Inspiration for the uninspired

Here is a posting from bharatUdayMission yahoo group. This has been published here with the author's permission.

No claim of 100% authenticity,somewhat tentative

India's population would continue to increase till 2025-2030 when it
would become constant and is not expected to decline before 2050, if the
current trend continues. By then the number itself would be staggering...
..around 1.8 billion or so. Just imagine how many people stuffed up in
1sqkm and the amount of resources for each individual.Even if India
follows 2 child norm from now onwards India would surpass China in the
near future where 1 child norm has been already achieved.

Indians breed worse than most animals of comparable size and decent
intelligence level(shameful) : the current fertility rate is alarming,
between 3 and 4. Talking about religious distribution , it is the
highest among Muslims ,well above 5.(Fertility rate is the average number
of children per couple).

One percent of India is becoming,on an average,desert every year. Already
,south Delhi has used up its share of water and is reeling under water
crisis along with Chennai and other cities. It is not surprising that
the third World War might be fought for water when in one country itself
states are fighting for river water.

By 2010 there would be about 1 HIV+ in every 60 or 70 of us. And it
is but obvious that this figure rises exponentially.One,because of an
obvious fact and the other, because of frustrated HIV+ who put infected
needles in Cinema Halls and Autos leading to a second level of
frustrated people.Besides AIDS, cancer and impotency are also spreading
in the country like an epidemic.

In the qualitative aspect, we are a shame: we comprise of more than
16% of the world population but we earn only 2% of what the world
earns. The average productivity of the Indian famer is 30 times lower than a
German one and 20 times lower than an American one.Our urban
population is around 28% as compared to more than 70% of US or UK.
38% of ourselves are below the poverty line.We live on an average for
61 years whereas Americans, English or Canadians live more than 75 years.

Around 65% of us only eat and ask for resources(unproductive consumers
in demographic terms). An average Indian eats only 2400 calories whereas
developed countries eat more than 3500 calories per day. Only 65% of us
are literate, that too, in the demographic definition, is the ability to
write your name in a particular language ; compared to a threshold of time
where we stand and where according to world definitions, soon people not
having computer knowledge shall come under the definition of illiteracy. 67
% of us work in the primary sector whereas more than this percentage
of people work in the tertiary sectors in developed countries and that
is why our p.c.i. is $89 compared to $2893 of US or $1400-1800 of
Australia, UK or Canada .

But all this must not lead to shame,rather,it should lead to inspiration
for the uninspired and that is why we people are here.

Adding to all this, we have in India communal tension, caste politics,
regionalism, linguism,pseudo-secularism, baseless and blind opposition to
change(esp.UP,Bihar and Bengal), extreme level of selfishness in the
citizens and blind following of the religious texts all paving the road
for the complete rotting up of the country.

Another thing which has kept me wondering , besides this ultimate quest for development, is that we should also aim for attainment of the great Indian culture, which I am afraid is moving to gutter, a special thanks to the
high-class and upper middle class youth, television,page-3 culture by few
of the socially 'responsible' newspapers who ridicule traditions and customs.

For India to prosper as the US,be devoid of tradition and ethically
starving citizens!? Certainly not. We should take inspiration from the US
only in terms of properity and quest for knowledge and watch China and
Japan who have preserved their age-old culture to some extent. In Swades
the panch says that we are the greatest nation in the world because we
have 'sanskar' and 'parampara' (culture and tradition).Even though it is
a lame excuse to escape,yet I am afraid that even then the culture
which he talks about is corrupted and infected.

Some people then become too orthodox to revert from their scriptures. Even
that is an adamant course to take.....when God has given us the ability to
understand what is right and what is wrong, then why do we not realise
what is detrimental to scientific approach and what not and what is
moral/ethical and what not.

Why are we so blinded by irrationale not to see what is good for the
humankind?Does it suit man who has such a superior brain to consult his
scriptures and blame God for each and every single thing? Why can't we
take inspiration towards science from the west though it might be
morally starved and why can't we reject a scriptural text though it might be
great, if it is harmful to rational thinking? Buddha himself said, " Do
not follow something just because it is written in your scriptures." He
was hinting towards an intelligent balance between science and religion
and that is what I personally dream of for my beloved India.

Lastly,another thing crops up in my mind is that of secularism. Today
perhaps in India all apparent secular gestures conceal hidden political motives.....just wonder:

Why a hajj-subsidy,when no such subsidy is there for Amarnath or
Kailash Yatras? Why aren't Ashok Singhal and Togadia asked to keep
their mouth shut when they utter extreme nonsense,leading to communal
tension,when on one hand SIMI was banned?. I remember lately Singhal
made the statement that Hindus should produce 10 kids per family
(apprehending high fertility rates among muslims)....how can he be allowed
to speak such crap? Shiv Sena rewards those Hindus who produce x no. of
children. Perhaps all these religious leaders shall carry on Hindu-Muslim
politics and lead the country towards ruins.

Why do we have something called the 'Muslim Personal Law'? Why do we
have something called the 'Hindu Marriage Act'? Why isn't there a
uniform civil code for the entire Indian community? If it is not so , then
how the hell do we call ourselves secular? In the truly secular countries, these kind of things do not exist, and if they do, a personal law is
subordinate to national, but in India it is perhaps the reverse.

These things clearly show how polarised our community is and we
call ourselves 'secular' on top of that.

In the end I would like to hint at a last point. We are here to preach
others about our noble ideas and mission. But as it is said," Be the change
you wish to see in others", we ourselves should strive for strength of
character and an epitome of rational thinking. If amongst ourselves, we
acquire biased views, have 5 children , litter around ourselves in public,
indulge in corruption and do things derogatory to our own culture, then
perhaps we do not fit to be for this cause. Hence I plead the fellow
members to strive for discipline and stern characters and ideals in their
own lives.

Perhaps that is all,


Vande Mataram,