By: Chandrashree Singh
India celebrated its 70th Republic Day yesterday, i.e. 26th January 2019. There was a nationwide display of the country’s military power and cultural diversity. Special awards were distributed to the selected military personnel and those who had performed acts of bravery to protect lives. We take pride in celebrating the day when our republic came into existence and hoist the flag on this day every year. Where Prime Minister Narendra Modi headed the grand celebration in the capital city of the country, New Delhi, this morning in Dhanbad Municipal Office, Jharkhand, Mayor Chandrashekhar Agarwal hoisted the national flag before many employees and the public. The national anthem was sung and the audience departed, after which it was realized and reported that the flag was hoisted upside down. It is shocking that during the entire program, not a single person took action against the wrongly hoisted waving flag if it was even noticed.
This incident is not only shocking but it has also raised disturbing questions about whether the public celebrates the national day dutifully and dedicatedly or if it is just a formality to routinely gather and sing the national anthem on this day. If whether the public is only patriotic on the Republic and Independence Day and on days when the army has guarded us of a deadly situation or if it really is responsible towards the nation throughout the year with full responsibility unconditionally. If this is the way the country is being represented, it is definitely not the proud way.
Where Prime Minister Narendra Modi headed the grand celebration in the capital city of the country, New Delhi, this morning in Dhanbad Municipal Office, Jharkhand, Mayor Chandrashekhar Agarwal hoisted the national flag before many employees and the public. The national anthem was sung and the audience departed, after which it was realized and reported that the flag was hoisted upside down. It is shocking that during the entire program, not a single person took action against the wrongly hoisted waving flag if it was even noticed.
This incident is not only shocking but it has also raised disturbing questions about whether the public celebrates the national day dutifully and dedicatedly or if it is just a formality to routinely gather and sing the national anthem on this day. If whether the public is only patriotic on the Republic and Independence Day and on days when the army has guarded us of a deadly situation or if it really is responsible towards the nation throughout the year with full responsibility unconditionally. If this is the way the country is being represented, it is definitely not the proud way.
It is very disappointing to see the public trashing flags that are posted on the walls and wirings or purchased from shops and peddlers after the occasion. The flags lay on the road, being tripped and crossed over by vehicles and people or flying from here to there. It is the same flag that keeps our head up high and gives reason to the soldiers to make sacrifices to any limit. It is the same flag to which we belong. During the day, the youths rally around with huge flags chanting Bharat Mata Ki Jai ( Victory for mother India) and after a while, the flags are down the dump. Do we really mean it when we say it or is it just a slogan of the day?
The government and the youth should work on making the occasion more meaningful than loud. The flags purchased can be taken home and saved for the next occasion and those used for public place decorations shall be arranged to be sent back to be able to be used again. These small acts don’t really take much of our effort but we barely give it a thought. India is our country and the change begins from us. It definitely makes a big change to notice what is wrong and take appropriate action to make it right so the change made for the betterment would last. It is the public that makes a nation and leads it to where it heads.
Jai Hind
