After spending anxious moments during final exams, I managed to wake up early morning and boarded an airport-bound taxi. After crossing some silent lanes, the cab cruised on highway and joined the combat to overtake a sleeper bus. Suddenly a hand popped out from one of the windows and dispatched empty plastic bottle. The bottle landed in the middle of the highway and awaited its turn to be crushed under the wheels of the incoming vehicles.
The act portrays a section of India which was televised in ‘Incredible India’ advertisement. Forming queues, observing rules and maintaining discipline are dreams which we citizens preach or aspire for, but never practice. It feels nice when people in queue stop an intruder. But on the same note how many of us actually stop others from breaking or encourage others to follow the rules? I recall an incident where I was waiting in a traffic queue .The left byway of the road was clogged with vehicle enthusiasts who showcased a discrete urgency to rush. Such was the alignment of traffic that an ambulance, which was screaming emergency siren, had to wait for good 15 minutes before using the byway. By the time the ambulance crossed the byway, the traffic signal had turned green and crazy flock of vehicles rushed vehemently.
Most of us blame the problem of increasing traffic congestion on government and believe that the solution rests with the administration. Ironically, the problem lies within us and the solution rests in the approach of discipline. The more disciplined we citizens are, the more effective a nation is. As Bharat(rural India) looks up to India(urban arena) for inspirations, certain acts of ours mark wrong impression on people who view us as examples of prosperity.
We grow up watching parents, teachers, friends and society. We emulate the act of elders. The dos and the don’ts that we receive as instructions are to make sure that we do not pursue any wrong/unlawful act and rather discourage them. However, while preaching the right and the wrong, society and its stakeholders often forget that some of their acts can be unlawful, and such acts when cultured under the shade of acceptance(or to be precise ‘chalta hai’ attitude), can eventually pose as huge problems.
The more the fire of unlawful action burns, the difficult it is to douse the flames. Many of us, while encouraging/setting good examples are often reminded of the harsh reality that people who showcase unlawful behavior still prosper in the nation. As a result we discourage our hopes of setting correct practices in the society. We curse disciplinary actions during our school and college days, but appreciate those actions as we grow up. Why? Because at some or the other point of time in our life we do face a scenario where we bear the consequence due to indiscipline of others. Waiting for long hours, bearing someone who is wasting our time, missing important/crucial events due to negligence by others are some of the examples that we face every day.
Absence of proper governance, corruption, women empowerment and other national problems can be directly attributed to lack of discipline. Unfortunately instead of being solved, the problems are turned into topics which are debated under the roof of educational institutions. The current generation has shown glimpses that it can achieve what our predecessors could not, i.e. extinguish the flame of indiscipline. Will it be successful? Only time and actions will speak.
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