PASSING REFERENCES

PASSING REFERENCES

1. There is something called genuine personality and there is the other one that is put on. The former puts you at ease whereas the latter strikes awe in you through sheer affectation.

2. We live to impress others. But why? Because we fail to impress ourselves otherwise.

3. The British left India in tatters. They looted us, broke us into three and colonised our minds. But we have not only forgiven them, we have forgotten the sacrifices of our revolutionaries and made common cause with them by becoming a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The question arises -- Commonwealth? Then why did you loot our land instead of sharing our wealth with us? And to us. Are we a self-respecting nation? Are we followers of the patriotic principles laid down by Swamiji or are we its antithesis still? We still feel gratified by our British association, be it a holiday in London or a post-colonial Indo-Anglican way of living. Shame on us!

4. Before the Government of India awards the Bharat Ratna to individuals it must ensure that such awardees no more earn wealth from commercial advertisements and other incongruous associations that can demean the nation's highest civilian award. A Bharat Ratna advertising for Mutual Funds? This is a shame and an utter disgrace to the award.

5. Capitalism is eating into the vitals of the nation. The almighty dollar has replaced Almighty God. Ramakrishna has been replaced by corrupt godmen. Vivekananda in essence has been forgotten even as he is quoted these days so often. The soul has geen sold to gold and such transactions are rationalised as the exigency of the hour. Now, God, wake up and see what you can do to salvage some of your invaded terrain that now by sleight of the share belongs to today's power brokers, the crafty capitalists.

Written by Sugata Bose