Good Behaviour Doth A Country Make

The recent incidence of stolen headphones, pilferage and damage on Tejas Express accounts much for some of our peoples wretched behavioral characteristics. This is nothing new and it came up as expected. All the premium facilities provided for good of the public were subject to damage, soiling toilets and littering apart from theft.  One of the most modern assemblage, travel on Tejas Express should have been a matter of pride for those onboard.  

These acts make a sordid statement of who we are and how we behave. (Well not all). To make matters worse there is no dearth of related incidences making some of us a misbehaved lot in the global sphere.  

As citizens of a country who never fail to boast of a golden past and a vibrant culture our behaviour at times is paradoxically opposite to what we try to impress. On instances some  acts abroad are not impressive as well. For every Indian who travels abroad carries on its shoulders the onus of projecting a positive image of the country.

Frequent bandhs, eve teasing, rapes, gender inequality, religious intolerance, riots, parochialism, the news travel fast in the international arena labeling us as uncivil or calling for severe travel warnings. These attributes are responsible of low number of overseas visitors and hence loss of crucial foreign exchange. These acts are antithesis for campaigns like Make in India.

Do we project a pervasive National character?  Certainly not! Leaving the rotten apples aside we have immense pride in our heritage. .   

Jumping queues, rowdiness, traffic violations and littering are few negative attributes that we as Indians are often blamed for. Open defecation and urination, spitting are some of the banal virtues that fetch defame. Some of us often disregard honesty, cleanliness, punctuality and good manners instinctively.   

Do these behavioural characteristics arise due to oppression, deprivation, immoral values or profound disregard for civic behaviour?   To what extent we as citizens of India are responsible?

Well this is for each individual to answer depending upon his or her attitude. 

In the global sphere our fake pride does not hold forth as the word goes around. I have witnessed on upteen occasions overseas visitors politely ignoring these follies or not going beyond a mild snigger. It is not that these banal virtues are not present in other countries but on most instances they are restricted to mentally deranged and those pertaining to criminal dispensation.  

Public behaviour is exemplary in many countries as the propaganda machinery informs us. Why do we not follow suit? Is there something lacking in some of us that makes them behave in an undignified manner at times. Do we lack proper education or cultural ethos that make some of us go banal? None of these. Or is there a complete lack of expression of disgust on acts of folly from our compatriots?   

This chalta hai attitude is not going to take us far. Exemplary display of honesty, good mannerism and civic behaviour is the need of the hour. A country depends upon the character of its citizens if it has to develop progress and shine, 

Should we not strive to change?  

Has Salem Witch Trials Begun In India

Salem Witch Trials 

This was a trail against people supposedly practicing witchcraft in USA.  This was in the 17th century at Massachusetts to be precise.  The trial resulted in execution, hanging and death of many people supposedly practising witchcraft. 

Salem witch trial was example of Colonial America's mass hysteria.  The witch trials had taken place earlier too; and this phenomena occurred in Europe as well. Upon further reading, I discovered that these trials were the foundation of a secular America and theocracy as such was weakened.  What a paradox. 

Lynching, false allegations, intolerance, mass killings and so on can without hesitation be attributed to overzealous religious elements.  This is new to India, with cases of lynching over cow taking place quiet frequently...this phenomena exists in other countries...in extreme at many. 

This comes about with sudden religious revivalism, especially in countries where rulers ascribe to beliefs of the majority. This heartless attitude comes about due to feeling of past persecution or insecurity. This is the creation of political goons as well as the fanatical clerics bent upon seeing things through a blasphemous prism  or ascribing it all to desecration of the holy as in the case of lynching in India.        

This is further exacerbated by the failure of the law and order machinery, and myopia that the some of state bodies suffer from. 

Ignominy and shame are then heaped upon the Nation in global ecosystem. 

This is the price a pluralistic country will pay if religion encroaches upon governance. Let religion be a private affair practised in peace in an atmosphere of absolute harmony.