Tuesday, December 09, 2008

So, what are you doing?

Palash Sen has done a brilliant post in the Times of India today. His piece shamed me, as indeed, it would have shamed every other reader.

Therefore, I, the Citizen of India, hereby pledge that:
1. I will not drive against the rules. Small things, big things, any thing. I will follow traffic rules, safety procedures, even pedestrian lights.
2. I will not condone if my child cheats in an exam.
3. I will VOTE.
4. I will read party manifestoes before every election. I will look for forums to ask questions to the people purporting to be our leaders.
5. I will, once a year, contribute to the Armed Forces Fund.
6. I will not litter public places.
7. I will not bribe.
8. If I have a bad consumer experience, I will tell other people about it, instead of keeping quiet and thinking "why should i do this for someone else?"
9. I will do a refresher course on the Indian constitution, RTI et al, and ensure that my children do it too.
10. If there is an accident, i will try and get the victim to a hospital. Or i will not be a tamasha bystander.
11. I will speak to at least one person about population control in this month.
12. I will teach at least one child around me. Preferably a girl child.
13. I will NOT keep quiet if someone around me is being troubled for dowry, is being harassed, or has undergone female foeticide. I will, at the very least, break social contact with them in toto.
14. I will only vote for one reason - the administrative performance of the person. I will not become a vote bank for religion, for language, for caste. I will not become a part of the vote bank. Period.
15. When i see someone do something that they should not be doing, i will speak up. They may not listen, but I will speak up. Its not about someone else any more.

29 comments:

Mampi said...

Yes, yes, yes, I will, I will.
Your list matches mine in toto. I have already started speaking up about the bad consumer experience, hehe, remember the hairrible day?

Sagarone said...

Well, what else can i say except that may our tribe increase!!!

Anonymous said...

Count me in too!

Maddening Silences said...

Such strong sentiments can be coming only from u .. and i absolutely second u .. infact i have already started putting most of the things in action in my own small way...I d like to add that we should start educating our kids to follow all this as well.. what better way than to enlighten the future citizens...

Tanvi said...

I am with you as I am with everyone else who is with you.

dharmabum said...

14 is going to be a tad difficult. to find someone, i mean.

15 - well, be prepared - a year ago, exactly - i spoke up once, and realised it was a bunch of goons, and got beaten up bad. :)

palash sen can sit in the cozy comforts of his celebrity life, and write - not that i condemn it, indeed, if every celebrity did spread the awareness, there would be more listeners. but i wonder if they do anything, or are just too busy, an excuse that passes the lips of the most ordinary man.

~nm said...

Have not read the article but even if we decide to take one step at a time, soon we will have an even more beautiful world to live in!

Anonymous said...

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The Phosgene Kid said...

Its best to follow all laws, even the bad ones - ignoring them diminishes all the laws. As tough as it can be, if a law is poor, work through the system to improve it, change it, or have it stricken.

Keshi said...

yes it all starts with SELF. Good post girl!

Keshi.

Yamini Meduri said...

i am with you too.....

Lucifer said...

way to go!!!

EXSENO said...

Those are some wonderful words to live by. He made a good list.
Makes me want to make a list too. Maybe everyone should make one so that we can read what we wrote from time to time to make sure we are following our own rules.

kj said...

this sounds like a pledge of clear headed courage!

nice to visit your blog and thanks for stopping by mine.
:)

Mana said...

I never keep quiet if something bad is done to me :)

Balvinder Balli said...

Brilliant list. If each one of us starts thinking on these lines, our country will be much better a place than the mess it is in today. Well done.

zirelda said...

Excellent post.

D said...

Those are resolutions all of us need to adopt. And not forget in a hurry.

OG said...

good one..... I get reminded of Gandhi's words..
"Be the change you want to see" :)
One more point which I believe is important:
7. I will not bribe.
8. I will not give bribe (right from big guys to the common traffic police)!!!

Chronicler said...

woah... hoping i can keep up to those resolutions too....
ps: blogrolling you...

Anonymous said...

Ahh...nice of you to share this one..!!.. Really its a well thought out piece.. atleast half of the population begins following half of that list...there will be changes.. !!

Mampi said...

An award awaits thee on my blog.

~nm said...

You have been awarded. Pick it here - http://doiwrite.blogspot.com/2008/12/two-awards.html

How do we know said...

Hi mampi: Thank you for the award! And am glad to see you join!

Hi Sagarone: went to your blog and really liked it there.

Hi Mithe: Hop on! And thanks a ton for the award!

Hi You know me very well: What can I say except... You know me very well :-) And i agree with you completely.. let the kids see too.. thats the only way they will learn.

Hi Tanvi: Thanks!

Hi Dharma: There is, I believe, Sheila Dixit in Delhi. # 15, I have also spoken up many times... guess the beating was spared bcs of my gender ;-)
Just bcs the celebrities dont do anything is no reason for us to also not do anything. :-)

Hi ~nm: Amen, and thank you for the award!

Hi Phos: I've been thinking about your comment for a few days now... laws dont make sense all the time.. so, if one chooses to follow them, one may be wasting resources on one occasion, and being safe at another occasion... Ah! The World of grays returns..

Hi Keshi, dil ki pyaar and mayz: Thank you folks!

Hi exseno: Yep, a list like that from everyone would be really nice!

Hi kj: Thanks!

How do we know said...

Hi Manasa: Way to go girl! I like you much better now.

Hi Balvinder: Thank you!

Hi zirelda: Thanks.

Hi D: And not forget in a hurry, being the key words.

Hi Ajit: Believe me, "be the change that you want to be" was the first title i thot of. Then shelved it bcs it sounds too holier than thou. :-)

Hi Swayam: Thanks for the blogroll.. and the nice words.

Hi thearmyguyspeaks: Thank you!

human being said...

oh... only if people stick to these! they relate to all of us in any country...

thanks for sharing, friend...

Id it is said...

Most of those would apply to any country. Unfortunately, those resolutions seldom convert into actions!

Akilan said...

Pledge taken. :)

J P Joshi said...

I totally agree with this comprehensive list of responsibilities that we have been shirking for a long time. The day every educated Indian starts following this list, we would have no major complaint with our systems - political or others.

Congratulations on taking the time to make such a comprehensive list.

I want to add another point. I will wait my turn - form a Q - whether the Q is at the movie hall, the rail reservation counter, the post office or wherever the dealing counter clerk is engaged with another person.