I am a responsible citizen of my country and always strive for its growth.

I may be a son, daughter, mother, or father in a family. I consider it my duty to safeguard my family members. But, in taking care of them, I drift towards a wrong path forgetting all ethics.

But yes, I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

I don’t like corruption and openly show hatred for the corrupt. I do not miss an opportunity to speak and participate in corruption debates, but I forget all this talk and bribe someone to get things done.

But yes, I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

I want my surroundings to be clean and hygienic. While traveling, I enjoy having packaged food and do not hesitate a moment before throwing waste out of the window rather than storing it for disposal in a dustbin, which is its proper place.

I call myself educated but forget to understand warning signs that say, “please don’t urinate.” Sometimes, I happily spit on the road, not noticing that someone is traveling next to me. I further take the liberty to complain that the roads are not clean.

But yes, I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

I want a good leader for my nation and a capable person for my state to have overall development. But I don’t try to exercise my right to vote for electing an efficient person. The day of the election is a holiday, after all.

But yes, I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

I love nature and show utmost care for environmental protection. But I use plastic because it’s cheap and never try to plant a tree and make fun of those who do it.

But yes, I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

When I stop at a traffic signal, I hate breathing the smoke emitted by all those vehicles, but I never try carpooling, and I prefer to travel alone in my five-seater car to reach my office.

I always talk about rules and regulations and even scold others if they don’t follow them. But, when the light is orange at a traffic signal, I start crossing it anyway. I somehow convince myself that going in the wrong way is right because it takes a long time to follow the actual path.

But yes, I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

I care for women’s safety and even participate in protests against rape and pose for pictures with placards. Still, when a beautiful lady passes by, I start commenting on her and tell my friends shamelessly, “arey kya maal hai.” But I don’t like someone commenting nor staring at my mother, wife, sister, or friend.

But yes, I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

I love expeditions, and I go for treks and trips. I expect nature not to lose its beauty, but wherever I go, I leave my footprint by throwing used water bottles, plastic items and, of course, write my name on trees or carve my love on historical monuments.

But yes, I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

I know I am good enough to lead my family. I prefer a decent lifestyle and want my children to go to the best schools and colleges. I set a great example by misusing government services and schemes and expect my children to be sincere citizens for a great future of the nation.

But yes, I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

I treat every religion equally and take pride in saying “SABKA MALIK EK HAI” (All Gods are one God). Still, when one of my friends offers prasadam (religious offering), I don’t accept it saying I shouldn’t eat it or touch it because it is against my religious practices. I also don’t go to holy places of other religions, and yes, I am secular.

But yes, I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

I comment on people from other states and make fun of them using racist words like “Chinki,” “Chinese,” “Kallu,” and whatnot. Right to freedom of expression!

But yes, I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

I read, hear & understand the importance of energy and water but don’t care about using resources judiciously. I don’t spend money on a rainwater harvesting pit but am comfortable buying water in tankers and complaining about illegal bore-wells.

But yes, I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

I understand the concept of overpopulation, but the selfish appalling devil in me secretly wishes my first child to be a boy, and I try to keep the reproduction cycle going to carry forward my so-called lineage! And, of course, I believe in women’s empowerment.

And yes, I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

I believe marriages are made in heaven, but I look for business deals in marriage portals for my son/daughter based on one’s “Market Price.” I am against social evils like Dowry but happily give it other names and accept it. What’s wrong with that! Right?

Oh! I almost forgot!

I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for its growth.

I take part in agitations, riots, and burn public vehicles. I travel in the same public transport and litter trains and buses. But it is my right to complain that Indian transport services are so dirty. I protest against issues like intolerance but do not give a damn when someone is doing something anti-national. I will do all this because it is my life and my right, and India is, after all, a Democracy!

But hey! Don’t you forget that I’m a responsible citizen of my nation and always strive for growth?

Should I be ashamed? Nah! I have removed that word from my dictionary long ago.

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” 

– Leo Tolstoy

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