Freedom to me?

So, 15th august 2009 we celebrate our 62nd year of "independence."

What does independence mean?

not influenced or controlled by others in matters of opinion, conduct, etc.; thinking or acting for oneself: an independent thinker

India got its independence long back. But are we really independent?

Ok fine I know India is a great country. India has diversity and it has variety and it has blah blah blah..

But how has it progressed as a country.

The other day I was discussing how India can never improve.

Ok you are not supposed to brand me as a cynic but its the truth.

What freedom are we talking about?

Freedom from corruption

Freedom from unemployment and recession

Freedom from not having a college even after scoring 95%

Freedom from reservation quotas

Freedom from trying to prove if AJMAL KASAB is a pakistani

Freedom from bombs going off like its diwali

Freedom from insane traffic

Freedom from jam-packed local trains

Freedom from farmers giving up hope

Freedom from the oh-so promising politicians

Freedom from everything that runs this :" money"

I know I am not doing anything myself for the country but I am atleast not doing anything wrong to harm it.

People are dying of breathing these days because of the swine flu.

Instead of providing masks at low cost , we start selling them at 5 times its actual worth.

I've heard this somewhere

"gandhiji apni poori zindagi ahinsa ka paath padhate padhate chale jayege.. aur unke jaane ke baad hamne kya kiya?.. unka photo ahinsa ke sabse bade dushman ke upar chhap diya--- 'paisa' "

India is no doubt a lovely country and even the other countries of the world who consider it as a threat in upcoming years cos sure it is on its way of becoming a super power but still we can bridge that gap of years by working towards making it one.

I know we are lot better than our neighbours and many other countries but mediocrity is not what you want in a country that u live.

So without getting emotional and thinking practically we have too see where we stand and what we are and then chant about the INDEPENDENCE.

Tum Chalo Toh Hindustan Chale..

Well.. its been a long time that I have blogged. As usual there are many things already that are keeping me busy from IPL to stupid vivas.

I finally have a breather and got just 2 more vivas to go.. before my ever so long PL short for "preparation leave" starts and the days will start passing at a snail speed. But i guess now I am pretty much used to it, used to getting 15 day break between 2 exams , used to run and butter teachers up for my submissions , used to saying " ahh umm.. mam.. u u knw.. basically.. actually.. its like".. in my vivas before every answer also used to defending KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS despite of them losing every single game and my friends dance on top of my head when we lose..!!..

One thing that I wasnt used to doing.. and that i should have started doing 3 years ago when I was 18 was ... to V-O-T-E.

It was like just another day for me, I 've lost track of sundays and mondays and the difference between them, thanks to my college who arranged a viva on a sunday morning.

I didnt even know the importance of 30th April 2009 , till my dad told yesterday that its the VOTING DAY.

My first reaction was... oh yea.. as if i care..voohoo.. its a holiday!..

This has always been my reaction when it comes to politics patriotism and related stuff.

It has always been " I dont care and I dont give a damn" about whos there and whos not.

How is it gona matter anyway..!!

Although I had my voting Id made long time back when my mom forced me outta the house to get it done.

You can tell me that I had the same mentality what "siddharth had from RANG DE BASANTI"

I remember a dialogue " Jis din mujhe degree mili mai toh kat loonga yaha se... seedha america .. india mai reh ke mera kuch nahi hone wala. Tu yaha pe baith aur sudhaar is desh ko"

My thinking was almost like this.. if not that insensitive.

Then again the two advertisements that keep on coming on tv very often these days.

No I am not talking about the stupid "jai ho and bhay ho " adds by congress or bjp about what they are going to do and what they have done.

The first ad that i am talking about was the ad in which a small boy tries to remove a huge tree that is blocking the road in heavy rain and causing traffic jam while other young adults are just looking at it and cursing it and feeling ashamed and embarassed.

and the song that plays in the background is " tum chalo toh hindustan chale"

I get goose bumps man.. every time i see the advertisement. Its touching and brings you back to your senses and hit you hard on ground reality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txYbVJFZZls

And the other one is , no matter how funny or sarcastic the ad is it gives u a message saying " election ke din agar aap vote nahi kar rahe ho toh aap so rahe ho"

jaago re!..

All this built up.. and plus a lil force from my mom and dad brought me back to senses and I went there to cast my first ever vote!..

I mean your vote is your voice to speak up.

I knw the first thought in our minds will be "kya faydaa hai.. politicians saale chor hai .. aur ye hai aur voh hai" but out of 100 there must be one good person who actually wants to change things. So atleast your one vote can support that particular person and give him a chance.

We have a human tendency to type cast people so lets not do that and judge evry person as an individual and "VOTE".

I am feeling a sense of pride , and respect for my self everytime i see the blue ink on my index finger.

I feel responsible ... i feel that I am an indian.!!

Tum chalo toh Hindustan Chale..!!

Jai Hind!!