While participating in the Poll Section of the Boddunan in the course of the almost three months as a member of this site, I have come across a question in the section which have popped up more than a dozen times: Will India become Super Power by 2010? That led me to put on my thinking cap! What could be the possible logic behind putting forward such a question with the full knowledge that it was asked before. The way I could reason with that is that such a question mainly comes form the young members with bright minds, who have natural a stake in the progress and prosperity of the country. And it is all but natural for them to be agitated in their minds on this score. We have, very fortunately, a population in which the youth of this country have a significant percentage and compared to the aspirations and desires of the youths some decades, the youths today are far more sophisticated in their thoughts and smart in their ways. They have a clear perception about life and what it has to offer.

 

It is perfectly rational and legitimate to harbour super power ambitions when the countries much smaller than India in terms of geographical spread and population. We have enough natural talent and resources to be counted and heard in the comity of nations. It would be grossly cynical to rubbish the progress we have made in various spheres in our national life but the question we should be asking ourselves is whether we could not have done better. It would be delusion of the worst kind if we paper over the serious issues which carry the potential to destroy the very foundation of this nation. Never before in our history has violence marked our national life on a scale so widespread as at present. We have enough religion to hate one another but not enough to love one another. The words of one of the famous political leaders :” Here is a land in which a few are spectacularly rich while the masses remain abjectly poor. Where freedom and its blessings are a reality for a minority and an illusion for the many....a republic dedicated to equality but mired in an archaic system of casteism”. Need I search for another apt description of the state affairs of the country?

 

The other day I came across a pejorative description of the North Indians as “Bhaiyaas” in the press! Divisiveness has become the India disease- could be called worse than cancer- is spreading fast and wide, preying on the public mind and without a cure in sight. Communal hatred, linguistic fanaticism and regional loyalty are threatening to tear us apart and insidiously sapping our vitality. The growing army of terrorist, immoral hooligans are playing havoc with our lives. We must keep in mind that by promoting national integration we can ensure progress and development which born in the hearts of the citizens and no army, no government or constitution can save us if we promote disunity and disintegration..

 

The most tragic reality about our country is that men of calibre and vision , knowledge and character have a thoroughly negative view of politics and reluctant to enter it. Such cynicism would only help in perpetuating this vicious circle. Thus, the youths of this country need to have their feet firmly rooted in reality while dreaming about India emerging as Super Power.


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