I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is.
She replied: I want to live in a developed India.
For her, you and I will have to build this developed India. You must
proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed
nation.
Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance. Got 10
minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours.
YOU say that our government is inefficient.
YOU say that our laws are too old.
YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage.
YOU say that the phones don't work, the railways are a joke,
The airline is the worst in the world, mails never reach their
destination.
You say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute
pits.
YOU say, say and say.
What do YOU do about it?
Take a person on his way to Singapore.
Give him a name? YOURS.
Give him a face? YOURS.
YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best.
In Singapore you don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the
stores.
YOU are as proud of their Underground Links as they are. You pay $5
(approx. Rs.60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim
Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM.
YOU comeback to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have
over-stayed, identity. In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU? YOU
wouldn't dare to eat in public during Ramazan, in Dubai.
YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah. YOU
would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at
10 pounds (Rs.650) a month to, "see to it that my STD and ISD calls are
billed to someone else."
YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then
tell the traffic cop, "Jaanta hai main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?).
I am so and so's son. Take your two bucks and get lost."
YOU wouldn't chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage
pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand. Why don't YOU spit Paan
on the streets of Tokyo? Why don't YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake
certificates in Boston????? We are still talking of the same YOU.
YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but
cannot in your own. You who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road
the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and
appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here
in India?
Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal Commissioner of Bombay, Mr.
Tinaikar, had a point to make. "Rich people"s dogs are walked on the
streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place," he said.
"And then the same people turn around to criticize and blame the
authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What do they expect the
officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dog feels the
pressure in his bowels? In America every dog owner has to clean up after
his pet has done the job. Same in Japan. Will the Indian citizen do that
here?" He's right. We go to the polls to choose a government and after
that forfeit all responsibility. We sit back wanting to be pampered and
expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is
totally negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not
going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop
to pick a up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We
We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to
learn the proper use of bathrooms. We want Indian Airlines and Air India
to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop
pilfering at the least opportunity. This applies even to the staff who is
known not to pass on the service to the public.
When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry,
girl child and others, we make loud drawing room protestations and
continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse? "It's the whole system
which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my son's rights
to a dowry." So who's going to change the system? What does a system
consist of? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbours, other
households, other cities, other communities and the government. But
definitely not me and YOU.
When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system
we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into
the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr. Clean to come along
& work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the
country and run away. Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to
America to bask in their glory and praise their system. When New York
becomes insecure we run to England. When England experiences unemployment,
we take the next flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we
demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government. Everybody
is out to abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system.
Our conscience is mortgaged to money.
Dear Indians, the article is highly thought inductive, calls for a great
deal of introspection and pricks one's conscience too?.. I am echoing J.F.
Kennedy's words to his fellow American to relate to Indians?. "ASK WHAT WE
CAN DO FOR INDIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE INDIA WHAT AMERICA AND
OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY " Lets do what India needs from us.
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