Adrenaline of nationalism

April 10, 2011 · Filed under Uncategorized

There are occasions when you feel like wearing your nationalism on your sleeve, especially when you are not in your homeland. One such occasion came on April 2, when India became the cricket ODI world champions after a gap of 28 years.
We were walking tall with our heads held high and hearts filled with nationalistic fervor.
This past week culminating on April 9 was yet another instance when one felt proud of being Indian. We had not witnessed Gandhi’s Stayagrah, but when Gandhian Anna Hazare sat on a fast-unto-death at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against corruption and the way it turned into a massive wave of support across India, we Non-Resident Indians sitting miles and miles away from our home country felt adrenaline of nationalism and patriotism surge in our bloods.
It is a plight that politics has come to such a pass that people have lost faith in politicians. In this sorry state of affairs Anna Hazare has given us hope that all is not lost. It was heartening and encouraging to see the youth taking up the cudgels. Anna, as a symbol of truth and honesty, has become a rallying point. It is good to see the young India, the citizens of tomorrow rising up against corruption.
If India has to move forward it has to kill the two demons of crime and corruption, which move about freely hand-in-hand in every office, on every street.
We should not only look at the big fish, but the real challenge comes from the small fry in our midst. Say no to greasing the hands of babus or netas or anyone for that matter to get your things done.
To stop corruption at higher levels, electoral laws should be reformed. Political parties should not give tickets to those who are tainted with corruption or crime. And if any such candidate is fielded by any party, voters should unite cutting across party lines to defeat such a person at the hustings.
Electioneering should be made less pompous and every paisa spent on canvassing should be accounted for. Our politicians should follow the US presidential pattern of canvassing by collecting donations to run their election campaigns.
Anna Hazare has shown us the way forward. He has given us the much needed awakening. Now it’s up to us whether we keep this fervor burning or let it diminish with the passage of time.