India after 60 years of independence: our roles and responsibilities

60^th Independent day, what a great feeling of being independent, all patriot shows and movies on television, play of national anthem, all people with tricolour flag etc. etc. and also discussion on gandhism on some news channel, relevance of old days principles in current situations and many more, but what on next day? Are these shows only to celebrate this day or does they have some impact on common people and more than that on so called great leaders of our country?

India is rising, we are listening this day and night, and yes we have lot more reasons to boast. Indian economy is growing by 9%, India is going toward to become the superpower, we are the major contender for permanent seat in Security Council of UN (United Nations), we have received the special privileged from USA as they concluded a nuclear deal with India in spite of being non signatory of NPT (Non Proliferation Treaty) and we are among six major nations who are doing great in space research and this list goes endless. Sound good when we see towards the achievements and we should feel proud also as nobody would have thought of this before August 15, 1947. This was due to the great vision of leaders and scientist of yesteryear who laid the foundation to become great country of future.

While going this, we often ignore the concerns of poor people who constitute more that 25% of total population of India. Still they are struggling for their daily bread, they have no idea of India rising, they are not interested if economy is rising by 9% or so because their situation has become worst now than before. They are not sure if they would be able to have their dinner if they don’t go to work on the same day.

India signed UN millennium goal to eradicate the poverty by 2015 yet our speed is very slow to hit the target. Though Indian government is trying very hard to achieve the above goal, one example can be sited here is NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) under which govt will provide minimum 100 days wages to rural people if they are unemployed, and on the same line many more example can be sited here, yet the major problem is of corruption. This is the only thing which has truly reached in to the root of India. We are one of the most corrupt countries in world and we can say that corruption is the major cause why most of the people are not able to avail the programs whatever is designed for betterment of common people. One can’t even think of getting his work done without paying any bribe. Someone if in government job then no one will ask about his salary, only thing which will be asked “Tumhari Upar Ki Income Kitne Hai?” This has become general perception of our people.

I think the major problem of corruption is our political system and this goes from top to bottom. As we know contesting an election in India need a huge sum of money, so when some political leader comes into power, first he will earn whatever he spent in the recent election and then will earn for the next election, now when our political executive will be corrupt then it’s quiet obvious for bureaucrats to become corrupt who take this to bottom of the system.

We take the loans from developed countries as well as from international financial institutions to do development work in our country and end up paying lot more interest for this loan while hardly 50% of money goes for real development and rest all in the pockets of various people who are the part of that system. Till we depend upon foreigner’s help for our development, our policy will be influenced by those guys and it’s tough to be independent while making as well as executing the policies and in indirect way tough to become superpower.

How long we would feel happy to see our country in the list of developing country while developed countries are developing more faster way than before by using our resources as well as talents?

How can India be a super power when one of the major portions of its population is still living below poverty line? How one can light his house from outside when one of its rooms is under complete darkness?

How long our country will live under regionalism, religionism, and casteism? Why can’t be there one India instead of many Indias? How long our political parties will concentrate on these minor issues rather than focusing on real development?

Our political institution has become the abode for criminals (although exceptions are always there as we have some great leaders also). Criminalization of politics is at height. If this trend continues the days are not far away when our democracy will not be in safe hands. When lawbreaker will become lawmaker one can easily imagine the social structure as well as future of that country.

Liberalization of economy has given one new culture to India and that is MNC culture. I am also one of the members of the same. While working in this I found many young dynamic guys who are full of zeal to do something to our country, who are really frustrated with the political leaders, who paid tax with full honesty and feel bad once they didn’t receive whatever they are expecting and whatever they have seen while working abroad.

Here comes my question, does our responsibility ends by paying taxes and criticizing the govt for doing nothing or do we need to lead the people from front for betterment of our people and our county?

I will stop here leaving this open question to all of you and hope that I will receive lot of comments, may be good or bad, but honest comments.