New Delhi : This 15th August, Narendra Modi celebrates his maiden Independence Day as the Prime Minister of India. People have high expectations from the BJP leader, who recently took oath as PM. The question remains is – what will be the picture of India, five years down the line?
As nation celebrates 68th Independence Day, News Nation spoke with people belonging to various professions to find out how they want to see India in next five years. Here are some views:
LH Naqvi/Veteran Journalist
I have not given up on Jawahar Lal Nehru. India could have become a Hindu Rashtra after Independence as an answer to Pakistan. Nehru chose secularism – a secularism that did not shun religion, but gave equal respect to all faiths. Secularism was not his brainchild. He merely gave a modern context to what was the Indian way of life since the dawn of history. To be a Hindu is to be secular. Hindutva is trying to give Hinduism an intolerant face which is the legacy of all Semitic religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam. We must avoid this pitfall if we are to prosper as a multicultural and multi-religious nation.
Ankur Saxena/Deputy HR Manager
Equal employment opportunity, lower inflation rate, improved infrastructure, lessor corruption affordable homes for middle class, less expensive education (especially kids), yearly pay packages correction in corporate sector basis rate of inflation.
Shobhit Sujay/Assistant Editor
India has recently witnessed a political history, which has brought along great hopes. The history was preceded by several promises and immense hopes, so at first, would like to see those promises getting fulfilled. However, as a society, the first thing that I would wish to see is an India where women are as safe as their male counterparts, to say the least. Also, would like to see a sea of opportunities for the growth of both skilled as well as unskilled classes. I think this much would put India on the right track, and are realistic aspirations for 5 years.
Snigdha Bhattacharjee/Voice Over Artist
India- The country where I took birth, where I grew up, I live, I work and ultimately where I breathe. Within all these growing years, I have witnessed many ups and downs in my country but letting every bygone be gone, I aspire a healthy life for every Indian in the near future. Where I can flutter my national flag without a fear of being killed by some outfit and where this day will be celebrated, rather than sitting within the walls out of fear of curfew or a bandh (if talk about disturbed valleys), and ultimately, where the country will accept its women folks as its inseparable organ, and we will be safe and free in a true sense.
Bachan Thakur/Associate Editor
I want an India where its citizens can breathe in freely, where no boundaries could divide the soil, water and air, where air itself becomes the music and where everyone can celebrate unity in diversity. I envision an India which can glorify the meaning of independence of thought, speech and action. Where girls and women are not looked upon as mere objects of pleasure, where they are given every right that life offers, that too on their own will. I dream a reincarnation for my nation, when India can again revive its golden days to be called the mother of the entire human race and civilizations, where before any other possibility, we can say – Indianism is my blood and religion. In the next 5 years, I dream an India how the French Philosopher, Romain Rollan once described, “If there is one place on the face of this earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India.” Ultimately, I want to be part of that Indian race, where humanity is treasured above all, where humanity itself becomes a natural flow of life.
Rituraj Mishra/Senior Engineering Analyst
I want to see India where we know people by their first names and not judge them by their last names, where working hours are limited to 8 hours, giving people the time to spend with their family, where only two parties exist nationally, where no women needs help or support to live, where lesser Indians prefer to work abroad.
Rahul Mehra/Freelance Media, Entertainment professional
In next 5 years, I am looking forward to see India as an economically stable country with a high literacy rate and an appropriate education system. Our current education system needs huge amendments in order to provide a superior level of education to the younger generations. We don’t need to build more colleges and universities; we just need quality education in the existing ones. Our country will then be able to provide a mix of entrepreneurs, artists, scientists and writers who laid the foundation of a knowledge-based economy.
Bhavesh Kumar/Public Relations professional
Well, I know this is a far-fetched dream but for once I would like to see a shift in the perception of the ordinary (mango) people. I would like to see them with a rather rational understanding of the diversely-rich secular fabric of our country and not be at loggerheads with each other (read other communities) as this will only damage our collective prospects in the long run. It’s about time that we should stop reacting to the divisive rhetoric and stop reacting to the agitating calls of some handful conniving conspirators.
Aashima Jain/Graphic & Web Designer, Founder at Digitaltadka
5 years down the line I would like to see India as a nation where everyone in true sense is educated. Education not only in terms of academics, but in terms of logical thinking and humanity. I would like to see a nation where leaders are leading the nation for the people and not for money. A nation where everyone is treated in equality. A nation where equality, independence, secularism is not restricted to school textbooks but actually practiced.
