Legacies belied

Right from the time that I was a youngster, I knew it would eventually happen—the resurrection of a new India, a country that I was born in, brought up and bred in all of my life. Through my infancy and understanding of what was happening around us, I saw familial ties being milked and exploited by some then-revered dynasties, with common people being trodden upon. Today, I make an attempt to make a difference, if only to pay back for all that we have begotten and privileged to enjoy—a responsibility to make a difference and make some right calls. Personally, for me, a simple upbringing, a humble education made me aware of the wrongs around me and my peers gave me the courage to speak out against those misdeeds, some that continue to scar our society and fabric today, but things are now changing. And changing rather quickly, and for the better...

What is changing and what is better, you ask? Well, for one, parivaarvaad is going out of style and purview, as it should. Why do I say that is your next query...? It is because times have moved on and we need to, too, out of the vacuum of an Indian polity that was well-nigh taken over by a few political dynasties, and I am not talking about the G-spot alone. Let's look at some of the spoilers in India's last 60-70 years of macabre rule of near-tyranny. We have had parties like the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), NC (National Conference), PDP (People's Democratic Party), SP (Samajwadi Party), BSP (Bahujan Samajwadi Party), TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samithi), RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal), TMC (Trinamool Congress Party), NCP (Nationalist Congress Party), SBSP (Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party), JDS (Janata Dal [Secular]) and many, many others.

The G-spot is the literal mother bird, the INC (Indian National Congress), which for years led these self-serving and anti-national elements in contributing to the detriment of the future of Indian democracy, even our conscience as a nation... But it has incurably happened. Worse still, it has been allowed to happen, even flower. Thus it is that now, we as a nation and a people are facing the backlash and fallout of the past many decades of callousness at the very epitome and helm of power.

The new reality

This is simple and stark, visible as everything else today on the firmament of India's new-found rejuvenation. Despite the deeply adverse times we find ourselves in today, India is rebounding, as is its economy and corporate health. People at large have realized this too, even as they face some inescapable hiccups that will necessarily come along the way. Nation-building, especially after decades of callousness and misrule, is never easy, and is an onerous and unenviable task. And given the sheer magnitude of the problems at hand, handed down by uncaring predecessors, any person tough enough to face and reckon with ever-seething detractors has to be brave and mighty personified.

I found some of these traits in our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chose to follow his path. In the process, I have made my own detractors and enemies, but I also realize that any notable man with a vision to rebuild a nation will always be demonized and made to look asunder. Herein, I have chosen to look and view things in a broader perspective. That perspective is that our new India, under our Hon'ble Prime Minister, is on a track that has been oft-defiled and questioned, but one that is clearly helping us march along to a national resurgence.

Look at what former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan had to say just last week — "India is in a good place right now, especially from the economic perspective. Our foreign exchange reserves are at historical highs and we shall outstrip all forecasts made by global financial institutions. In these (trying) times, this is a good place to be in." That is good news.

So what is needed?

Well, we need to have patience and an understanding of the ground-realities, for therein shall appear the comeuppance and eventual resurgence. No matter what situation is changing, we need to never get discouraged. When change comes, it is always uncomfortable for a bit, but then, great things never come from comfort zones. We need to embrace the new tomorrow and recognize the blessing that we need but couldn't make happen on our own.

Enough lip-service... Let's revisit what Hon'ble PM Narendra Modi himself said on dynasties and change, and let's all collectively decipher the deeper intent — "There is an effort underway to prevent the truth from being told. History has to be presented in the right context. Just as books, poetry and literature play a role in this, films do too. Post-Indian independence, we were hearing about Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, but not so much about Mahatma Gandhi. Had someone made the effort to make a film on Gandhi and presented it to the world, the message may have been delivered. Eventually, it took a film made by a foreigner to introduce our (Mahatma) Gandhi to the world." He also said: "Not giving tickets to kin of BJP leaders is my decision. Agar yeh paap hai to maine yeh paap kiya hai (if this is a sin, then it's my sin)."

Soulful words, indeed, a thought that we should remember and reconsider. Let us not be content with being just a wannabe superpower tomorrow, for we are already en route to being one. What matters now is to believe in our own selves, as do our leaders of today, and take things to the next level.

Today, we debate rising fuel prices. We rankle over inflationary pressures. What about India's new resurgence and the pact with a world-defying Russia for cheaper crude oil, which brings solace to crores of Indians each day? What about the 187 crore Indians who have already been vaccinated and the Fourth Wave becoming literally inconsequential in India, even as China and most of Europe clamp down on their cities and national borders? The home-grown truth is that bold decisions have been taken. And today, there are no dynasties to answer to and, thus, tough calls can be taken, even if they lead to sterling opposition. So be it, as long as we end up making a stronger India and stand up for every single Indian.

The author is a senior BJP leader and functionary. Views expressed are personal