Very often I am dragged into a controversial discussion that majority of us don’t identify ourselves being Indian. We take pride in our state, religion, caste, sub-caste, language, city but not our country. Every fortnight I get an e mail from one of my friends/ acquaintances that we should feel proud, being an Indian. I am reminded on the mass media as well.
Let us look at the following words. To me, each of the words have a positive connotations. And then prefix with the word Indian. The meaning changes dramatically.
# Road – Indian Road ( potholes )
# Train – Indian Train ( filthy, not punctual , unsafe )
# Street – Indian Street ( Filthy, crowded )
# Cow – Indian Cow ( malnourished, low productivity )
# Judiciary – Indian Judiciary ( slow )
# Goods – Indian Goods ( Can’t think of a single manufactured good of an international standard, produced without any foreign collaboration or technology )
# Whisky – Indian Whisky ( invariably made of molasses and not grain)
# Liquor – Indian Liquor ( country made liquor, unsafe )
# Sports – Indian Sports ( ill-equiped, lack of proper training )
# Mind – Indian mind ( manipulative )
# Air – Indian Air ( polluted )
# City – Indian City ( chaotic )
# Education – Indian Education ( learning by rote )
# Films – Indian Films- (dancing around tree, melodrama, photocopy of Hollywood )
# Train – Indian Train ( filthy, not punctual , unsafe )
# Street – Indian Street ( Filthy, crowded )
# Cow – Indian Cow ( malnourished, low productivity )
# Judiciary – Indian Judiciary ( slow )
# Goods – Indian Goods ( Can’t think of a single manufactured good of an international standard, produced without any foreign collaboration or technology )
# Whisky – Indian Whisky ( invariably made of molasses and not grain)
# Liquor – Indian Liquor ( country made liquor, unsafe )
# Sports – Indian Sports ( ill-equiped, lack of proper training )
# Mind – Indian mind ( manipulative )
# Air – Indian Air ( polluted )
# City – Indian City ( chaotic )
# Education – Indian Education ( learning by rote )
# Films – Indian Films- (dancing around tree, melodrama, photocopy of Hollywood )
I have travelled extensively through out the country. A villager, labourer, porter, hawker or poor never ever uttered to me, that we should be Indian first.
Who are these people who keep reminding me. Invariably they have benefitted from the system (Good Bad Ugly); God-Men, Con-men, Service-men, Bureaucrats, Contractors and Politicians to name a few. They are used to three P’s : PERKS, PRIVILEGES & PENSION.
Footnote:
I think, through my deeds or words I have not harmed my country in any way.
I love my country
I think, through my deeds or words I have not harmed my country in any way.
I love my country
