It’s the Independence Day again. It is one of those days in the year, when the patriot in us wakes up from a deep coma. The day, when all of a sudden we are proud of being an Indian, of wearing our colours & singing our national anthem. And then wake up the next day with a hangover of nationalism. We go about our daily routine to get rid of this hangover. Why so Patriotic, my fellow citizen?
Your forefathers and mine too, suffered under the British regime. There were men & women who gave up their livelihood for the cause of freedom. And there were those of Gold, who sacrificed their lives for our country. They were patriotic people. Us? We are seasonally patriotic. Do we love our Nation? Of course we do! Do we care enough about it? Not sure.
Just last month, a terrorist (Yes, a terrorist!) was hanged. A terrorist involved in killing 257 people, and injuring several others in Mumbai. A terrorist convicted by the highest court of the country, which clearly stated his role and the offences he committed in justification to the sentence awarded to him. Around the same time (27thJuly 2015), there were terror attacks in Gurdaspur. Three civilians and four policemen were killed.
But of course, that did not matter to us. After all, those were just civilians, and Men in Uniform. Men in Uniform are supposed to sacrifice their lives to protect yours and mine, aren’t they paid for that anyway? So why is it even an issue? Wait, let me just sign a petition to save a terrorist’s life. Let me debate and argue as to why he doesn’t deserve a death sentence. Let me update my FB status and tweet about it. Let me mourn his death.
That was how the patriotic people of this great nation reacted to two separate events (Well, not all of them, thankfully!). Men in uniform die to protect our nation, no one bats an eye. A terrorist is hanged, everyone loses their minds. The so called liberals of this nation would want me to believe that a person who plotted and was very much part of murdering innocent civilians deserves mercy. They will tell me that even though my Father was in Mumbai at the same time and god forbid could have been one of the victims, I should forgive him.
They will come on News channels, and tell us that the victims and their families do not matter, and need not be compensated with any form of justice. And that the judicial system of our country is at fault for finding a terrorist guilty. What do we do? We follow them like a herd of cattle.
Oh did you forget those Policemen and civilians in Gurdaspur already? The liberals did not seem to care about them. But what about us? Did we condole the deaths? Did we sign petitions to ensure that the families of these brave men and innocent civilians were fairly compensated? Did we pray for them to rest in peace? We’ve got our priorities quite messed up as a nation.
So yes, are we truly patriotic, or do we just pretend to be on such days?
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