TRYST WITH DESTINY
“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom” - Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, 14th Aug 1947.
These were the very words uttered by our first Prime Minister of Independent India at the eve of Independence day. At this 62nd Independence day, I would like to commemorate the same words but by keeping 21st century India into the background. Has India, the largest democracy in the world , Population of over 1 billion, with over 593 million districts, really redeemed her pledge?
We need not look too far to find an answer to this Question, a glimpse into the events in past 1yr would be sufficient enough to partly answer this Question though not wholly. There were some laudable efforts and events which would surely make any Indian proud of his motherland.
To start with, India has elected its most stable government in many years, with an ex-finance minister pragmatically leading the country, when rest of the world is slipping into hitherto unheard financial crisis. It would not be boasting off to add the most talked about National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), as the trump card for its unprecedented win in 15th Lok Sabha Elections, which ensured compulsorily 100 days of employment to every household.
With the launch of Chandrayaan by India’s premier space research organization ISRO , India started its maiden journey on moon, there by adding another feather in its cap in the arena of Space Explorations. India has won its first Gold medal in Olympics, though the second most populated country in the world was unable to do so in past umpteen decades.
With the launch and Success of two seasons of Indian Premier League , India has shown to the world that it has got both adroitness and the prudence needed to take a sport like cricket to the global arena and reap commercial benefits ,which otherwise was being played by a few handful commonwealth nations.
It will not be an exaggeration to mention, how a state , once a driver of industrial growth and Indian economy, was deliberately pushed into oblivion by some selfish cabals by ousting a top industrialgroup of India and putting a question mark on its ambitious plan of launching the cheapest car of the world.
But, with all these events of pride and shame had we really redeemed our pledge? No, not till now, when more than half of our population is still below poverty line, struggling for the basic needs of food, health and shelter. Not till now, when we still are eager to kill each other by indulging into ruthless acts of riots and massacres in the name of god. Not till now, when still majority of our leaders safeguarding their own interests above public and keeping enormous funds into European banks.
However, when we were able to come out from the clutches of the British Empire 62 years ago, this small but daunting task of redeeming our pledge is not impossible to say the least.
“Don’t walk ahead of me, I may not follow.
Don’t walk behind me, I may not lead.
Just walk besides me and be my friend”
-Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, Ex-President of India.