We support our Prime Minister and we support all his campaigns. There was a huge support for Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: millions posted selfies holding a groom near garbage dumps showing their dedication towards a “Clean India”. Another initiative was #Selfiewithdaughter. Again, a millions posted selfies with their daughters to support the cause of “BetiBachaoBetiPadhao”. Good for our nation, isn’t it?
But only good intentions aren’t good enough. Our intentions getting mere likes and followings on social networking sites, means that the situation is worse than the worst. There have been recent incidents that tend to prove that we, the people of India, though we take one step forward towards building a nation of our dreams (which is definitely not a task of year or two, it may take decades), but at the same time we take two steps back, proving that we are not mature enough to help in the growth of our Nation. Rather, we believe in creating an unnecessary hype of everything and end up being sheep of the same flock.
About a month or so ago, Shruti Seth was forced to bear with sexist remarks on account of criticizing the #selfiewithdaughter campaign. Some people commented on her parents, some on her husband and some even went to the level calling her a whore. And a few days ago Neha Dhupia faced a similar heat when she advised the PM on “Good Governance”. The comments she was offered weren’t different from those received by Shruti Seth.
Some might argue that the statements these girls made were not correct. Well I am not commenting on what these girls said was right or wrong. Anyhow, even if we assume that they were wrong in saying whatever they said and their intention was to gain some cheap publicity and revive their failing careers, who in the world gave those people the right to pass sexist comments and slanderous remarks on these girls? Who gave them the right to comment on their personal lives and their families? What right did those people have to attack the dignity of these women?
This is where we fail to realize that the vision of the Government cannot be achieved by posting abusive comments or some slanderous remarks against those who have a counter view for the government policies. Neither can it be achieved by posting few pics on certain designated days. As I have already mentioned that building a nation of our dreams may take decades and the initiatives by the government are just some initial steps in a million mile journey. And this journey cannot be undertaken by the government alone. For that people of India have to support it whole heartedly.
All I wish to say is that “Swachh Bharat” cannot be built by mere cleaning of our home, streets or offices. First and foremost we need to clean ourselves, clean our mind, heart and soul. If we can’t clean our heart of all the junk we have stored, there is no fun in cleaning our surroundings. We need build a society which gives utmost respect to females. There is no point in posting a selfie with your daughter, if we can not respect someone else’s daughter, sister, wife, mother. The very cause of #selfiewithdaughter was to improve the falling female sex ratio and in the longer run to improve the status of women in our country. But the government or the PM would not want this to happen on the expense of dignity and respect of daughters of our own country.
People failed to realize this and went on passing derogatory remarks on those girls who dared to criticize and question the government.
I would like to conclude with a thought that for a better, progressive and growing India, we Indians need to GROW UP. We need to take criticism in a positive way. Not everyone criticizing the government is anti government and even if he/she is anti government, still they do not deserve to be smashed with sexist/racist comments. I know some of you will not like the idea. Even many won’t like me and will definitely take out some time from their busy life and google my name for my past and history and try trolling me.
Still, I have a strong belief that there are many true Indians who think on the same lines as me and those are the ones who will make the real difference in the rise of India.
