Can foreign hands hurt us unless we are weak?

Republic Day is being celebrated in a commendable manner throughout the nation.    Appropriate messages are also delivered by the heads of the nation and the states on this occasion, to the people highlighting, the nation’s achievements and also the issues facing the nation. No serious effort is however made to emphasize upon the unity of India.

Yet there are some matters, which are not receiving adequate attention, or which are given only lip service. A few of these are: – Our politics is infiltrated by individuals, groups and parties who work for their partisan interests even at the cost of national security. Illegal immigrants exert pressure on our politicians. This is a serious threat.

Whenever a disaster strikes, we suspect foreign hands behind it. Can foreign hands hurt us unless we are weak, or our systems have loopholes or our vigilance is waning?

We must all realize that only when a nation is safe from external threat, people can pursue their religious, cultural, social and other activities without threat from outside. Any one endangering the safety of the nation is not being dealt with deserving seriousness. This tendency is catching up. If left unchecked, the nation can lose its hard-won freedom or it can break up. On important days of national festivals, this issue must be brought before the people. There is no merit in underplaying it. It is therefore suggested that at the gatherings organized to celebrate the Republic Day and Independence Day, every citizen should take a pledge. The pledge on the following lines:- “I am proud to be a citizen of India. I am an Indian first and last and my nationality takes precedence over my religion, language, caste, state or any other denomination to which I may belong.”

From time to time citizens should be reminded that when the time comes to vote in elections, they shall not be guided by considerations of religion, caste, creed or any such limiting considerations. They should vote only for a candidate, who will be thinking of the nation first and his party or other considerations next. If no such candidate is available, he should vote for the candidate who most satisfies this criterion. . This is to prevent the danger of un-patriotic men or women coming to power and endangering the safety of our nation. This will compel political parties to put up the right type of candidates. By repeatedly educating people and leaders on these lines, improvement will come in due time, if not immediately.

 Every citizen should perform some kind of public service or national service, with emphasis on the unity and integrity of the nation at least for one day in a year. Local organizations should be set up for this or existing organizations used.

 There are many more steps which can be taken. Unless some efforts in this direction are made, things will go from bad to worse. We have to make a beginning. May all the people of India think of the nation first! If any part of India is hurt, the entire nation should feel the pain, as one man. May God save our Nation.