Aug 13, 2009
“Familiarity breeds contempt”
Many may not agree with this statement for reasons unknown, some because they do not know what familiarity is and the rest do not simply understand what contempt is. As for me these words have often come true, especially in the case of freedom, which I consider is the highest of all gifts given to us rather thrusted upon us Indians. As my country dresses up for another show of Independence day. This is the only day where India assures its citizens that they are free from all oppressions,(this may sound sarcastic )though throughout the other days they are squeezed for their blood and sweat. Euphoria of Independence Day like the smell of incense sticks is in the air intoxicating the millions into the frenzy of freedom. From the Nethas ,who are readying themselves with a bombastic speech, perhaps written by their PA’s ,to the Municipal workers as they clean reluctantly the statues of our national leaders of moss and crow shit all are busy to celebrate what they don’t really have. With them the rest of the country is all in the state of consolation, consolation of a public holiday. You may wonder if all these people are really worried about their country’s Independence Day. If they are then why familiarity comes in the way? . Here I have not taken the word ‘familiarity’ in its strict sense; rather it’s an attitude, casual, ‘chaltha hai’ that we show towards the word called freedom since we are given this gift at free cost.
Once a fight broke out in a Chinese pub .The owner did not know how to stop them. At that time a waiter with a little more common sense played the Chinese National Anthem. The gangs stopped their fight and stood in attention in true patriotic spirit. This little time was enough for the cops to come in and chain the fellows. This may not be a case at all in India since the National Anthem does not make any sense for many of us. Thanks for AR Rahman and group giving it a ‘rock band’ remix. The British were shrewd enough to give is freedom at the middle of the night when all slept peacefully. So Independence Day becomes one of the public holidays, a time to relax and watch the National Parade in Delhi, where the country shows its military might assuring everyone, don’t worry if they bomb you, we will bomb them to the stone age. We are happy ! Telling Pakistanis ‘Salo, Mardalenge’. There are thousands of reasons, why this familiarity with freedom has made us ignorant of its worth.
For a school boy and girl, he or she has to go to school, compulsorily; and to attend the flag hoisting ceremony in the hot sun and eat a Laduu for consolation. For teachers, they have to prepare their children with a patriotic song or dance or else the Inspector would give a negative report. For the office goers, it’s a time for relaxation. Freedom from the irritation of file work and of Boss. For a housewife, it’s time to prepare the favorite dish of her husband and children to prove her worth. For the youth, time to hang out, for girls extra time to gossip about the latest fashion and for the boys time to zoom around the city streets with their bikes, since all cops are in the parade. For a municipal worker freedom from cleaning the streets and dustbins even though they are overflowing with waste and stinking. So who is bothered about the Independence Day? Everyone would find an excuse not to stand under the flag and salute. The height of contempt, you may call it.
Why do we need to celebrate this day, when the country is gripped by terror, when the borders are full of soldiers, when the radars are in search of a possible Nuke attack, when the NSG’s ready for a surprise attack, when parliament is full of noise, discussing who pulled my leg, when Nethas are swallowing crores and the farmers are hanging on the tamarind trees, when ‘bindaas babus’ are busy receiving kick backs on a piece of crap from Russia, when the Megalomaniac minister is spending tax money on her statues, when public offices are full of corrupt bandicoots, when the unknown soldiers are on the highest battle field eating snow, when Kasab is still alive, when I am not sure that I will come back home safe, when my telephone line is dead and electricity cut, when my drainage overflows and I don’t have a Election Identity card.? Dude! Where is my country heading !
Have you made resolutions on any day? If no or yes , take some time on this day and reflect on the highest prize we have freely received by the blood of our elders. Let us seriously give a thought to the following things: where does my tax money go? ; When will the potholes on the road be filled?; why do we need to listen to the Khadis?, Why is the media twisting the truth? Why we need to salute a flag when those three colors represent three religions which are at each other’s throat? …..there are millions of questions to be asked and answered. Only then would my freedom make sense and bring peace to me and to my neighbor. Until then I would not celebrate this day as a mark of sacredness and respect.
Rohan Sequiera - archives: