PATRIOTISM, NATIONALISM, INTERNATIONALISM ET AL ... 2

PATRIOTISM, NATIONALISM, INTERNATIONALISM ET AL ... 2

Although many of us take random liberty to indiscriminately and constantly criticise our Gandhian freedom fighters, we do not in any significant way contribute to our nation's progress which they, despite their perceived failings, did. Our arrogance, born out of a stupendous ignorance of our heritage and culture which teaches us to be more decent than we are and which we, incidentally, believe requires for its protection an army of cowardly campaigners pouring vitriol by the hour against perceived opponents, needs moderation to allow us the evolution to understand our obligations and duties better.

A cacophonous crowd, indulging in invective, cannot promote the best interests of the country for which patient, persistent and pure engagement in excellence and service thereof is necessary. Routine ruckus over every issue that affects us and blaming it all on Nehru and Gandhi will hardly mend matters but will rather precipitate us into that abyss from where rescue or recovery will be well nigh impossible.

Gandhi and Nehru may have committed many mistakes while engaging in the titanic struggle for freedom but that was historically inevitable this way or that, for which other country's leaders, from Russia to China, from France to Italy, from Japan to Germany, have not made more damaging detours from the main course of democratic development? Have the citizens of these countries perpetually gone on with their carping criticism of the past dispensations while neglecting their present duties?

It is important that we educate ourselves more and strive for excellence in whatever we do so that the country benefits from our collective service which alone can raise the hopes and fulfil the aspirations of the people. A mass of self-seeking leaders, both political and industrial, can best be held in check from despoiling our nation by an enlightened polity that can resist effectively and not by a concourse that can be led by them into any course of collective behaviour over which they have no conscious control. This is the domain of mass psychology that these master manipulators know how to influence to gain their political ends. As such, we must be vigilant and not naive enough to believe that we are on the right track in following these modern Pied Pipers of these modern Hamlin towns. If not, our destiny in this rat race will not be in freedom but in a sinking of our hopes and our future in the open sea of delusion and disaster. Hence, beware !

Written by Sugata Bose