Reflecting on the Legacy of Gandhi and Shastri: A Tale of India’s Lost Pride and Power

 

Reflecting on the Legacy of Gandhi and Shastri: A Tale of India’s Lost Pride and Power

I am a Proud Indian Born before 2014 because of Them

 

October 2nd marks the birth of two of India’s most revered leaders, Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri. Their contributions to India’s history and soul are immeasurable, and thinking of them fills one with pride. Well, unless you're Narendra Modi, who, on a foreign stage, famously expressed his "shame" about having been born in India before 2014. Ah yes, before the dawn of a new India, an India where airports had AC and billionaires reigned supreme. How quaint the country must have been!

Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, and Lal Bahadur Shastri, who resigned from his position as Railway Minister after a single train accident, epitomize leadership that took responsibility. The credentials of these two giants are unparalleled—especially when compared to today’s administration, where it seems every bureaucrat and minister has one eye on Ambani and the other on Adani, and none on the problems of Indian citizens. But what a glorious transformation the country has seen over the past 70 years!

Once upon a time, during British rule, the RSS and their ilk bowed to the white men as they looted India. Now, after decades of accumulating wealth and influence, they’ve learned the fine art of political manipulation. By spreading religious hatred and misinformation, they’ve succeeded in turning a large chunk of the population against their own welfare. The strategy? Poison the minds of the people, and then let the country be robbed from the inside by a few select thugs with deep pockets.

What’s truly remarkable is that not many people bother to spend even five minutes looking at actual government data. Facts? Who needs them? In this age of emotional politics, who has time to fact-check and review the legacies of the leaders who built India? Two of those great leaders, born on this very day, have left an indelible mark not just on India, but on the entire world. And yet, ask anyone outside of India if they’ve heard of the RSS leadership spoken of with respect. Spoiler alert: they haven’t. But Nathuram Godse? Yes, the world knows him as the murderer of Mahatma Gandhi, though he’s worshiped like a god by certain low-information RSS cadres. Quite the paradox, isn’t it?

And here we have Modi, the man who felt ashamed of India before 2014. Not only is that a slap in the face to every Indian who is proud of their heritage, but it’s also an insult to the very democracy that made him Prime Minister. The man dares to belittle the country’s past because, you see, there were no AC airports from which to sell tea. Tragic, really. So instead, he’s opted to sell the railway to the private sector—after, of course, having sold airports, ports, roads, airlines, and probably a piece of his soul. And where’s the public outcry? Silent. No one seems willing to challenge this absurdity.

As we reflect on the lives of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri, it’s hard not to wonder how they would react to the state of today’s leadership. Both men embodied the spirit of selflessness and responsibility—Shastri even resigned after a single accident under his watch. Meanwhile, our current administration can’t seem to take responsibility for anything, except enriching a few and blaming the rest.

But on this day, we don’t just remember their legacies; we pray for them because in many ways, Gandhi and Shastri are still the soul of India. Even as the country wrestles with its identity in a modern, privatized, billionaire-friendly world, its teachings remain a reminder of what true leadership looks like. Gandhi’s non-violence and Shastri’s humility are virtues sorely missing from today's political scene.

So yes, Mr. Modi, maybe it’s convenient for you to feel ashamed of India before 2014. But for the rest of us? We’re proud of the country that Gandhi and Shastri built, and we’re not too keen on watching it being sold off bit by bit while our so-called leaders hide behind their rhetoric.

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