Ms Meena Awasthi
– a concerned citizen
‘A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment, we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity’
These golden words were spoken by Pandit Jawarhar Lal Nehru in his famous address ‘ Tryst with Destiny’ to the nation at the stroke of midnight on 14 August 1947. His vision for free India was an unending quest and a struggle for a grand India, a power to reckon with in the world. He had demanded a promise from the people of India to never allow the torch of freedom to be blown out, however high the wind or stormy the tempest.
The time has come to remind us of this vision of our dear Pandit Nehru and renew the pledge once again to build a better and stronger India, Anna Hazare and his supporters are trying to ‘find utterance’ through the Lokpal Bill. Let us too, support him and contribute our bit to cleanse the soul of India that has got tarnished with corruption seeping through from the highest to the lowest Government body. We must introspect and renew our vows on this day, the 65th Independence Day of India to hand over to our children a cleaner, and an economically stronger India.
The sacrifices of the many famous leaders like Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose, to name a few and all the unnamed soldiers must not be allowed to go waste. They shed their blood for the country they loved. We must not allow it to turn to water by our negligence and irresponsible behavior. Each one of us must take the responsibility of our actions as well as be alert and not turn a blind eye to injustice when we see it happening. Today is the day to pledge to build a better and a stronger India.
On this day when we pay homage to the martyrs let us bind ourselves afresh to Mother India’s service.
