Charity Begins At Home!

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 the phones 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 - YOURS. 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 come back 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 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 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.

Thank you
Abdul Kalaam.

THE RISE OF WOMEN....

 

 

Recently, while watching T.V., I came across an episode of Crime Patrol on Sony TV. The Episode was based on FEMALE FOETECIDE! It was shocking to see that even in this tecnologised era of 21^st century; people still believe that the birth of a girl is a bad omen! It’s really shameful to see such a nuisance still prevailing in a country like India, where woman is preached as Goddess. Why do such Shocking stories still exist?

Who is a woman? Is she just a mother, a sister, a daughter or a wife? No. The women today have recognized their valued position in the society. Today, women have come out of the house to serve the society, the state and the nation, too. Gone are the days when the birth of a girl child was considered as a bad omen. Today, the attitudes have changed. People are considering girls equal as boys. They are given equal status everywhere. The reason behind this is EDUCATION and also the struggle that women went through to prove themselves. Women have proved themselves in all fields of life. From home-science to astronomy, women have achieved shining positions.

                Now, consider Kalpana Chawla, She was the first Indian lady to enter the space through NASA! Kiran Bedi, first woman IPS officer of India. Indira Gandhi, first woman Prime Minister of India. Mrs. Pratibha Tai Patil, First woman President of India. Meedha Patkar, Mother Teresa, shining examples of Social Service. All these are the current and recent examples. But, how can we forget the brave women of pre-independence period- Rani Laxmi Bai, Razia Sultan, Savitri Bai Phule, etc.! Women have been standing as burning flames in our country since golden times.

                This was just about India. If we go on global level, we still have many burning flames. It is just because of these burning flames that the world is awakened. Women personalities like Condolezza Rice, Maria Sharapova, the William Sisters, J.K. Rowling, etc. have become examples of women empowerment. These beautiful ladies are the courage of the young girls of today.

                Women empowerment is the need of the hour today. Women are not only successful professionals, but these ladies have also proved to be the best housewives and mothers too. Also the best housewives and mothers have proved themselves best in self-employment. Women belonging to town and villages mostly chose to get self- employed. They run cottage industries, tuition classes, fashion designing centres, home science training centres, and many more.

This is the base where women empowerment starts. If we take the first initiative to lead, the world follows us ultimately. So, why not start a revolution to end the remaining injustice still prevailing in our society? Still many sisters are buried alive immediately after they are born. Many sisters are confined to the four walls of the house and their right to self-dependence is cut off! Let’s stop this nuisance. Maybe, anyone of them becomes another Kalpana, Kiran or Sonia Gandhi, who knows?? Lets aware our fellow citizens about their duties and the rights of women. Let’s make then\m realize our importance in this awakening. Let’s hold hands o stand up against female infanticide and foeticide, too. Bringing up and encouraging girls will surely help us to progress in all fields.

                Most importantly, we must encourage girl education. As we all know that an educated woman means an educated family. Secondly, we must encourage economic independence among women. If women become independent, there won’t be much problem of women injustice and finally, we would be able to breathe freely. Thirdly, not only women must take the initiative but also men must understand the need of the hour. After all, women are also human beings, they also need a free environment as men. Women also want independence. Because, we are no more a statue of sympathy!

                Women are strong and they’ll become stronger. They are not the one who lose to others and sit quiet. So all the girls out there get up, take the initiative and proceed.

After all…..

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME!