Be The Change or Don't Complain

It has been long time now, I posted something about my Mumbai Chronicles. I am sorry because of the lame excuse I will be giving, i.e. was busy with work. But it is actually true, because I have been travelling around for my office work and even though there are moments, when a whole post is cooked in my mind, I am too lazy to serve it. 

However, this one incident I would like to share, and I am not expecting everyone to agree to it but still this is what I feel about the whole incident. As I told, I have been travelling a lot and during my travels I meet many people. On my way to Hyderabad from Chennai - 

"This country is doomed. No one can make it better."

I took my eyes of the book I was reading and looked up. A middle aged person, black hair with some shades of grey, the wrinkle around his eyes showed his age, may be late forties, a pencil type mustache, a coffee brown colored polo neck t-shirt, and black trousers, sat in corner seat of my opposite berth. 

"See, how dirty this place is?"

"That is how it is?" answered a person sitting opposite to him. A young man, 6 feet, the look told he works for an IT firm, specky, headsets placed, carrying 2 phones, one an I Phone and one some Sony device

I went back to reading, ignoring the stupid complaint, but it didn't stop there.

. 

"They will remain like this. Even though they take so much taxes. now they increased the service charges on rail tickets. Where is all this money going? To pay medical bills of some Italian lady... Huh! (referring to the recent claim of a politician that INR 1880/- crores were paid by Indian Govt. for the ruling parties presidents medical visits to foreign countries).

"And we pay for everything." He continued. "See countries like Thailand, Singapore, China, Malaysia, They are getting better day by day and here we are stuck with corruption."

"Ticket to USA is 30K and If i go to Delhi from Chennai, it is also almost 30 K. What a logical pricing." old guy continued while the IT guy nodding in support.

"This country is good for nothing. We just pay and pay. And our politicians enjoy the bribes and taxes we give."

 That was it, when I could not take it more. "Sir are you moving out of India soon?"  I asked the person

"Sorry!!! I didn't get you." the old guy asked, giving me a Who The Hell are you look...

"I asked, are you moving out of India to another country?"  I answered loudly.

 "No!! Why??" 

"You should move out, if you have so much grunt with this country." I answered.

"What do you mean? Who are you to say that? You are telling me to get out of my country?"

"Sir, I didn't tell you to get out. I just said, if you have so many problems with this system, Please feel free to leave. World is too big. You have USA, Thailand, Malaysia and many more. I am just saying what you feel."

"Young man, mind your business. I pay taxes and I do have rights to ask questions."

"Sir asking questions is different. If you want to ask questions, use your right to information and ask where you get an answer. Not in public, disgracing your own country. I don't deny about issues we have, but I bet, all the countries you named have issues. Please don't judge the book by its cover. USA, you named, is running in crisis, the locals are complaining about taxes, their presidential elections have become a mockery. "

"You named Thailand, a government, which have made it a fun destination point, to be precise a place for drugs, booz and sex. Other countries you named are also struggling with drug addiction issues, human trafficking and financial crisis. From distance everything looks good."

"Next time, when you are on International tour, please try to visit the back-lanes to find the ugly truth. No country is perfect, everyone has to make it perfect."

"You are telling that we should sit back and agree to all injustice."  the man argued. 

"Please stand up against injustice, but then set examples. You just complained that the place is dirty, just half an hour back when the train began its journey, you finished a bottle of water and threw it on track. You could have dropped it in the compartment dustbin."

"So you say, I made this place dirty."  the guy got all red and annoyed.

"No Sir, you didn't, we all made it dirty. Please don't get angry. I felt bad, when you said bad about my country. Jaisa bhi hai, ye mera desh hai, (It is my country, whatever the condition it is in) and I will try to make it a better place with my small efforts and hope to spread the message to everyone."

"Leave it Sir, he seems to be quite emotional about India. Its already 11, let us all sleep."  the IT guy intervened and our uncomfortable conversation ended like that. 

The old man was still gave me angry looks, but something other was going in my mind. To at least begin somewhere. So thought to request you all to be part of a change. Lets change ourselves to be a part of a better country. 

Try to be right, do right things and stand against injustice. Charity begins at home, so lets improve ourselves.

Don't spit and throw garbage on roads or open areas.

Please try to follow the rules.

Try to help the people. Don't pay bribes.

Don't promote begging by giving money to beggars. If we could help, try to get them in touch with some organization.

And many more things that you think can improve our country, us and give peace to our souls.