I received on email. Though un-authenticated, still its thought provoking.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance. Got 10
minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours.
YOU say that our government is inefficient.
YOU say that our laws are too old.
YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage. YOU say
that thephones don't work, the railways are a joke, The airline is the
worst in the world, mails never reach their destination.
YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits.
YOU say, say and say.
What do YOU do about it?
Take a person on his way to Singapore. Give him a name - YOURS. Give
him a face - OURS. YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your
International best.
In Singapore you don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores.
YOU are as proud of their Underground Links as they are.
You pay $5 (approx. Rs.60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of
Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM. YOU comeback to
the Parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in
a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity.
In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU? YOU wouldn't dare to eat in
public during Ramadan, in Dubai. YOU would not dare to go out without
your head covered in Jeddah. YOU would not dare to buy an employee of
the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds (Rs.650) a month to, "see
to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else." YOU would
not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell
the traffic cop, "Jaanta hai sala main kaun hoon (Do you know who I
am?). I am so and so's son. Take your two bucks and get lost." YOU
wouldn't chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage
pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand. Why don't YOU spit
Paan on the streets of Tokyo?
Why don't YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in
Boston? We are still talking of the same YOU. YOU who can respect and
conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own.
You who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you
touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen
in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India?
Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal commissioner of Bombay,
Mr.Tinaikar, had a point to make. "Rich people's dogs are walked on the
streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place," he said.
"And then the same people turn around to criticize and blame the
authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What do they expect
the officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dog feels the
pressure in his bowels?
In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the
job. Same in Japan. Will the Indian citizen do that here?" He's right.
We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all
responsibility. We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the
government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally
negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to
stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to
pick a up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We expect the
railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the
proper use of bathrooms.
We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and
toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least
opportunity. This applies even to the staff who is known not to pass on
the service to the public. When it comes to burning social issues like
those related to women, dowry, girl child and others, we make loud
drawing room Protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. Our
excuse? "It's the whole system which has to change, how will it matter
if I alone forego my sons' rights to a dowry." So who's going to change
the system?
What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us it consists of
our neighbors, other households, other cities, other communities and the
government. But definitely not me and YOU. When it comes to us actually
making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along
with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at
countries far away and wait for a Mr. Clean to come along & work
miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the
country and run away.
Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in
their glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we
run to England. When England experiences unemployment, we take the next
flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be
rescued and brought home by the Indian government. Everybody is out to
abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our
conscience is mortgaged to money.
Dear Indians, The article is highly thought inductive, calls for a
great deal of introspection and pricks one's conscience too....I am
echoing J.F.Kennedy's words to his fellow Americans to relate to
Indians.....
"ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO
MAKE INDIA WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY"
Lets do what India needs from us. Forward this mail to each Indian for a change instead of sending Jokes or junk mails.
Thank you
Abdul Kalam
