What we are doing for our country

[jess]

Friends this is speech by Dr. Abdul Kalam given at a students
> conference in Hyderabad and I received it as an attachment from a friend of mine. DO YOU AGREE WITH IT?
> 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.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 comeback 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 kmph) in Washington and
then
> tell the traffic cop, \"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 eople\'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 a broom everytime 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
> interested to learn how to use 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.

> \"Freedom is not given,it is taken\" --Netaji.

[venkat ranga reddy ravula]

dear jess,what you posted has real sense.its duty for every citizen of our country to think what they are doing for the country before enjoying the fruit given by the country.
regards,

[Pavan]

I read this same speech about three months ago...please keep up to date.

[neeraj]

i wish our friend mr.lalu and Ms.jaya , are in this discussion forum,, it is for them to know, not you and me...

we are ofcourse paying tax as a dutyfull citizens....are they??

[jess]

Dear Pavan and neeraj, it is not just for reading and closing eyes. There is a need to implement. It is shame on our part, that though educated, we don\'t implement what we should. Its time to open our eyes.
Does our duty end if we pay tax? Is it not our duty to ensure that the taxes we pay, are used for right purpose? How many Indians are honest in paying tax? Anyway, I don\'t want to deviate the topic. But I would say that every citizen has some role to play towards his/her country and not just paying tax.
What would you say to the injustice done to lower caste people? Inequality? dowry system? Will these be eradicated if you pay tax? Come on be sensible.

[neeraj]

Dear Jess. i was not honestly refering to the tax payment etc,, we the citizens form the society and the country, but what are the guys like laloo prasad, jaya doing?? plundering the wealth, worst than the Britishers... We contribute atleast something for the improvement of the down trodden, while then make the elite ones as down trodden sir... we nominated them, and we are in troubele,, how many villages and towns are there without basic needs like even pottable water?? bus facility, medical facility //why,,, ?? it is because of the selfish politicans.. for laloos daughters weeding(not wedding) he had taken brand new cars using his muscle power to transport his guest and ,, did not return the cars??? do we need such citizens??, how could one expect or dream of a upliftment of the donw trodden with such characters????

[jess]

Neeraj I agree with you. But then it is the common man who has to fight against all this. We have to elect proper people to our constituency. If they fail to deliver what they are supposed to, we should make them to step down. I agree that it is easy said than done. But if we all decide, it is not too difficult. There should be a start and it will then keep going. Instead of waiting for others to do something, why not to start ourself. I am not only referring to this, but also to any activity that brings about change in our country for good.

[Pavan]

I have a sense of duty towards my country even though I live abroad. All I was implying was that a discussion forum like this might enlighten only a few minds. We need to reach a billion minds which is an extremely arduous task. Something needs to be done and done in the right manner. I agree with everything in the speech. However, it\'s not feasible to achieve anything through discussions on this board.

[aparna]

I can only say that the reason is \"Lack of enforcement\". Indian citizen when he goes to singapore would not dare to throw the cigarette butt coz, he would be penalised immediately. so, there the enforcement is good. Here in India, when we park our vehicle in a no parking area, the police comes and asks, whether u want me to tow away ur vehicle which would cost Rs 250/- or u want to give Rs 50/- and get away (This is my own experience). U can say that, as a true Indian, i should ask him to tow the vehicle and be prepared for paying Rs 250/-. But, frankly tell me how many people would do this?? In US everyone who makes money will pay tax... irrespective of how small or big his earnings are. The system is so good. What about our System?? If a person fails to pay the tax this year, immediately he gets a letter from IRS and in future years, if the same person is getting refund, whatever he owes to IRS according to their records would be deducted from his refund and will be paid the rest. What about our system?? How good is our system. Let the government enforce the rules. The common man would always abide by them.