Sunday, May 24, 2015

"Savages"

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Mahatma Gandhi.

Good afternoon!

I was wondering how did the British empire in the 19th century was able to ruled us for more than a century? It creeps my mind despite the fact that India used to be a rich country during those days. But thank God! Mahatma Gandhi was born in India and for helping the nation unite as one against the British rule, and thereby, paving the future of our nation under democracy on 15 August, 1947. After India's independence, in my opinion, more or less the freedom of the entire population is rather prerogative with no accountability. What kind of freedom is it when we've been unable to choose a leader capable of leading our nation in the right path for more than 60 years until recently when we all blindly believed Modi will lead us to "Achhe din anne wale hain (English: Good days are coming)"? The good days should have happen right after the British rule!

What really disgust me the most is the politics starting from grass-root level, i,e, villages, Panchayat, council, etc. In the grass-root level, the politics revolves around only Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act, Rural area development fund, council election, etc. But in the end, all the funds ended up in the pocket of few selected parties instead of the larger population wherein some few good people really deserve the funds after sweating for it. I'm not writing this just because it comes in my mind rather it is fact that this is happening in my village as well as in other villages in Manipur. The so called ignorance and innocence that used to be associated with village is long gone and I would rather termed it "savages" now. We don't need to be the savages rampaging on each other when we can do things in a rightful way.

The problem is not the politicians or the leaders starting from grass-root level rather it is 'we'. There is a saying, you can't help a person who step on a dog shit even though he sees the shit that was lying right in front of his way. Whatever the piece of pie thrown upon at us from the central government, we all ended up fighting like a dog ready to hurt each other for an ounce of the pie. This the reason why we deserved all the brickbats from our own politicians we have elected since India's independence. Although it hurts but we can do nothing because we let our mind function like a frog in a well. There is this politician in Manipur who commented about his fellow opponent who used to be professor in a University like this, "My dear friend, you do not need to always thinks like an educated person because many people doesn't think like the way you do!" The comment make sense but know that it is directed towards us.

Obviously, the truth is that we never think about the future like Mahatma Gandhi did for us. And he'd be really ashamed of us to witness our current situation from up above. The days of Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (English: Food, clothing, and shelter) are long gone. For God sake! We are living in the 21st century and if let our mind revolves around "Roti, Kapda Aur Makaan", the conniving leaders from the grass-root level and the politicians will continue to exploit us. Our father of nation, Mahatma Gandhi, thought about the future of our nation so we can live our life with honor and respect besides food, clothing, and shelter. We need to learn from our history so we do not repeat. Throughout the history for humankind, there has been Adolf Hitler, Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein as well as the other tyrants and murderers. For a time of they were invincible. In the end, they always fall. It is high time for us to think and act in a wider frame unlike the savages.

Food for thought: “It's the action, not the fruit of the action, that's important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there'll be any fruit. But that doesn't mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.” Mahatma Gandhi.

Thank you!

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