Jai Hind on India's 67th Independence Day
Akar Patel is a former editor of a Gujarati newspaper, and is a regular columnist of the Hindustan Times. Patel in his article (August 15, HT) writes a prescription for you and me to present a powerful and corruption-free India to our future generations. If you are willing to put in a little effort for the cause of India, then read the article at: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/independenceday2013/Its-time-to-be-the-change/Article1-1108122.aspx
Patel's article is based on a talk by Harvard University's Lant Pritchett, author of the thesis that 'India is flailing state'. The thesis gives three examples of corruption which are everyday experiences for the Indian people. However, what made me take note of Patel's article is his exhortation to PEOPLE TO THEMSELVES BE THE CHANGE. This is something to which I strongly subscribe and try my best to put into practice.
Patel explains why WE OURSELVES HAVE TO change:
"We cannot behave in traffic in any city or state of India... It is possible to say, like Arvind Kejriwal does: police Indians firmly. Watch over them and penalize them and they will behave, as they do abroad... . Are other nations functional only because their populations fear punishment? This is not the conclusion one would draw when observing the West."
Patel attributes Narendra Modi's rising popularity to the Indian people's unwillingness to understand their own responsibility in setting things right. According to him, Modi's promise to transform the state 'absolves the citizen' of his responsibility. I think this citizen could be you and me, or an engineer who is not discharging his responsibility of ensuring desired quality in road or bridge construction, or a householder who is stealing electricity for his domestic use, or the nurses, mentioned in Patel's article, who draw salaries for the work they haven't done.
However, Patel has good hopes for the future. He says, (In India) The large and the important things — the civilisational and indigenous idea of a secular and pluralist nation; the beautiful, world-class constitution (over which there is no dispute — are in place.
Patel's lesson for us is: "The major one (change) must come from within. India will change only when we change. Each of us must contribute to this, by being conscientious in our work... For that to happen no politician is needed..."
Akar Patel is a former editor of a Gujarati newspaper, and is a regular columnist of the Hindustan Times. Patel in his article (August 15, HT) writes a prescription for you and me to present a powerful and corruption-free India to our future generations. If you are willing to put in a little effort for the cause of India, then read the article at: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/independenceday2013/Its-time-to-be-the-change/Article1-1108122.aspx
Patel's article is based on a talk by Harvard University's Lant Pritchett, author of the thesis that 'India is flailing state'. The thesis gives three examples of corruption which are everyday experiences for the Indian people. However, what made me take note of Patel's article is his exhortation to PEOPLE TO THEMSELVES BE THE CHANGE. This is something to which I strongly subscribe and try my best to put into practice.
Patel explains why WE OURSELVES HAVE TO change:
"We cannot behave in traffic in any city or state of India... It is possible to say, like Arvind Kejriwal does: police Indians firmly. Watch over them and penalize them and they will behave, as they do abroad... . Are other nations functional only because their populations fear punishment? This is not the conclusion one would draw when observing the West."
Patel attributes Narendra Modi's rising popularity to the Indian people's unwillingness to understand their own responsibility in setting things right. According to him, Modi's promise to transform the state 'absolves the citizen' of his responsibility. I think this citizen could be you and me, or an engineer who is not discharging his responsibility of ensuring desired quality in road or bridge construction, or a householder who is stealing electricity for his domestic use, or the nurses, mentioned in Patel's article, who draw salaries for the work they haven't done.
However, Patel has good hopes for the future. He says, (In India) The large and the important things — the civilisational and indigenous idea of a secular and pluralist nation; the beautiful, world-class constitution (over which there is no dispute — are in place.
Patel's lesson for us is: "The major one (change) must come from within. India will change only when we change. Each of us must contribute to this, by being conscientious in our work... For that to happen no politician is needed..."
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