Posts
I visited Wagah border many years ago (15 to be precise). It was an interesting experience despite the crowd and the heat. Good views, photo opportunity with our and Pakisthan guards in the background. Needless to mention the music and the march by the soldiers with the associated drama gave us a sense of national pride and patriotism.
This summer i wanted my children to experience the same that I did or rather we did as a family, me, my wife and parents 15 years ago. So we took our kids there.
We returned midway without seeing the ceremony. While there are many reasons, i wonder if i was not patriotic enough or feeling proud of being Indian? Why did I not allow myself and my family to make these sacrifices to see the Wagah border ceremony that made we very proud 15 years ago. Well 15 years ago there was heat and crowd, but not such a big crowd. In time organization and crowd management has gotten worse like may other things. We cant blame the population growth for everything. Economy, tax collections, intellectual capability and administrative machinery has also been growing. Not to mention digitization had added many benefits with lower costs.
I am not patriotic enough to be pushed around in a disorganized manner by the guards and the people. I am not patriotic enough to sit in the ground with no shade in over 43 degrees of heat and not being allowed to open an umbrella waiting 2.5 hours before the ceremony. I am not patriotic enough where there are no civic facilities, and the ones that are there are HORRIBLE!. I am not patriotic enough to be shouted at by the guards.
I pay taxes, income, sales, service and all the taxes that the governments charge. I am a law abiding citizen. I know i contribute to the capital and income formation of the country. At work and other areas, I know i am contributing to employment and intellectual capacity generation.
Despite all this why does my government and government bodies treat me worse than stay cattle which can be pushed around, with no seating comfort or civic amenities. Where is the accountability for all that I pay for and work for?
My patriotism and pride for India has not gone down, but i ask of the government and government agencies to do their work.
PS: Foreigners and many with 'connections' get VIP access and do not undergo what tax paying me and my family underwent.
This summer i wanted my children to experience the same that I did or rather we did as a family, me, my wife and parents 15 years ago. So we took our kids there.
We returned midway without seeing the ceremony. While there are many reasons, i wonder if i was not patriotic enough or feeling proud of being Indian? Why did I not allow myself and my family to make these sacrifices to see the Wagah border ceremony that made we very proud 15 years ago. Well 15 years ago there was heat and crowd, but not such a big crowd. In time organization and crowd management has gotten worse like may other things. We cant blame the population growth for everything. Economy, tax collections, intellectual capability and administrative machinery has also been growing. Not to mention digitization had added many benefits with lower costs.
I am not patriotic enough to be pushed around in a disorganized manner by the guards and the people. I am not patriotic enough to sit in the ground with no shade in over 43 degrees of heat and not being allowed to open an umbrella waiting 2.5 hours before the ceremony. I am not patriotic enough where there are no civic facilities, and the ones that are there are HORRIBLE!. I am not patriotic enough to be shouted at by the guards.
I pay taxes, income, sales, service and all the taxes that the governments charge. I am a law abiding citizen. I know i contribute to the capital and income formation of the country. At work and other areas, I know i am contributing to employment and intellectual capacity generation.
Despite all this why does my government and government bodies treat me worse than stay cattle which can be pushed around, with no seating comfort or civic amenities. Where is the accountability for all that I pay for and work for?
My patriotism and pride for India has not gone down, but i ask of the government and government agencies to do their work.
PS: Foreigners and many with 'connections' get VIP access and do not undergo what tax paying me and my family underwent.
No comments:
Post a Comment