India’s Misguided Pride

 

India’s Misguided Pride


The Vedic Civilization is celebrated as one of the most advanced civilizations of its time, where both men and women reached social, physical, and psychological heights that are still admired today. Among its greatest achievements was a deep understanding of human emotions, the importance of meditation, and mental health, particularly as society became influenced by "Maya," the artificial pleasures surrounding them. However, as society progressed, we drifted away from these teachings and became ensnared by the very illusions the Vedic sages warned against.

From this great civilization, we have descended into worshipping stones and boasting about temple donations. We claim to desire a corruption-free society yet idolize those who gain power through corrupt means. Political parties exploit religious sentiments, criticizing those who don't worship idols while ignoring the essence of their teachings, such as the value of Karma emphasized by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. This misguided pride is evident in many aspects of modern society.

We applaud those who waste food in stone worship but neglect efforts to uplift the poor. We idolize leaders who divert taxpayer money to the rich while the nation struggles with high unemployment and poverty. These leaders boast about the country's growth even as it slips in global economic rankings, proposing bizarre economic policies like extracting gas from toilets to make tea commercially.

In a nation where the Prime Minister equates begging with a profession and believes radar systems cannot detect planes during cloudy weather, it seems we take pride in ignorance. Despite these absurdities, India has excelled in science and technology since 1950, earning global recognition. Indians play crucial roles in healthcare systems worldwide and lead major tech companies. These achievements occurred long before Modi’s rise to prominence.

Yet, Modi’s understanding of history is alarmingly superficial. He once suggested that no one knew about Mahatma Gandhi until the 1981 film about him. This ignorance is troubling, given his position as the Prime Minister. Similarly, the influence of mythological stories like the Ramayana on educated individuals is striking. I recall a friend pursuing a Ph.D. in aeronautical engineering in the USA who cited the Ramayana to claim India's historical technological superiority, only to be asked for real evidence instead of fictional narratives.

These stories told for centuries, have become so ingrained that many consider them historical facts, worshipping stone idols of these fictional characters. While the positive traits of these characters are worth emulating, treating these myths as historical truth is misguided.

The political landscape today, especially under the influence of the RSS and BJP, has further exacerbated these issues. The BJP's manipulation of religious sentiments, particularly regarding the cow as a holy animal, is deeply hypocritical. Despite preaching against beef, they accept substantial donations from the beef industry. This hypocrisy reveals a darker side of the supposed divinity governing the nation.

To the outside world, India may appear as a nation guided by divine principles, but beneath this facade lies a troubling reality. The current leadership's exploitation of religious and cultural sentiments for political gain has created a significant divide. It is crucial to recognize and address these issues to move towards a more rational, inclusive, and progressive society.

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