A damning indictment of you and me…
A Prime Minister who deliberately turned a blind eye to the loot of national wealth. A Finance Minister – supposed to the guardian of national wealth – who did not deem fit to initiate action even when the plunder was obvious. A leadership so enamoured of power that it was ready to justify anything under the garb of “Coalition Dharma”…As scandal after scandal tumbles into the public eye, let us not delude ourselves.
Let us not delude ourselves that the present state of affairs is a failure of UPA…Let us not delude ourselves that this is a manifestation of seeimngly all pervasive “corruption”…Let us not delude ourselves that this is just a day of bad news…
This situation, this state of affairs is actually a damning indictment of you and me… You and me and people-like-us who’ve washed our hands off public affairs & our civic responsibilities. No Lok Pal can cleanse this rot; no amount of fasts will move the crooks…and no amount of passive condemnation will lead to change.
If you’re really stirred by the going-ons, really angry about what is happening, really wish to change this, there is no other way than getting directly involved yourself…Directly involved in active politics…Directly involved in bringing about change…and determined to fundamentally alter the political landscape in India…
And do not for a moment believe you are alone…There are many with you…many like you and me…people-like-us…Think of Nisha Singh. Read about Geeta Gokhale and Prahlad Pandey and Ujjwal Banerjee and many others, such as Deepak Mittal, Dr JP Narayan, Dipinder Sekhon, Sanjeev Sabhlok, Suneeta Dhariwal, Somnath Bharati, Sanjay Sharma RV Krishnan and his colleague KK Iyer, Surya Prakash, Vijay Anand, R K Atri, Promod Chawla – to name just a few…and of course stalwarts such as Swami Ramdev – who has publicly announced his intention of getting involved in active politics…
You are not alone…and you will find many hundreds and thousands cheering you, supporting you – and standing by your side when the going gets tough… But the first step needs to be taken…The first step is the hardest. It is the step you take in your mind. It is the mental leap of faith that you will need to make. It is the commitment that you will get involved…the determination that there will now be no turning back, whatever may be the setbacks…
With your help – and support – we can creat a new political movement…a mass awakening movement…a “Jan-Jaagaran Abhiyaan”. But we  need to think…and act.
Beyond a point, complaining does not help. It only makes us look pitiable – and pathetic. Remember you are the proud inheritors of this ancient land. Bear in mind that the values of “Dharma” and righteous action run through your veins. Remember, you are the proud inheritors of several millenia of cutlure and history. Recall your duty – your responsibility – your Dharma…and as Bhagwan ShriKrishna said to Arjun:
Cast off this petty faint heartedness and wake up!
उठो पारà¥à¤¥, गांडीव संà¤à¤¾à¤²à¥‹ !
We can win this fight. But we need to act – now. And join hands..and work together….and make a start. It is time to “Reclaim India” Jai Hind, Jai Bharat!
Related Posts: Where did you and I go wrong? and What next?
when swami ramdev started the july 2007 aastha tv programs on veda, upanishad, darshan, yoga… in the aastha promotion his words were:
“utishtatha jagrata parapaya varan nibhodhita
utho jaago…is soye hue desh ko jagao
swayam yogi bano, auron ko yogi banao
yah jeevan desh ke liye hai,
yah jeevan sewa ke liye hai
…”
from one of the rashtra chetna songs of ramdev’s cd
“utho jawan desh ki vasundhra pukarti
desh hai pukarta pukarti maan bharati
ragon mein tere bah raha hai khoon raam shaam ka
jagat guru gobind aur rajpooti shaan ka
tu chal para to chal paregi saath tere bharti
desh hai pukarta pukarti maan bharti
…”
Please let us not delude ourselves into thinking that politicians and other public servants are that much different from you and me.
If you have lied on a tax return or just not filled out one at all when you should have, you are proof that the average person jumps at the smallest illegal opportunity for personal gain.
Our society reflects who we really are individually from the inside.
Jai Hind! (Well, not this Hind, please.)
I am in the arena. Why do we feel that we do not want to join politics and contest election? Because there is no respect for the politicians. Then who do we think will come and cleanse the system. I am determined to do something for the downtrodden and preparing myself for hardships in the way. Making my character stronger. Trying to speak truth all the time.
we can change the system by two ways – 1. Coming into active politics 2. Supporting people who have strong character and determination to change the system.
I would be very happy to be part of Jan Jaagran Abhiyaan.
Shantanu,
Good initiative, count me in. I will wait for more details. Meanwhile, please check out my post
Brilliant! Shantanu. Very well said.
I can sense that the tide is turning, albeit slowly.
Those who recently have fallen into the LP Bill bandwagon, believing that shortcuts like that can help, will soon become disenchanted as nothing will change on the ground without fundamental reform. Yes, it is good to get engaged, but we need leaders, not one trick ponies.
Once they become disenchanted, they will realise they need to do what they have been avoiding so far: (a) start understanding the ACTUAL causes of India’s problems, and (b) taking POLITICAL action to fix these problems.
As far as the eye can be cast in India, however, there is nothing that comes even remotely close to delivering a new India except FTI. This is only entity that goes to the roots of the problem, and advocates a POLITICAL fix through 300 parliamentary seats as the starting point. It does not aim for partial attempts for these can’t work.
The Kauravas, the black force, has to be DEFEATED. It can’t be done by one or two minor warriors. We need an ARMY of political leaders.
Ambitious? Of course. But without ambition no battle can be won.
उठो पारà¥à¤¥, गांडीव संà¤à¤¾à¤²à¥‹ !
The assumption behind this is that the charioteer knows how to handle the leash. That, I’m afraid doesn’t apply to most feeble efforts underway today. And so the step 1 will always be: understand the causes, aim to master the chariot, become fearless.
I hope we’ll find more people willing to step forward into the arena with SERIOUS determination to understand good policy and not just rush after chimera like the LP Bill which is one TINY part of the package of reforms needed in India.
Regards
Sanjeev
Shantanuji excellent call to awaken, Arise Awake & Reclaim Bharath will be our motto. Time to blow the conch shell, get together & bring back the glory of our Bharath Mata.
In our own small way lets contribute to telling kids, youth we meet about the need for them to participate, once they are interested we could arrange interactive sessions. IMO target audience would be Middle class & below,small groups of 3 or 4, then bring them together for interactive session. Educate them for their need to participate in political movement to cleanse our corrupt system.
Am also welcome to more ideas on the above paragraph.
Lets together ReClaim Bharath
Jai Hind Vande Mataram..
Agreed.. also look at this lot from the UPA
http://www.wahsarkar.com/?p=264
Shantanu,
IMHO the situation is not for the mythological Arjuna, but rather a more realistic person like say a “Godse” who is needed to take out the weeds. The corruption has become endemic where no one branch is free.
Maybe I’m being pessimistic here, but even the best of vigilant citizens working with Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare were silenced with setting up of a useless committee.
Agreed, corruption is a major problem in India, but here is an article that generalizes that the whole country is corrupt.
http://excusesbegone.blogspot.com/2011/05/indians-ridiculing-india.html