“Don’t blame the government?!”
“But why?”
“Why are you lecturing me this “Don’t blame the government” crap? Why shouldn’t I blame the government? What’s the point of a democracy if we can’t even criticize and blame the government? I mean, isn’t it the government’s responsibility to figure everything out?”
Relax.
I can understand your anger, frustration, and disappointment. So many things that should have happened in your neighborhood and life, in general, haven’t materialized yet. And you feel it’s the government’s fault.
And (obviously), that makes you furious.
That’s okay. It’s quite normal. Because you see, when we don’t know the root cause of issues, we blame anybody and everybody. And, obviously, you can’t blame the people in your family, your friend circle, or your neighborhood. Not openly, at least.
That’s risky because you might land in trouble for doing so.
Why Blaming the Government is Easy?
But, blaming the system? Ahh…that’s easy.
You know why?
Because the government can’t just come and grab you by the collar, there’s something called “The Freedom of Expression,” you see. And the government knows it—after all, it’s the one that guarantees the very “FoE.” 🙂
So, blaming the government for almost everything has become a norm. We, “the common people,” criticize and blame the system like crazy.
We blame The Government for:
Corruption. Unemployment. Potholes. Dry taps. Littering on the streets. In fact, there’s hardly anything under the sun that we don’t blame the government for. And why wouldn’t we? What’s easier than finding fault with the government?
Now, here’s an interesting thing: Most people support us when we bash the government—the councilors, the MLAs, the MPs, the chief ministers, and the prime minister.
Do you know why?
Because just like us, they’re also unwilling to acknowledge their “civic responsibilities.”
Don’t Blame the Government. At Least Not for Everything
Do you realize that you, too, contribute to most of the problems you face in daily life?
(You didn’t see that coming, did you? 😛 )
Of course, as a Bhartiya citizen, you have certain rights, but remember, you have some duties, too. I know. I know. The truth is always bitter to swallow but bear with me for a moment.
You complain:
“The roads are filthy.”
(Who littered?)
“My city experiences horrible traffic jams.”
(Who encroached on the roads?)
“Drinking water doesn’t reach my home.”
(Who misuses the water?)
“Okay, okay, I get it. I also have some part in this, but what about the corruption? What do I have to do about that? Shouldn’t I blame the government for that?” you protest.
Oh! Yes. Corruption. Let’s discuss that.
Corruption in the Government
I agree that most of the politicians in the governments so far have been corrupt. And the trend is here to stay—probably forever.
Until we can form a new kind of system, a new type of government, the present situation is what we’ll have to bear. It is what it is. Take it or leave it.
Now, with that out of the way, think…
Is it fair to hold the government responsible every time you face a problem?
Like, really?
Is There No Hope?
Remember, there are non-corrupt people too—who work for the betterment of the country.
The question is: are you one of them? When was the last time you reminded yourself to take care of your civic responsibilities instead of blaming the government?
Unclear?
Okay, here’s a . . .
Real-Life Example
It was March 2010.
I delivered personality development classes to B.Tech students at Subharti University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. And the college had allotted us (the visiting faculty members) a staff room.
One day—while eating snacks—my fellow teachers littered the room. I noticed that, and before leaving, I took a poly bag and started collecting the waste.
“Sir, please don’t bother. The cleaning guy will take care of this,” a colleague interrupted. But I insisted and did what a citizen should have done—I dumped the polybag in the dustbin. Now, what I did was nothing fancy—in fact, it was just good old common sense.
You see, I am free to do whatever I like as long as:
- It’s legal.
- It doesn’t violate others’ rights.
- I am willing to clean my own mess.
What I will say next might make you hate me (but I am willing to take that risk). So, hold your breath, people. Here comes the real deal (forgive me for being blunt):
You expect the government to clean your shit.
- Cleaner neighborhood? How about dumping the garbage in the dustbins only?
- Congestion-free roads? How about keeping the roads clear?
- Clean drinking water? How about washing your car with non-drinking water?
Don’t Blame the Government. Instead, Do This
Here’s the thing:
The government and the citizens both have different powers.
Let me explain.
As a citizen, you have the power to do minor things that might look trivial but are damn important, like:
- Throwing the waste in dustbins.
- Using electricity, water, and roads wisely.
- Staying in the queue while using public transport.
On the other hand, the government has the power to do certain other things, such as:
- Constructing flyovers and roads.
- Keeping the traffic in check.
- Implementing the rules and laws.
It won’t be fair if the government expects you to perform its duties, right?
And so.
You also shouldn’t expect the government to play your part.
You don’t expect your MLA to throw your waste in the dustbin (logical, right?) because only you can do that. But that doesn’t mean only the government is important and you aren’t.
The fact is:
Both you and the government are uniquely (not equally) important, and both matter. In fact, a nation progresses when people and the government work together towards a common goal—development. So next time, when you’re about to blame the government, stop. And, ask yourself:
“Have I taken care of my civic responsibilities today?”
And by the way . . .
Whose Responsibility Is It Anyway, If Not Yours?
It was 1998.
I was walking down the street with my cousin when I noticed a running public tap. The water was going down the drain, so I turned that off.
“It’s not your responsibility,” he commented.
I smiled, and we moved on, and you won’t believe what happened next. A few meters away, there it was—another running tap! 😳
“Oh yeah, go ahead. Let’s see how many running taps you could turn off.”
(Sarcasm? I see.)
“Road-side taps are public property, and it’s the public’s responsibility to take care of them. I’ll take care of as many as I can if I have to. What would you do if you noticed a running tap in your kitchen? Won’t you turn it off? Then what’s the issue here? If I see it, I’ll do something about it,” I replied.
He gave me a weird look.
(Asshole!)
And you know the irony? That fellow now works as a government teacher. And you know what? Sometimes I wonder if he teaches the students to take care of the public property or just the “it’s not your responsibility” mantra.
So, that was about the public—the individuals. But what about the government?
What do you think is…
The Government’s Greatest Responsibility?
The other day, I was chatting with the owner in a grocery shop.
A boy entered, introduced himself as a surveyor, and started asking certain questions to the owner. Seeing that, I also got interested and listened to him casually until he asked:
“Sir, what do you feel is the government’s greatest responsibility?” The shop owner was about to open his mouth when I interrupted.
“Do all the responsibilities belong to the governments only? Don’t you have a column in your survey sheet that asks, what is the greatest responsibility of a citizen?”
“No, sir.” He replied.
I requested he pass on the suggestion to the concerned organization to include that column for future surveyors.
And now, the last instance.
Why It’s Always the Government’s Fault?
This is about my colony:
Most of the time, my neighborhood drains remain choked because the polythene bags roaming on the roads accumulate in the sewer.
“How come poly bags are on the road?” you ask.
Because many people dump the garbage in the streets and not in the dustbins.
I once noticed a dumbo throwing plastic bags in the drains—deliberately. As a result, as soon as the monsoon approaches, the roads get waterlogged, and stink like hell, and the horrible traffic jams never seem to end.
Tell me, who do you think is responsible for that mess?
The Government!?