingers and our teachers used to implore the fortunate ones to take fellow class mates to our homes to show them one. That was the India I knew. It had homespun philosophy. A sales man came to our neighbor’s place to sell pressure cookers. She pointed at her cook and said “I apply pressure, he cooks”.

We have had sixty three years of independence. India has progressed a lot materially. We have a life of ease and comfort that was only found in Vilayat or Amreeka (England or America). We still have strong bonds with our family, we have not lost our connection with our culture, though we are strongly engaged in the pursuit of the materialistic. I have always felt that this is not bad for a young nation. I got into an argument with Bikram.  I took exception to his blog post which I felt was India bashing.  We got on chat and we discussed my reservations to his post.  Then I re-read his post, which, I have to admit has a lot of truth.  He said, “Ritu bhen, Japan and Germany were smashed to bits during the world war and are far ahead of us now”.  I agree.  I also feel that China is bigger than us and has coped much better with population and progress.  So what ails us?

I recently was a judge for Blogadda’s Mera Bharat Mahan Contest, and I saw how much good work young idealists were doing for the country.  We make our nation, I believe that.  In my own way, I do social service for the nation too.  But let us push this further – we need quid pro quo.

WE ARE DOING A LOT FOR THE NATION, SINCE WE ARE EARNING PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY

SOME OF US ARE DOING SOCIAL SERVICE IN THEIR SPARE TIME TOO

MOST OF US GIVE TO CHARITY

John F Kennedy may have said

“Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”

But after 63 years of independence, we will not be out of line to demand a quid pro quo from our country and its leaders – who we have elected in a lawful and democratic way

I would like to rephrase John F Kennedy’s quote

I as a citizen of the largest working democracy would like to ask our beloved nation,

My India, My India’s Leaders,

what are you doing to inspire us to do more for the country

We Indians are a verbose lot, we talk and argue so much.  But many of our youth go and clean rivers, clean beaches, many of us die for the nation.  So we act too.  I think what we need is accountability from our country and its leaders.

I love my country and want to see it at the top.