Okay so, I was dozing off in my weekly seminar class at our college when a fellow friend's seminar speech woke me up. He started off really well, he's a great speaker after all. Then, out of a sudden he tells a story, where he asks his little brother whether in his next life he would like to be reborn in India. His answer completely shooed my sleep away. He gave a blatant and straightforward reply "NO." On being asked as to why he would not like to be reborn in this country, his reply was earnest : Pagal hai kya! Such a horrible place, full of dirt and unorganized places. Immediately I took my cellphone out, careful as to the teacher does not see it, and on Google Keep made a new note for reminding me: "Would you like to be reborn in India."
On seeing the note again, my thought process started rolling. So this is what our succeeding generation thinks about our Golden Country! The future of our country doesn't like India. That way, India would be finished because they would not want to stay in the country in their future and move abroad as soon as they collect their required resources. But, I was not convinced. I needed further evidence on this type of thinking of Young India. Hence, I decided to interrogate my brother on this.
A class 6 student right now, his reply was that he would move to USA when he grows up on being asked the same. On asking a few of his friends about the same, I got different replies ranging from Singapore to Canada and going farthest to even Antarctica, but not a single reply satisfied me. Where is India!? ! Damn! This is real! Every kid thinks the same! No kid wants to stay in India.
I asked them WHY? Why no one wants to stay in India.
Replies ranged from aise hi to school me laptop use karne milega to ganda jagah hai. 'Ganda jagah hai' the reply that my friend's brother gave him.
"Ganda in what sense?" "Arey aap to college me padhte ho aapko nahi pata?" "Nahi, kis hisaab se ganda hai India?" "Raaste dekhie khadda se bhare hai, sab log pan parag thukte hai idhar udhar, kachra hota hai har jagah, India faaltu hai, USA dekhiye kitna saaf hai" "Tum USA gaye ho?" "Nahi :P but India ko dekhiye naa" [Translation : The kid says that India is dirty, The roads have potholes in them, everyone spits pan masalas here and there, there is garbage everywhere, India is worse, look at USA]
"Ganda in what sense?" "Arey aap to college me padhte ho aapko nahi pata?" "Nahi, kis hisaab se ganda hai India?" "Raaste dekhie khadda se bhare hai, sab log pan parag thukte hai idhar udhar, kachra hota hai har jagah, India faaltu hai, USA dekhiye kitna saaf hai" "Tum USA gaye ho?" "Nahi :P but India ko dekhiye naa" [Translation : The kid says that India is dirty, The roads have potholes in them, everyone spits pan masalas here and there, there is garbage everywhere, India is worse, look at USA]
I couldn't believe such a young mind just said all that to me. I mean, c'mon, I'd be frank. At his age, I would rather have been talking about Pokemon or Shaktimaan at best. But such a mindset I bet I wouldn't have been possessing that time!
I said further that if this place is dirty why not clean it ourselves and make an effort, that way India would become clean!
Everyone laughed collectively. Puzzled, I waited for a reply.
Everyone laughed collectively. Puzzled, I waited for a reply.
And the reply again made me inquisitive, my brother said "what use would that be? I will clean it from front, and from behind thousands will come and spit their pan masalas or throw wrappers or garbages as is the case always."
I said but still if you would make an effort on your part it would be good enough, and also you should stop others when you see them and request them to throw anything in the dustbins and not here and there.
He looked at me for a few seconds blankly and then ran away for his daily football regime with his team.
I found this shocking. Children did not like India. They were here for the sake of being as they had no option. Every child thinks that an America is far better than India. Partly they are correct. India is unhygienic. Correction : Highly unhygienic. The next generation does not want to raise their children in pathetic conditions. The Prime Minister is trying to address this issue. Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan is being made popular by him as he has taken the ALS Ice Bucket route, nominating famous personalities that highly affect the Indian population and asking them to clean India. This I think is a successful drive as well. Involving the famous faces into something influences Indians to do the same. Famous and Big Brands also do the same, then why not do something similar for noble cause? The 'Atithi Devo Bhava' campaign by Aamir Khan is another example. My college has been doing this thing for years. The NSS department of SXC cleans the adjoining areas of the college with the help of its students.
A dirty India, I see, is one the major reasons these kids not liking India. I just hope this Abhiyaan gets successful enough to actually make India clean. Weeks have passed but I haven't seen any change in Kolkata yet. Its the same.
Having the above conversation with the 'future' of India made me more insecure about the well-being of India. I have become more aware, I should say, to 'save India'. I don't want this country to die. This country is a master-piece. The most culturally-forward country of the world. India should not die such a bad death from the hands of its own children. Its high time to make this a better country to live. At least, for the sake of the next generation, we need to do something. Do your bit to make India a swachch place. Swachch Bharat can save India somewhat.
And I hope the next time I have a conversation with someone so smaller in age than me, The reply goes from "India? Naaaah" to "India!! Of course!"
If you think this post was good enough do land in your likes and +1's to this post, also share in your thoughts on this by commenting below and share this post if you think this is worth it! :)
Thank You, this is Rishabh Ghelani signing off until next time!
Having the above conversation with the 'future' of India made me more insecure about the well-being of India. I have become more aware, I should say, to 'save India'. I don't want this country to die. This country is a master-piece. The most culturally-forward country of the world. India should not die such a bad death from the hands of its own children. Its high time to make this a better country to live. At least, for the sake of the next generation, we need to do something. Do your bit to make India a swachch place. Swachch Bharat can save India somewhat.
And I hope the next time I have a conversation with someone so smaller in age than me, The reply goes from "India? Naaaah" to "India!! Of course!"
If you think this post was good enough do land in your likes and +1's to this post, also share in your thoughts on this by commenting below and share this post if you think this is worth it! :)
Thank You, this is Rishabh Ghelani signing off until next time!