Things are changing fast around us. The exacting demand for adaptation has ensured that the truth "Change is only Permanent" grows more robust in every sphere of our lives. Well, to be sure it's also true for nations. Many things are changing as far as our beloved motherland is concerned. Economy is changing (growth and structure), so are National priorities (snuggling up to Capitalism again after a whirlwind romance with Socialism, realizing that Left wing extremism has crept up too high the foot!, realizing again that Corruption is our very own age old past time!), International priorities (new found love towards US, cribbing for esteemed chairs irrespective of prices demanded, growing apathy towards venerated ideals of yesteryears in international overtures [read India's ambiguous response towards fomenting public demand for democracy in Egypt]), Sports(Indian Cricket team has started winning matches and has been hogging the top ranks!, medals raining in games, Nehawal, the wonder girl of Badminton sporting national flags around the world), Science (although recent failure on GSLV front but we are no more the 'Oh! they are a bunch of dumb!' guys in space and very much on the way for manned space flights, earning bucks by sending satellites of others, Indian figuring again in Nobel prizes!).
Seems a pretty good picture, eh? But not so long ago, I still remember the ghastly 26/11 [and very recently in mammoth 2G Scam] when along with booming terrorist guns and blazing fires the cry for changing the polity of the country was raging. It was contended that our leaders are worthless snails, too entrenched in corruption and blinded by greed to act decisively [not that they are furious cheetah either or particularly above board!]. It was said we needed a CHANGE!
Yea, sure we do need one. But, I would probably rechristen it as 'A Cleaning' or 'Formatting' like we do in our PCs when they crawl on mouse clicks, too messy to multi-task. I feel we have a perfect system installed here, technically very sound, custom fitted to our land, all that it needs is a little refurbishing.
Our forefathers were wise enough to realize that our country needed a secular, democratic and egalitarian society given that India had Pluralism in her every breath. The country was too fragile to attacks of hegemony of any single element that constituted its colorful fabric. This system that they installed in here also allows enough latitude for the hope to emerge that from the same countrymen, these principles will nurture leaders who will show the way for change as and when required. Principles of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, Secularism, Democracy are necessary assurances and encouragement to be unique and spread uniqueness; they are necessary for a place where the people don't ask religious leanings when disasters stare at face, the Christians and Muslims celebrate Diwali and Hindus Christmas and Id, where men and women greet each other and dance to the patriotic tunes without bothering who is who. We need to clean the ill of corruption that has shrouded the light of these ideals and not at all need to disown them!
We need not look very far to ascertain what would have been life without such a system. Our siamese twin Pakistan provides us much valuable lessons here. We need to look at the way a man was shut up when he raised the voice for a little tolerance for religious differences. Punjab governor Salman Taseer was the face of religious tolerance and civility that was cruelly smothered into silence. Whole of the country was laughing a barbaric laugh at the plight of raped civility and tolerance for dissidence! The liberals of the land, the enlightened were too afraid to raise their voice and concerns for this dangerous transformation of the society into a rabble of fundamentalists and killers! When such things happen, what hope is left for a nation? Will its system ever allow any Saviour to rise from the rubble and to erect the edifice again? Don't we need a system like our very own to harbor a hope for the future? I bet every true Pakistani will beg to agree!
Pakistan, a country which was born with a parochial plan for future needs a Saviour now. It needs leaders who can deliver by silencing the fundamentalists and spreading the liberal ideals even at the greatest of costs. The people need to realize that it's Hope that can sail countries through the rough not Hate. They need to embrace their own countrymen like brothers and sisters rather than killing them. Tolerance only makes religion richer and live longer not only on lands, but also most importantly in the hearts of people. It makes their followers better human beings and place heaven like. Prayers for our siamese twin and its issues!!
cheers
TBS
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