It is said that the stature of a man is measured by the way he treats his fellow beings. Azim Premji says that the test of our social commitment and humanity is the way we treat the most powerless of our fellow citizens and the respect we accord to other human beings. That is what reveals our true culture, he adds. Similar quotes abound, which are a pointer to the fact that it is our behavior and the way we treat and respect others which truly define our culture.
We have often heard that Goa is losing much of its values, which we have inherited from our elders and ancestors. We seem to be living under the misconception that the way we dress, we eat and drink denote our culture. Surely not. In fact, the arrogance we display so very often is a dent on our culture. And this is evident in ample measure at the way we drive, the way we park, in offices, Banks and in many other places. We jump queues, possibly because we think we are more important than others waiting for their turn, or because we feel others have more time than us; we drive rashly because we know that we can get away with an accident, as we can either pay the victim off or bribe someone not to have the case registered. The driver of a bigger vehicle feels he has the right of way and couldn’t be bothered about a weaker vehicle. To my mind, such attitudes stem from the affluence which we have attained, not always through fair means. While generosity has increased by leaps and bounds and is evident with many people willingly donating for good causes, it is the affluence, which has come to many due to the upsurge in property value, has, most unfortunately made us selfish, haughty and arrogant, having least regard or consideration for others.
The saying goes that knowledge gives you power but character gives you respect. Unfortunately, this is not true of India. The less knowledge you have, the better and the less character you display, the more respect you get. This country rewards the dishonest and punishes the scrupulous. The just, the honest and the upright do not have a place and can never prosper in this country, with some having paid with their life for being so. The well connected guilty often get away due to faulty investigations. Poverty and illiteracy have also been exploited in this country particularly by the rich and the politicians for their own selfish ends. Both are assets to win elections.
At par with inconsiderate and selfish people, who sometimes display some good qualities too, we have in abundance men and women who devote their entire lives to others. There is no dearth of organizations and institutions which selflessly work for the poor and the downtrodden, the sick, the infirm and the lonely as also for HIV, TB, mentally ill and retarded patients. It would be endless to list such individuals and organizations but one can only pay them a tribute by saying “May their tribe increase” for we surely understand how much goes into such work. While on this subject, I would request the Minister of Health to look into the working of IPHB, which refuses admission to mentally ill patients unless the family keeps an attendant. Not everyone can afford this luxury, as attendants are in short supply and charge exorbitant rates for their services.
We have doctors and nurses who serve their patients with dedication, concern and love without looking for financial profits or rewards, while we have also people and doctors managing and working in hospitals for whom the main concern is money. They heartlessly fleece the patient, knowing full well that the family will do all it can to save his/her life. This is highly inhuman and the stories I have heard from such hospitals are heart-rending. Perhaps, some day there will be a need to expose such people or hospitals, irrespective of the consequences.
I would like to recall the heroic acts of people, some who have saved many lives from drowning risking their own, and still some others who have perished alongwith those whom they tried to save. There are many such selfless and compassionate individuals, but there are only a few who I recall: Ashlesha Naik, Councillor of Margao Municipality, daughter of a good friend of mine, Ramesh Naik, who tried saving a Muslim youth, the Asst. Parish Priest of Nuvem, Fr Thomas Fernandes from Colva who died while he saved a boy from drowning and my cousin Fr Savio Menezes Gama from Verna, who perished along with three children, while trying to save them. They are our real heroes, who deserve rich tributes and our reverence. Despite knowing the risks involved, they did not hesitate to try and save others but alas they too perished.
The New Year is always a time to make new decisions and perhaps we have already made some. Human that we are, we cannot always stick to them. It costs us nothing to be kind and considerate towards others. In fact, it gives us a sense of self-satisfaction and enhances our stature. Let us, this year resolve to be compassionate and of service to others, particularly to those who are in need of our help and assistance. Especially on the roads, let us show greater regard to helpless pedestrians and drivers/riders of weaker vehicles, having always in mind that the lives of our victims may be more precious than our own, particularly to their families.
(The author is a retired banker).
