The I-Day

Happy Independence Day, my fellow Indians.

I am not sure, if I am sounding all that too patriotic on this day[counting off, I haven't taken my bath(yet) and haven't saluted the national flag, yet].

When I was young, like real young, when I am around 12 years of age, every I-day was celebrated in my school, followed by the one in the prestigious library in my small town, though it was for the free chocolates and the laddus that were distributed on that day to the children and the pupil. “Well, another well spent I-day”; I used to think after my hunger for sweets was quenched. And the well spent-ness of these days depends on the number of flag hoistings that I used to attend, not as the chief guest, but after the chief guests left.

But then, for those sweets, to stand in the scroching sun (sometimes couple of children fainting, really!) was a bit of patriotism for me, then. I used to stand in there, thinking about the greatness of the country I was living (though I haven’t gotten any knowledge other than that in the history books of my academics by that time), and looking at the tri-color, designed by my distant relative from our village, the great Pingali Venkayya. This was all when I was still 12 knowing nothing of what freedom can bring to you, over the years.

Now, this is really true, and his next generations live in the small house built for them by the Govt. of India (!) and this as well is true.

Coming back from these truths, I used to feel very proud to be standing under that flag and in the sun, fresh, free (from classes) for the sweets. Once the sweet distribution stampede, the Ussain Bolt’s used to come out of us till we reach the next flag and stand in silence.

This I-day as well, I am not following any of the other things that I used to do except one, standing under the flag and being Silent.

I am no more proud of the achievements of my distant relatives, but am proud of the achievements of my team mates who complete the tasks of the Whites in time, everytime. I am quite opposite to my distant relatives; actually I am an antagonist. They kicked them, the Whites, out of the country and they were happy. I am doing their work and I am happy. Quite contrast. Welcome to new age India.

The Prime Minister has urged the nation to be vigilant, proactive and on war footing against the problems of the nation. Yes, the dogs have to be vigilant when the masters sleep. There you go, the PM has a point. The moment he has asked for peace from the Naxals, they be-headed a police. Well, still, you are living in a free India. I see the free in this freedom, when you buy in the imported shopping malls in the year-end sales. “Buy 1 get 11 free!”. May be that’s the reason Gandhiji said kick’em out, the foreign clothes. They say, “well, he never wore anything of quality, does he?”, this free generation need clothes of high quality, though their lives have nothing of it. Thanks M.K.G for the freedom!

The other day, TOI has published a column bringing out the differences between India (also Bharath) in 1947 and India (a.k.a. Youngistan) in 2010. I was really happy to see that child mortality rate has come down from 145.6 to 53 per 1000 births(isn’t it supposed to come down to zero?! Well, who cares when you have 1.2 Billion) but what about the adult morality?

And exactly when we are celebrating the I-Day we have the esteem of hosting the Common Wealth Games. Well, it is better not to talk about when we are thinking about where our national pride is! If you remember, from the past 10 or so years, this is the first I-day without any terror threat(really!!!). Even they knew that they don’t need to waste their arsenal to destruct the country, we are capable enough to do so ourselves, pretty easily, while there is increase in population. Though the last part wasn’t in the terrorist’s agenda.

I know there are countries where there is only corruption and tonnes and tonnes more than us, I still feel pity, why should we be comfortable with that fact and not with the fact that with out corruption we can be the super power than others. This is one way we show our patriotism. Though we have mistakes, we are proud. And there is one more way of being patriotic, scolding Pakistan with the loudest words and mouth. Thanks Bollywood.

I really don’t feel proud on being free on this Independence Day. I am still dependent on the Auto Driver to take me to office safe with a fake meter while knowing it. I still am dependent on the every Govt employee so that my rights are preserved at a very high cost. Why should I be so proud?

Till the people(should I say cowards, dumb-asses?) change and ask for their original rights this country has no future except getting laid down by the corrupt poli****. Yeah, you can say, why can’t I come and clean up the mud being patriotic. Well, I haven’t planned my death yet, and I don’t have a policy big enough to hold my family after my death. See, this is the problem with everybody in India, even you, even the rickshaw puller on the streets of kolkatta, the richest ass in the sofas of the Parliament. Is the money I have enough after my demise? As long as this issue isn’t solved… nothing is going to solve… IMHO !

Though these days it is patriotic being non-patriotic, I am not in that league… I am just worried about the state of the nation and its people… and I am silent!!!

JAI HIND!!!