Yes India, you are being watched by the rest of the world. You are being watched by neighbours, many of whom have never tasted democracy, many who have suffered under military rule and dictatorships!
You are being watched by China, who have ruthlessly cracked down on dissidents and protestors, mowing them down with bullets and tanks!
You are being watched by princely ruled kingdoms, who till lately didn’t even allow a woman the right to drive a car!
You are being watched by nations who allow only those of one particular faith to hold office!
By America which boasts itself of being the world’s largest democracy and looks enviously at you as you shout you are the largest!
By Russia, which has a strong man breaching electoral rules so he can continue ruling for a few terms more!
By England, whose rulers many decades ago, ne’er thought you’d last as a nation!
Yes, India you are being watched!
Suddenly, all eyes of the world are focused on whether this blanket thrown over one state, is actually smothering its people, that not a squeal or shriek is heard from under those heavy covers!
Suddenly, all eyes of the world are wondering why a country that boasted of allowing each citizen to follow the religion of his choice, now is answerable to laws who question his right to choose which god to follow!
Suddenly, the eyes of the world wonder why some in the country can’t tolerate another’s eating habits and have banned those items from their neighbours tables!
Suddenly, the eyes of the world look askance at the number of women who are finding the country unsafe as they are stripped and raped in every city and town!
Suddenly, the world asks, how a billion and a quarter people say that all’s well, and can’t feel their economy sliding, jobs dwindling, food scarcer!
Yes India, you are being watched!
It’s during times of victory that the world watches how a victor behaves! Is he gracious to the loser, or is he vicious and vindictive?
It’s during times of victory that strong politicians change and become great statesmen. It’s during times of electoral victories that gentleness and softness show the strength of a party and leader!
Yes India, today, the world watches and today we can, in this giant arena called India, show the world what we really are, not through brute force, not through the use of jails, arms and muscle but by showing compassion, clemency and calm, all the emotions that the land of Yoga should exude.
We are being watched India, let us rise to the occasion and be worthy of such a close scrutiny..!
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Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and writes a daily column, which has graced the pages of over 60 newspapers and magazines, from a daily column in the Khaleej Times, Dubai, the Morning Star, London, and in nearly every state in India, from The Statesman in Kolkata, to the Kashmir Times in Kashmir to the Trinity Mirror in Chennai.
It’s a pity that of late, intolerance has found a footing in India. This is one aspect where we need to regress & get back to the good old tolerant India of the past.
Hope at least under the scrutiny, we come to our senses.
??Bravo! God bless you! ?
You are right, we are being watched, but let’s not only care about the optics – what nations and other people think, but about who we really are, who we want to be, and what we can do to become the kind of nation we want to be.
I fear that we may not be able to agree on even these questions. The vision enshrined in our constitution should be able to guide us.
Absolutely true we are being watched
Pray that God sense prevails among our great and God fearing Nation.