Happy New Year - Lets be part of the change

Oh, look at that guy, no manners. Jumped the queue. Indians are like this. Can’t help....

We come across this ranting at least once in a day. Don’t we? We take rules for granted, law for granted. We misuse the freedom and impose a new rule on ourselves. We like to litter around. We like to do whatever it takes to make our lives easy, notwithstanding if it means breaking the rule or causing nuisance to others.

I agree with everything. If we closely look at it, we can bifurcate this social problem into two parts. Part 1 involves us, the aam admi who can do his bit to help keep up the cleanliness, law and order in the system. This I can say constitutes 60% of the pie. The rest of the responsibility falls on the head of govt machinery – the babus and politicians.

Complying with law is something the basics what an aam admi can do to do his bit. When PM asks to maintain cleanliness, let’s participate in that. When there is sign to follow the lane rules, let’s do that honestly. If we see no smoking board, let’s not smoke. Is that so difficult?

Yes, some things are difficult. Ex. The traffic. We do all sorts of jugaad to reach to destination. The infrastructure is really pathetic to cater to the demand. Our city planning was not future oriented. I don’t know the solution, neither I wanted to dedicate this post for that. But just wanted to quote an example.

But things which are possible, let’s do it. “Swach Bharath”mission is simplest one to start with I believe. If we take one after the other, I think we can address the issues systematically. If we are responsive, show responsibility, take part in democracy machinery, things may start working. That is what Our PM believes too. That is why we have so many options to knock on the govt’s door created these days.

And let me tell here that western countries are no exception to breaking rules. I have seen some insane guy inserting himself into long q in London Airport. People do throw cigar stubs anywhere they wish in US. You don’t have restriction on smoking in public area in US (in India it has to yet see a strict implementation. But thankfully people are aware of their rights and I’ve seen instances where folks have chided law breakers), a potential health hazard that has not yet alerted the administration here.

The point is very simple. Abiding by rules is really not so difficult. We do it inside our homes. It’s time we follow the same outside too. Any change is difficult at beginning and becomes part of life in no time when we start following. The same has happened in US. They have been doing it from many generations there. Once we start the habit in India then, it becomes practice here too. Ranting at rule breakers and degrading ourselves by comparing with "Rule-abiding"
firangis is not a solution. Let’s be part of Modi’s dream. Let’s begin the change.