I am a Patriot.
Or am I?
Who is a Patriot in the true sense of the word? I don’t think there are a lot of people left in our country today who can say that they are as true a Patriot as say Bhagat Singh or Chandra Shekhar Azad. Most of us are unworthy of even calling ourselves one. But we still do, and not just call ourselves patriots but shout it out, at the top of our voices and declare it to the whole world. But it isn’t true, and no kind of noise is going to drown the fact that we are making a fool out of ourselves in believing it.
I am not here to tell you who a Patriot truly is, nor to define anything. I am just here to share what I have observed and maybe point out a few things where I need to step up and change the way I act to make myself a better Indian.
A country is its people, not just a piece of land. And we are a huge country. We are not the largest is size, but we are the largest in strength. By strength I mean sheer number and not our state as a nation. This strength in numbers should be directly proportional to our strength as a nation. But alas, this is not true. We are too busy with the conflicts within, that we are unable to rise over all the disputes and infighting to realize our true potential as a nation. So, the first and foremost thing to call yourself a Patriot, actually scratch that, to call yourself a Human, is to treat all other humans with equality, irrespective of the caste, color, creed or sex. How can I be a Patriot if I diffentiate between the people of my own country? Can I call myself a Patriot, someone who loves his country, if I do not love its people? Then what do I love? The land?
Diversity is what makes our country unique, and it is this diversity that we are fighting today, instead of being proud of its heritage. If I am a true patriot, I should be celebrating this diversity, of people, cultures, religions, geography, arts and so much more. I should not be ridiculing or demeaning someone or something that is not from my own culture, religion or tradition. Because India is not just mine, it’s not just for me, it’s for all its people, all its cultures, religions and traditions. We will be able to make this country the greatest only when we, all the Indians, come together as a nation instead of fighting each other because of languages, cultures, traditions and religions. I would rather fight corruption, racism, sexism, crime, poverty and hypocrisy. And that is what patriotism is all about.
Do you think that buying a flag and anointing it on your vehicle on Independence day or Republic day makes you patriotic? And if you are not showing it off, you are not one? And what do you do with all those flags after the said day and celebration? Dont you think that if you are a Patriot, you are one for your whole life and not for one or two days in a year? Our Tricolor is supposed to be honoured at all times. There are set rules that one needs to follow when handling a flag. How many of us are aware of that? Not many, I am certain.
Have you ever wondered what we can do to show that we love our country? Well, except putting the Tricolor as our DPs and forwarding messages on WhatsApp. Abide by the law, follow the traffic rules, show some civic sense and probably use some common sense. Are these very far fetched ideas? I don’t think so. You just need to make minute changes to the way you think and act. All of us, in the depth of our hearts, know the right way, but we ignore it and do the opposite. Have you ever driven on the wrong side of the road just to save a 100 meter drive to a U-turn? Or driven off when the Traffic light is red? Or bought or sold an item without a proper bill just to save or earn a few Rupees? Well the list is endless but we all know what is right or wrong. Then why we, as a nation lean towards the wrong ideas? Dont you think lndia is better off with all the said patriots doing the right thing? I cant be a Patriot if I am brandishing swords and flags while recklessly driving though crowded streets, breaking multiple laws, shouting and yelling, blasting loudspeakers and then saying “Bharat Mata ki Jai”. Because the phrase means nothing if I am not being a responsible citizen of this country. The moment I realise this, is the moment I start showing my patriotism for the country.
Isn’t compassion towards your countrymen also a virtue of patriotism? I believe so. If I am not treating my fellow citizen compassionately and helping them during dificult situations, I am not a Patriot. How many of us come forward to help someone in their time of need? How many give way to an Ambulance while driving on the road? Instead, I have witnessed people driving right in front of the ambulance, trying to get a clear way because the siren is blaring from behind. How many of us stop and help an accident victim and take them to a hospital instead of making a video? And this is not only true for general population, it’s also true for all the VIPs. Why is it necessary for a VIP to get a clear road, while all the other traffic is halted/diverted, sometimes for hours? Dont we have the right to use the road and be at our workplace or wherever we want to go to, on time? Why is it that the people who have sworn to serve the public, have their jobs because of the public and are paid for by the public, are greater and more important than the public? Am I a Patriot if I misuse my powers and post for personal gains and ignoring my job towards my country and countrymen? If not, why am I shouting at the top of my lungs, claiming to be one? How is it possible that I am entitled to so much after being a simple service provider to the general population, while the ones I am to provide the service to are suffering and facing problems? Isn’t it my duty as a delegate, a citizen and a human to do my job seriously and diligently? Why is it that I think of myself as someone who has risen higher than the people I serve? And then, at the top of all this, do I have a right to stand on a podium somewhere and anounce that I am a Patriot and that I love my country?
If I am an Indian, and a true patriot, shouldn’t I be proud of the fact that we are a melting pot of so many cultures, traditions and religions? And of the fact that our diversity is unmatched in the whole world, making us unique in every possible way, a rare gem of the world. Why is it that the thing that I should be boasting about the most as a Patriot is something that I am looking down upon? How have I and my thought process, become more important than the attributes of my country? Isn’t being a Patriot all about putting the country first? How am I, being a selfish individual, preaching something that is Selfless in its truest form?
So many freedom fighters laid down their lives for this Freedom that we are enjoying today. Do you really think this is what was in their minds when they were giving the biggest sacrifice for their country? Would they be safisfied with how we have spent the last almost 8 decades, building our nation? Is it the best that we could have done? Is this the vision they had when they were about to lay down their lives for us to live in a free nation? And am I correct in writing my name in the same context as those greats? Because they were Patriots, and so am I, in my own proclamation. Is this justified?
Can I ask you to do one exercise with me? Just answer these questions truthfully in your heart. You don’t need to tell anyone, just be honest with yourself. Please ask yourself:
Do I differentiate people on the basis of caste, color, religion or sex?
Do I respect all life and am compassionate towards my fellow humans and countrymen?
Do I use my powers or position in the society to my benefit and selfish needs?
Have I done enough for the advancement of my country or my fellow countrymen?
Do I pay all my taxes and dues towards my country?
Have I ever broken the law in any capacity, be it something as small as parking my vehicle on the middle of the road, inconveniencing other people?
Am I a Patriot in the true sense of the word?