Narendra Modi
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TitlEvery citizen can make a difference Author: Narendra Modi Publictaion: The Pioneer DatAugust 13, 2001 Narendra Modi is General secretary of the BJ and a prominent media personality delineating on matters BJP. Known for his extraordinary organisational acumen and keen political brain, Mr Modi talks Sify.com on a roadmap towards the India of his dreams on the occasion of the 55th Independence Day. The 55th Independence has arrived and in the natural course of things it is an occasion to look back and take stock of the years that have gone by for India as a nation. Along with Indian independence came partition as well. It is an unfortunate fact that the factors, which led to the partition of our motherland, has still not been exorcised and unfortunately permeates the body politic of the nation. In so many years of the polity of India since independence we have been able to prove the wrong premise that the partition was undertaken. However, the fact of the matter is that our neighbour has persisted in its effort to support cross-border terrorism. Not only that our neighbour is increasingly creating conditions to encourage cross-border terrorism. This has grave implications for the nation’s internal security and the well being and safety of our citizens. We have given to ourselves a remarkable Constitution, we have striven in the last fifty years to provide the rule of law and justice to the most deprived and the downtrodden. However, and unfortunately, it is being increasingly perceived now is that the sense of service and duty to the nation had permeated the freedom movement has now lost its sheen. Now, the citizens are more concerned about their rights almost to the total neglect of their duties and responsibilities towards to the nation. While everyone points out towards the rights that are guaranteed to him or her under the Constitution, equal attention is not being paid to the duties towards the nation as a citizen enshrined under the same Constitution. If we have to progress there has to be a premium on each of us performing his duties towards the nation and society. Once Mahatma Gandhi was asked to elucidate on the fundamental rights of men. He replied “men and women do not have fundamental rights, but fundamental duties”. And, Gandhiji, when the citizen performs his duties he is automatically vested with his rights. Another aspect I want to stress when looking at the polity more than fifty years since independence is the preponderant and undue attention and importance given to politicians. In my opinion it is grossly disproportionate to what should be reasonably theirs. As a person in politics, I can say with confidence that we politicians are given attention much more than we deserve. It distorts the priorities in the content and approach of not only the media, but also the society at large. Thousands year of history of this nation tells us that it is not only the political leaders who built our society and nation but because of the contribution of all sections of society – farmers, religious leaders, men of science, intellectuals ---who they may be the Indian society has been an amalgam of all these contributions. < But, unfortunately, today an atmosphere is being created in which it being made out that the politicians are the only contributors to the national cause and as if they should; determine every action and policy that the national takes. There is an urgent need, after five and half decades of independence to change this mould. This distorted priority means that the 100 crore of Indians seem to perceive that they are not capable of making any contribution to the progress of this nation and it is upto the politicians. Unless every Indian feels part of the national cause, most of the distortions that afflict our society will not be corrected. On the occasion of the Independence Day I want to my countrymen not to give too much importance to the doings of the politicians. I appeal to my friends in the media that they can work out a system where at least two days in the week, they will desist from reporting on the activities of the politicians in the newspapers. On TV, we will not see the face of any politician on the screens for two days. Atleast, for two days in the week, let the citizens have something else to do than face the overkill on reporting of the shenanigans of the politicians. I feel very strongly about this media overkill and uni-focus on politicians. I am aware that my suggestions will sound slightly radical. But I am dead against the addiction of the media and the society on the politicians. This has to be curbed. For instance, as soon as some prominent politician expires, a road or a building is immediately named after him. I propose that a 10-year moratorium be imposed on the naming of a building or a street or a road after his death. That will give us time to take stock of his contribution to society. In the past decade we embarked on a new economic policy. This era is based more on quality and competition. And, when competition is the manta then our capacity and performance are the only arbiters of success or failure. In this scenario if the nation has to progress there is need to bring a qualitative change in very aspect of the nation’s striving and endeavor. In the last 55 years we have not given attention to quality as much as we should have. There is an urgent need to ensure that the quality is the mantra the nation is imbued with. As nation, when ver we have put in a concerted effort, we have succeeded and shown the world that India can do it. For instance, the Mahakumbh at Allahabad was a pristine example of what Indian can do when motivated and inspired to do so. It was a miracle of organisational acumen.. Every day the number of people who assembled at the banks of the Ganga equaled the total population of Australia. The whole Mahakumbh was incident-free; there was not once instance of thievery or chaos. It was pristine example of human management. An instance, I will say, of the power of the Indian people. Cannot we extend this prowess we showed to all walks of life in the nation. The Mahakumbh demonstrated that we are quite capable of meeting any challenge provided they are motivated and inspired. It would not be possible if only the government was involved; the mahakumbh at the Prayagraj was a pristine example of what the people’s contribution can do. It is, therefore, that Iam very skeptical of the over-dependence of our societies on the state. For everything, we tend to be over-dependence on the government for everything. This attitude that the government will do everything has to be changed. We are living in the age of IT. For me, IT odes not mean only Information Technology, but it also means “India Tomorrow”. So also the next big thing for India is supposed to be BT – “bio-technology”, but for me BT also means “Bharat Tomorrow”. On 15th August, we can look at only the bright side of things, but we have to also take stock of the small but crucial hurdles in our path of the nation’s progress. During the trackless centuries of our civilisation, the Indian outlook has always been global. For us, our own progress has been intimately linked to making the world a better place to live in. Indian thought, from ancient times, has always been laced with the sentiment that the world is a global village. However, the world will only recognise our prescriptions and our views, when we are strong, we are united and we progress. They say charity begins ate home, and so does strength, national character and development. As far as iam concerned, nothing is impossible. After all the word itself contains I’m possibleand that should be our credo. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ofbjp.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A worldwide community of BJP's friends, supporters and activists: Friends of the BJP - Worldwid http://www.ofbjp.org/fob ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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