Agenda for Change
Bharat- only Super Power or Great Nation?
It was miraculous for Bharat in the era of globalisation & glamour, youth selected an unknown scientist APJ Abdul Kalam as their icon or ideal. He came from rural background & became scientist, devoted his life for mission on missile making. His team’s success gave pride to us as it gave sense of security & more than that the satisfaction of self reliance. Our youth is searching for something which will bring pride to our country. And here patriotic mind got excited with his real life stories. This choice guides us to read the agenda in young mind for Change.
Why agenda for change needed? What’s it? Who will take up? And why will they take up? Now a days it’s fashionable to talk about change and to pronounce Agenda for Change. Politician, action man bureaucrat or so called above all media guys, new generation army of activists from NGOs or Human rights, and so on everybody proclaiming that they are very much keen on change & they have a specific Agenda for Change.
Though their actions are creating some waves but not succeeding to go on sustainably. People especially youth thinking of transformation. Though he or she looks busy with career or sometime with ‘masti’-light enjoyment but Agenda for Change for Bharat is taking shape in their minds very actively. So time demands to read their aspiration & convince them with a thoughtful agenda, then & then only required agenda for change will be taken up by youth properly to make it a reality.
Change of Mind set:
Vivekananda said that for everything wrong with our society Dharma is not responsible but as we left dharma, we are trapped with such wrong consequences. It’s also not true to blame always west for everything. But merciless analysis is required for our problems which will lead us to find our own designed solutions.
Why freedom is needed? Just to get proper food, clothes etc. or something more. Every individual wants freedom for ‘Swa’ (own way of living), but still we enjoy freedom in particular system like our family, society and self rule governance in spite of some bindings. Why? as it’s our rule, taking care for everybody. But why we experience unrest even after 65 years of our Independence? As we have changed only persons for governance but ‘Tantra’ (Systems & philosophy for governance) is not ‘swa’ (our own) but, it has come from ‘Par’ (foreigners).
To experience real freedom, we have to find our own system based on our philosophy & knowledge. For this we need young minds & brains with the education based on our knowledge, philosophy, experiences & aspirations. So first step would be to change education, which requires education, its philosophy, structure, format etc. should be top on our priority list.
If our education makes our youth only good machines or robots, a efficient & skilled labour force, then our need will be only to develop good maintenance of machines & human character will be absent from agenda, But as we are not machines, will never be satisfied with such system and it will always lead to unrest, conflicts & end in a human disaster. So our youth needs a man making education which is full of our ancient & continuous quest for knowledge, our experiences, our inspiring traditions, values, the sacrifices & bravery of our forefathers to retain & enhance all their value systems & required freedom for this.
Such enlightened, patriot, capable & valorous youth will have a great concern for Nation and its people. This intense love for motherland & its people will inspire them for meaningful ‘Swa’ Tantra (Self solutions for problem). We need two things for Agenda for change- our own people who will rightly set agenda & inspired youth who will adopt it as their own agenda.
New Order:
Poverty, Corruption, indiscipline, mismanagement etc, a long list is possible for problems but basic question arises, how change is possible. We cannot beg for solutions or copy it from somebody who has forcefully thrown us in such problems.
Change in people, will change society, followed by change in systems & ultimately Nation will be transformed. Though it’s an ideal & sustainable way of change but situation doesn’t wait for it and other factors may create a miserable situation. So simultaneously urgent changes at political level followed by systemic changes or reforms supported with some strong legal system are always needed. Strong youth movements will only create pressures on system & make it comfortable for people till the total change comes in action. So society has to allow & promote students & youth for such thinking process & practice such actions.
Youth with intense love for motherland will devote for pride of Bharat in his or her thinking & actions. They will dream for betterment, on one hand serve the needed & on other will fight against odds, simultaneously using the intellect for innovative plans for the cause. Youth has to work on 3 tier programme to compliment the agenda for change. First at personal level to reset inner order of thinking, self discipline, behavior & relationship with others & nature. Second at society level where it’s for social reform & fight against all social evils. Third at public level mass awareness & movement to pressurise political & government authorities for proper governance & justice for all. Also they have to work out for reforms & systemic changes.
Manifesto for Bharat Punarnirman (Reconstruction or Renaissance):
Swami Vivekananda appealed youth to came forward & take up this auspicious task of ‘Nation Building’. Strong youth force is required to compel political system to take decisions in public interest. Though it’s corrupt in all sense, organised pressure from youth bodies will deliver many things even from present systems of public life, like police, Administration, elections, judiciary etc. by bringing down the corruption level. Also to make them more people friendly with certain reforms. The use of modern technology will also help for better management & fairness. Youth groups must take up this challenge & lead the debate to fasten the reform process.
Off course only superficial reforms will not help fully, so universities research structure must be used by students to come forward with original new systems political or social, based on our knowledge systems & suitable for our society meaning ‘swatantra’ (Our way of living). But its not easy to change. Lot of parallel movements is required on difference issues & sectors. Youth has to take a sole responsibility of public awareness ‘Maha abhiyan’ (Major campaign) to convince people & emerge with strong public opinion for desired change. So student or non students, urban or rural, part of any organisation or not, every youth has to become part of this process & adopt this responsibility in day -to-day life.
Youth has to become part of at least one mission like poverty eradication, education for all (teach at least one) save water, save environment, save electricity, fight against corruption, fight for rights & safety of women & children, fight against labour problem & so many or become a part of intellectual process for change or some other way. But change is not possible only by mass movements & stringent laws or punishments. Government has a crucial role to play in whole process but still it’s not everything. Government system needs a public active support to reach its target of public welfare & better administration. Youth has to take initiative.
Modern day Bharat must win the battle with poverty & illiteracy. We have to discard in letters & spirit the words like upper & lower caste, untouchables, forward & backwards and also learn to respect physical labour & see any type of work with dignity. Respect for women in personal & public life, stand strongly for dignity of women, no one should go unpunished who insult or torture women in any form. No place for dowry, or child labour like bad practices in modern society. Hygiene, cleaniness & discipline of public places, should the ‘mantra’ (thing to follow religiously) for this generation.
Cultural concepts will develop imagination for future society, for modern day Bharat which will ultimately influence the whole process. How youth imagine for developed Bharat- “most developed Nation”, ‘world super power’ etc. will make a whole difference.
World has experienced so many powers, which ultimately have become disastrous- the destructive super powers, because of its forceful ways to make a uniform world. Bharat has to be constructive super power as it was for thousands of years from ancient times. Youth of this generation must understand the secret behind this unique speciality & adopt it for future society. Knowledge of realization about oneness in universe is most important research made by our ‘Rishis’ (saints with high wisdom), it has set our relationship with others, which in turn set our behavioural pattern, social structure, tradition, ways of governance etc.
This made us prosperous, wealthy, powerful, intellectual society, simultaneously cultured, disciplined in personal & public life, care taking society, nature friendly society & helpful to other nations. By using all latest modern technologies we must become powerful, deterrent force, prosperous & wealthy but also add our experiences to our culture & made it more prosperous.
Good infrastructure, most modern & powerful, ahead in communication & IT etc. must for our country. Also research needed on modern day family & society structure full of our values in the globalised market world. It’s necessary to protect & promote all related things which will enhance our culture & pride for Bharat. It may include our knowledge books like Vedas, Geeta etc, our temples & historical war sites like Haldighati etc, our festival like Deepawali or Khumbh melas etc, our Ayurveda or Yogashastra, our Sanskrit or other languages, our sacred Ganga or Himalayas, our glorious history or other symbols.
These all are the part of our identity & so fight for their protection must be a part youths commitment & it’s a expression of patriotism in present time. Our music, dance, traditions & other type of arts including specialties in different tribe, are also very much part of our identity. It must be clear that every civilization will always strive to be most powerful & wish to enjoy the all modern luxuries created by human being. But in absence of culture these civilizations will engulf each other & if proper culture flows, then civilisational harmony is possible.
So young sons & daughters of this land Bharat in modern times has to transform our society into the most modern civilization with highest cultural values. Let us devote ourselves for this cause to make Bharat the world’s constructive super power “The Great Nation”.
(Writer is presently National Organising Secretary of ABVP)