We, the people

I am talking about the common people in India who are emotionally vested in their country and are in pain these days. We see our nation being pillaged and mismanaged at economic, industrial, political and social level. Our parliament which recently turned 60, argues over the issue of cartoons of politicians and the name of a beer brand and occasionally engages in a brawl. Are these issue more important than the issue of decreasing industrial output, falling currency and rising inflation? I do not say that parliament does not talk about, they do but how many of them really have the ability to understand such discussions? Though the former kind of talk is grasped by everyone. In our social system we are hypocrites, preaching others but not following them ourselves.

The sour political and social milieu, gives us some questions. Who is responsible for this?  When and how will it change? Will a few more public fasts, candle-lightening, or a TV show be able to do it?. Unfortunately, the answers can be heavy on our ears. Although we keep on blaming politicians and bureaucrats for the woes but who becomes a bureaucrat it is one among us, who elects a politician, its us. Recently I came across an article by Chetan Bhagat where he inspires the bureaucrats to rise up to the situation and 'rescue the nation'. Off-course it is good if it happens, but how about we the people. Just cursing the politicians and 'babus' wont work so would watching some TV shows and appreciating them or lighting candles in group. We all have become a part of evils. A lot of people we elect for state assembly or parliament are criminals, uneducated and inefficient still we elect them. We blame politicians but we elect them based on the grounds of caste and religion. We all criticize social evils but follow the same path when our turn comes. When we see our surroundings as filthy and unhygienic we blame the city services but at the same time we keep littering all over our city. We blame the government for poor supply of water but we waste them everyday without even thinking of recycling. There are many such instances. It is we the people who need a change in their attitude, everything else will follow.

Looking within and improving ourselves will need a lot of time and hurdles but will provide a long term solution.