PATRIOTISM
‘The patriot blooms the seed of Freedom’s tree’ said Thomas Campbell. Freedom can neither be achieved nor maintained without the noble spirit of patriotism among the people. Without it a nation cannot lead an honorable life. A submissive country can have no national or international achievements. It is this spirit that we lacked during a thousand years of slavery. The loss of the true sense of patriotism is reflected in the character of the corrupt people who sell the interests of the nation every day.
Patriotism has rather been monopolized in India. The ruling party labels the opposition as unpatriotic. The opposition thinks that the ruling party has sold the interests of the nation. The paramount law making bodies of the country which should be controlled by patriots of the highest ranks have become arena for the selfish people. Their only aim is to hold to the chair or snatch it. Nation is thrown in the den of hounds. Patriotism has been commercialized and is auctioned every five years. Having lost the spirit of patriotism we stand at the threshold of political and economic bankruptcy.
When Samuel Johnson decried patriotism calling it “the last refuge of a scoundrel’ he had a similar atmosphere around him. He had seen noble people being crushed in the name of patriotism. Nazism (Natcism) that was forced upon the people of Germany by Hitler or upon the people of Japan by Tojo was not patriotism. It was a manifestation of naked self ambition. It rendered millions of people beggars in their own country. It is in this reference that Brann said ‘No man can be patriot on an empty stomach’. We cannot expect patriotism from 50 crores poor people of India. Whatever they do is a reaction.
When Byron said ‘One who loves not his country can love nothing’ R he must have in his mind the great revolutionaries of France, St. Joan of Arc, George Washington of USA and those who suffered a lot in bringing Democracy to England. Abraham Lincoln, the great patriot did not allow the partition of his country. De Valera rose to declare Eire (Ireland) a free country. In our country too Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Subramanayam Bharathi did their duty and hundreds and hundreds of patriots kissed the hangman’s knot for the Motherland. Their patriotism has yet to bring fruits.