PATRIOTS OF THE DAY

 PATRIOTS OF THE DAY

Today, suddenly we see the emergence of a great many patriots who are real crooks. They are moneyed people making hay while the 'nationalism'-sun shines. Business is brisk as 'patriotism' provides adequate cover for monetary motives. So, those who kept quiet during the Emergency and made in effect common cause with the regime then now take up cudgels against the said horrendous state of the State and choose conveniently to side with the powers at the helm of affairs now. They voice their postdated protest against the political perfidy of 1975 but do not utter a word against any misadventure of the present political dispensation. Do not worry. This is their true character-colour and they will show it up in quite the same way by criticising the present regime when at a later date the tables are turned on them and some other party is swept in to power. Like the chameleon they change the colour of their epidermis while their endodermis and ectodermis retain the hue, characteristic of the cunning, the cowardly and the camouflaged which they are. If there indeed were so many patriots in the country as the raucous affirmations of the day suggest, our country would have changed overnight into the most ethically sound polity instead of being the habitat of countless crooks who are robbing the masses and reducing them to penury. 

Supporting the present order and criticising a past one that has almost lost political relevance is easy enough but to combat present perfidies requires lion's courage. Patriotism and nationalism are big words and they have great significance. They are not easily attained, least of all by the ones who loot the land using dubious means. Working for the common weal does not need advertising but requires silent, sincere application out of feeling for the nation. Those who work truly for the nation go unheeded as they prefer to remain away from the limelight whereas those who blazon their philanthropy, welfare work et al before the media, work for themselves in truth and not for the nation. Thus, siding with the ruling dispensation and going hoarse in support of it is not the definitive sign of patriotism neither does it lie in hurling abuses on adversaries of the present political party nor also in profiting by so-called patriotism. Patriotism consists in character-building and working selflessly for the nation. The word 'selfless', perhaps, has through overuse lost its meaning somewhat in common consciousness but it essentially means being completely devoid of self-interest and no desire whatsoever to benefit personally from work done for the nation beyond what decency derives. No advertising on social media of good work done would qualify truly as a patriotic act. Hence, from common man to Prime Minister, from merchant to monk, all must readjust their social stance before they venture into patriotic activity that may be deemed in every sense worthwhile to deserve the prized epithet. 

May Sri Ramakrishna bless us all !

Written by Sugata Bose