MANMOHAN DHAR
Of course hoisting the Tricolour is a matter of great pride for every true nationalist. How can hoisting tricolour and organising celebrations at all levels starting from every Indian home, be misunderstood as forceful and coercive tactics of the Government to impose patriotism on the citizens. Patriotism is not something that is imposed. In fact every Indian needs to be patriotic at heart and anything asked to be done towards patriotism should not sound forceful at all. If Prime Minister of the country asks his countrymen to celebrate the 75th year of Independence with passion, intensity, warmth and fervour he can’t be pinpointed as a dictator who wants things to be done according to his wishes. He is only trying to express his passion for patriotism as a Prime Minister. He is not questioning your patriotism or love for your country. Your actions and words are sufficient to understand that. An Indian can never take it as an offensive if someone asks him or her to hoist tricolour, pride of the nation. It should come like an echo of something already known to them and also very dear and close to their heart. How can it be termed as force or coercion? However, if you disrespect the tricolour in any manner you are undoubtedly being unpatriotic. You can’t just ridicule something that is done or supposed to be done in line with the Constitution of India and just dare to say that there won’t be a single person to even offer his shoulder to carry bier of the Tricolour. This is not only being unpatriotic but it a mirror of your disaffection for the country to which you owe your allegiance. This exposes your treasonous mindset and the degree of unfaithfulness towards the country which you ought to be faithful to. A country which gives you the chance of holding the prestigious Government, positions in your State. This exposes your hypocrisy of pretending nationalism in the shadow of your Anti-nationalism. This exposes your unconditional love for countries which have been continuously trying to weaken and destabilise India, with their ugly proxy wars, ruthless terrorism, religious fundamentalism and cyber intrusions. Your love for those who hoist national flags of enemy countries and pose direct threat to country’s internal security is not hidden and your disrespect for the Indian Tricolour is not coming as a surprise for any true Indian. Some political leaders have mastered their art of being two-faced. They are more dangerous to the national unity and integrity. they can manipulate every political situation according to their convenience. They can spit venom and be insanely vocal about the geographic misinformation thereby inciting unrest among the youth who in turn resort to violence, arson, stone-pelting and terrorism. How can you expect respect for Tricolour from these self-centred and corrupt leaders? To keep their political aspirations alive they go to all extremes when it comes to destabilizing India on all fronts. But, while indulging in such anti-national stances, they forget that it is not the India of seventies or eighties. It is the India of twenty first century and the leadership at helm of affairs is strong enough to sabotage all their nefarious designs and anti-national plots. ‘Har Ghar Triranga’ is not only a slogan, it is an emotion. It is an inspiration, a sentiment, a passion, a spirit and above all a symbol of greatness and esteem of India. How can one be so indifferent to the Prime Minister’s call to celebrate the seventy fifth Independence Day with full fervour and enthusiasm. Only those who have ulterior motives against the country will try to grab the opportunity to derail the festivities which are of prime importance to the Prime Minister simply because he wants every Indian to feel the intensity of being a free man in a free country. Congress and other opposition parties are refusing to understand the importance of this precious national festival which has been possible only after a long fight for freedom. Every Indian owes his or her freedom to all those who laid their lives at the altar of their beloved country. Tricolour is not something that can be used as a tool to defend your hatred for someone who happens to be Prime minister of the country. And by asking to hoist tricolour on every roof top he is not offending your patriotic aspiration. In fact he is in turn expressing his own. What is wrong in that? You happen to be the PM, every countryman expects you to be expressive, dutiful and concerned. You are simply being dutiful and that is what does not suit your political rivals. This is what is quite dreadful and alarming. Hatred for Prime Minister is slowly turning out to be the hatred for India and this is what disturbs you as a true patriot. All those who resort to malign the grace of Tricolour by defacing and disrespecting it in the name of protests, are doing a dangerous dis-service to the nation. And if such elements are not dealt with sternly and shown their actual place according to the law of land, shall tantamount to disservice too. A clear cut policy of being tough to those who do not hold the Tricolour in the highest of their esteem is the only befitting response to their unfaithfulness. “Nation first” is the rule that should determine ones patriotism. And when we say nation first it should include every duty of a citizen to uphold the unity and integrity of the country. Political maturity is the dire need of the hour. And if politicians continue to be indifferent to the very progress of the nation and indulge in unabated political terrorism just to unroot their political opponents out of sheer hatred then the day is not far when India will no more be in the race to be Vishwa Guru. Therefore, it is very important to understand that those who think they can play with the sentiments of their own fellow countrymen by creating misunderstanding about the Prime Minister are in fact defaming their own country and demeaning their own national flag. Hoisting Tricolour is Patriotic not compulsive.