John Eric Gomes
2014-10-22 05:10:22 UTC
Diwali is a festival of lights and spiritually celebrates victory of light over darkness,good over evil, knowledge over ignorance,encouraging hope over despair! But all this is lost in the commercialization to materialistic greed, expensive gifts and indulging in harmful eating and drinking with the bursting of crackers, burning of Narkasurs and pollution that do not remove the darkness of poverty,hunger, violence,crime and intolerance from our nation. CNN-IBN held a program in a prominent Mall, interviewing people lavishly spending which forced them to think of some sacrifice and to share with their less fortunate brethren. India badly needs change in mindset to go with Prime Minister's development and cleanliness mantra when he says: "Surajya is not possible until each and every citizen will be an equal and integral part of the decision making process. The times of formulating policies from air-conditioned Government chambers are over. Policies must be made among the people, empowering every citizen to express him or herself on a wide range of issues. This would be a paradigm shift towards Surajya". Let the light of Diwali enlighten us all to be one with nature in one big community (Common Unity).