Independence Day: Resolutions That Every Indian Must Make
76 years of freedom from the colonialism of a civilisation which is thousands of years old – India has officially arrived in the 76th year of independence and celebrating its 77th Independence Day! Everybody talks about the great achievements of India on this occasion and singing praises of our country. But on this very special occasion, I feel we should talk about all the responsibilities we owe to our great nation as common citizens. We all want India to become a developed nation in the next two decades, but that can only happen if 1.4 billion citizens show absolute commitment towards this cause. On this Independence Day, let us make a few resolutions in service of our country with an undying promise to fulfill them.
Taking pride and spreading awareness about our culture
It gives me great joy to see that people all over the nation are finally owning and taking pride in our culture. But we must remember that not long ago, it was seen as ‘fashionable’ to abuse and make fun of our own culture, and it was considered ‘lame’ to be patriotic. While it is true that decades of corruption, paralyzed development, and hundreds of other issues have made us lose all hope, the fact that some of us glorified insulting our own nation is a great embarrassment for all of us. Instead, we need to understand India as the great civilisation it is and the innumerable sacrifices that have been made throughout our history to protect it.
Taking our responsibilities as citizens seriously
We love criticising governments and blaming others for our shortcomings, but before we continue to do that, let us introspect about whether we have been the best citizens for our nation. Just like ministers and government officers, common people were involved in giving and taking bribes as well during our corrupt past. The fact that we Indians don’t take our own law and order seriously is visible in simple things like not breaking traffic rules, rash driving on the wrong lane, not keeping our streets clean, and so on. The journey toward becoming a global superpower starts with the mindset of a country’s citizens. To make India a serious global player, we citizens need to take our own responsibilities seriously as well.
Attaining a deeper knowledge of our country’s history
Most youngsters today will know the West’s pop culture and even politics inside out, but won’t be able to properly tell you the contributions of revolutionaries like Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Ashfaqullah Khan, and others towards our independence. They are least likely to be aware of the heroics of greats like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Maharana Pratap, the Sikh Gurus, or Acharya Chanakya as well. No country can become strong without being completely aware of their country’s history. It is not just up to the government but also up to common citizens to write more books, make more films and hold more celebrations of such heroes so that their sacrifices and contributions are known to all future generations.
Taking an active interest in our country’s present and casting your vote
In modern India, voting is one of the biggest strengths and contributions of the common citizens. We must take an active interest in all the good and bad things taking place in our country, as we must be aware of the kind of progress India needs and which political candidates are best suited to deliver. At the same time, we must vote in every single general, state, and even municipal election. Many of us take the leisure to use the holiday provided for voting to head off for a weekend holiday without even voting. It is important for us to come through with our responsibilities while also enjoying our rights.
Wishing all of you a very Happy Independence Day!