To my fellow Indians:

Hi to everyone,

Before you read my name or go through my profile to find similar articles, I want you to read the whole article as an Indian and not be defined by your religious or political identity. Do you know why? You won't be able to read or comprehend the truth, and if you read with bias, you'll betray your fellow citizens.

Today, I write not with hatred or superiority, but with anger, disappointment, and hope. Anger at how divided we’ve become. Disappointment in how we’ve failed to ask the right questions. And hope that some of us will still choose truth over allegiance. As an Indian, I feel let down by news outlets and the various issues arising from political ideologies and movements. Sadly, we overlook the major questions in between. We have started the trend of calling out people based on our own belief system, but before that, did you ask yourself certain questions? As it's not us VS them, it's us VS world, to become a developed and strong nation.

While you’re reading, I hope you do ask yourself and realise the potential damage we have caused to our own society:

1. Do I know enough about the person, region, and conflict in India?
   ~ Because region shapes us, we might follow different religions, but we are united based on regions. If you look at the ideas and thoughts of any region, they are the same. We need to fight for change in that region based on things that are wrong and maintain our social stories and bonds. Before you agree or disagree, remember, Manipur is still burning, and they all are our Indian brothers and sisters. No one has attempted to address or resolve the issue; rather, they are all ignoring it. Because of this majority of Manipurians harbour resentment towards the government, the country, and the media, but not towards Indians. But can we do anything about it instead of blaming Nehru, Congress, or anyone?
2. Why are we fighting about language and calling people rice bags, momos, corona, and all?
   ~ Calling people “rice bags,” “momos,” or “corona” isn’t funny — it’s ignorant. We proudly chant “unity in diversity,” but do we even know the diversity we’re talking about? The issue primarily stems from a lack of knowledge and education regarding our own country. While we take pride in India, ask yourselves whether you truly understand the diversity. In India, there exists a society where matriarchy prevails; are you aware of this? Or we all are acting as foreigners in our own country and have divided it by calling out, bullying our own people, and trolling them and have failed to even recognize them in a country that belongs to all of us.

      3. Is the reservation forcing meritorious people out of the country?
 ~ Is it actually true? The answer is screaming NO. More than merit, the poor living conditions, inaccessible healthcare, low-quality education, corruption, and systematic inequality are forcing out the people. If you don’t believe, read or travel around India, but not to exotic locations; travel to Bihar, Jharkhand, UP, and other parts. Another proud Indian is facing discrimination based on caste, and we still fail to acknowledge it. We are all paying taxes together, irrespective of our backgrounds, depending on our earning capacity. We are all striving to contribute a portion of our income to support India and the government. But who should we hold accountable: fellow Indians or the government? Who didn't give them the free and quality education so they could at least compete?

      4. Will education actually change anything here, as they are so entrenched in caste and other issues?
~ The answer is YES. You’re giving a choice and an option for a better future to each one of us. Education is going to make a huge difference and allow our own people to show their merits and talents across the nation. Ultimately, we possess a wealth of diversity and talent. There are multiple programs launched by various governments, but have these programs effectively reached the underprivileged people in our society? No, hence huge wealth disparity. We have to ask for a healthy and fostering environment; then only the debates, news, education, healthcare, and nearly every aspect of our lives will be accompanied by a label indicating quality. It’s sad that quality education still remains a privilege, not a right. We all will enjoy our own peaceful and growing society.

     5. Was Jinnah right for the partition? Was the partition necessary?
~ Though it aches my heart to read more and learn more about history and partition, it's difficult to answer. While I want to say yes, it was unfair to all of us for multiple reasons. I am still having doubts about saying a clear yes, as isn’t it actually true in today’s scenario, where you’re justifying his words, that a Muslim will always be questioned for their patriotism in this country? While I acknowledge that some individuals have caused great distress and have participated in or joined terrorism, isn’t it the government’s responsibility to protect citizens and ensure our security and a safe environment? Maybe you won’t agree, but there’s a reason why we are called democratic and civil people, as we refuse to take matters into our own hands but trust the government fully.

• We’re called civil because we trust institutions, not mobs. If we fail at that, we’re no different from lawless states.

     6. Over feminism, marriages, extramarital affairs, and Indian values are getting destroyed nowadays?
~ Definitely, it has come to a point where it's pretty difficult to marry anyone due to many reasons. For men, the Atul Subash case and many similar cases are still pending, while women face constant put-downs, neglect from their own families, dowry harassment, and various other issues. While you do not care much about how many females are dying every single day because of such issues, and especially because of dowry, there’s a rebellion growing inside every woman to fight against all these patriarchal mindsets and harassment together. It might make you mad that I'm not talking about his case, as we need stricter laws in this country to make things better for everyone. Before you start judging, I would like you to read and understand the patriarchy and the plight of women as it affects your child, sister, mother, or any close female relative. And then only you’ll understand why alimony is not a problem, but dowry certainly is.

      7. Trolls are creating narratives online and influencing public opinion. Have we all come to this as a society?
~ If you still don’t understand the power of social media, watch how latent affected the creators and their families. But as a society, are we all reduced to online movements, tweets, and trolls instead of social security and government regulating such content and the whole media? Don’t we all aware that apps like Alt Balaji, ULLU, and all are much worse than what we saw? But did we see the same outrage or government regulating any of it? This suggests that governments are intentionally harming our youth as a society while expecting them to improve. Now, these online trolls and tweets are setting even international narratives where they think Indians thrive on seeing the killing of a child in Palestine or in Pakistan. We clearly do not thrive on such things; instead, we firmly oppose them and take a strong stand against terrorism, which has hindered India's growth on multiple occasions. Moreover, now, the Kashmir issue has been prolonged due to this, with a third country intervening to mediate, which has consistently favoured Pakistan and provided funding to counter China.

• We can’t expect society to grow while the system profits from its decay.

While the affluent possess the option to depart, it is essential to acknowledge that the majority of Indians do not share this privilege. Rather than endorsing any political factions, observe their offspring possessing American or British citizenship. Do you think they care? Establishing monopolies in every industry is not a viable solution. Read what happened to BSNL and other government facilities and how they have been reduced to zero to favour crony capitalism. If you disagree with any of the above, please educate yourself through government data or trusted sources. Educate yourself and challenge and question the government. Despite numerous challenges, it is our collective responsibility to seek solutions within our own nation, as the Indian military warrants profound respect. They deserve respect all their lives, not just restricted to Independence Day, Republic Day, or during wars.

We must read data, study policies, and stop blindly following political fandoms. The military and citizens deserve our loyalty. Politicians must earn it.

I hope we all take initiatives to read about our own history, culture, states of India, and, more importantly, international politics to understand how much trouble we have created for ourselves by defying Nehru’s Non-Aligned Movement on the international level. If you disagree with Nehru or Gandhi, you have a responsibility to educate yourself on their perspectives, which you are rejecting; however, this should be done through books and history rather than social media reels or WhatsApp forwards.

We are all Indians first, and we all represent India, so think before you speak or spread hate in the name of nationalism. International media and people are taking down notes on us as a collective society, not based on our region or regional differences. We had visionary leaders before who fought for the upliftment of Indian society.

While I may not agree with everything happening in India, I do agree with Indira Gandhi when she said:

“India doesn’t lean left or right. India stands straight.”

Indeed, she was an iron lady for India. We have a strong spine and a healthy body to develop our own country. Although major countries may have alienated us, it is our collective responsibility to develop India and transform it into a developed nation. But we need to wake up, educate ourselves, challenge injustice, and build a society worthy of respect.

~ A fellow Indian.