Let us not forget: We’re “Indians”, first and foremost
Posted : May 24, 2004 at 4:39 am [IST]
New Delhi, May 23, 2004
Dr. Man Mohan Singh and his 68 ministers were sworn in yesterday. In Hindustan Times, I saw an ad today by one World Punjabi Organisation:
..The great Visionary and Economist, Hon’ble Dr. Man Mohan Singh- Prime minister, It is the proudest moment for all of us on your leading the nation to greater glories during the 21st Century- our salutations and heartiest facilitations…
It was followed by some names of the office bearers of the organization.
Another advertisement from the WAVE group of enterprises (perhaps the cinema and multiplex owners) said:
..The entire Sikh Sangat of Delhi while congratulating Dr. Man Mohan Singh is humbly grateful to Hon’ble Sonia Gandhi whose great sacrifice in her historic decision on the nomination of a Sikh as prime minister of India reflects her great confidence not only in Dr. Man Mohan Singh alone but in the entire Sikh Panth. Entire Sikh Panth is feeling exuberant, elevated and is proud of this historical event in the history of India…
And then to my surprise a Karim Group (perhaps a hotel chain of no consequence that calls itself a pride of Jama Masjid’) advertises wishing Dr. Singh their ‘Heartiest Congratulations”
Last night, I heard a reporter (in of the many news channels we have today in India) pronouncing that all gurudwaras in the country were lit specially to celebrate the occasion of the oath taking of Dr. Man Mohan Singh as the 13th prime minister of India.
Needless to say, this brings up a few questions:
- Is Dr. Singh so staunch a Sikh?
- Is it not making a pygmy of a great man like him who belongs to the whole country and to all communities of the counties?
- Do we all Indians not feel equally proud when a Kalam or a Bajpai or a Rao gets elevated to the highest position of this great land?
- Is it sycophancy or is it with some other selfish motives?
Let us not forget:
Irrespective of what religion, caste, creed we may belong to, we all are Indians first and foremost.
- Indra
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