Are you with us?
This was how we ended our last story where we asked you to join us to fight the likes of Mr. Balaji Shastry residing in every society. We are thankful and grateful to your repeated assurance of being with us and the promise to support us in our endeavor to see a Swachh Bharat. Your motivational words and support pushed us to go all out this Sunday as well and get our hands dirty again with Swachha Basavangudi Team.
The delightful, victorious, and happiness-inducing news we would like to share with you is that the place, which we cleaned up last week, has finally caught the local MLA’s attention. He has promised us that it’ll not remain a dumping yard anymore. Permanent remedial action would be implemented within the next one week. He has assured us that steps will be taken to set up some visually appealing flower pots and put up some visitor resting benches as well. The clock is ticking and we are monitoring the situation very closely, lest the efforts of every individual who participated in this mission go to waste.
Meanwhile, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev are probably smiling at us from up above! Read on to know why.
Continuing what we stopped last week, we chose the dumping yard at Hanumantha Nagar this time. The young lads of Swachha Basavanagudi Team were back in action with the same mojo and boundless energy to belt out those who dare to litter India, making her dirty and unhygienic every passing minute. First task was clearing up the dump and cleaning up the walls that had over 1000 promotional posters- ranging from movies to education. We joined hands. BBMP did as well. We were appalled when we found posters of Lord Ganesha, with a plea to not dirty the place, hid under 3-4 movie posters! It’s a pity that people have gone to an extent of subduing the creator Himself, while exploiting His creations.
One of the onlookers happened to be retired military personnel who served India during the Kargil War. The superfit Mr. Ravi Kumar Narayan joined us and spent the next 5 hours helping us, leading us, guiding us, and working with us. He was instrumental in building a new flag podium at the dump yard and placing the photographs of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev there. He got many local shopkeepers and residents to join hands with us, in all capacity including finance. The support quickly grew from a few hands to many helping hands. We were suddenly a fairly big army in a mission to clean up the area, and spread the virus of health, a disease of service, and the stink of friendship around. The place transformed from dump to beauty within 5 hours, to an extent that a 3-year old little girl wanted her picture clicked in front of something that was garbage a while back!
A week into this mission, we realised that for every Mr. Balaji Shastry, there are probably hundreds of Mr. Ravi Kumar Narayan. You, our readers have helped us, like always, in spreading this awareness and the need to have clean and hygienic roads. This is why, opposed to our last article, we now feel that Swachh Bharat Abhiyan can definitely grow wings and fly in India. Our country is made not out of dirt and stink, but carved out of sacrifices made by numerous heroes like Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev instead. These heroes fought to give us our country back, and it’s now time for us to fight to give us our clean country back. And this cleanliness can only be achieved by getting your hands dirty.
So come one, come all, and join us in the mission of restoring Bangalore to its popular tag of “Garden City”. You can tweet or write to us on FB. Like we said, even if you and I change the mindset of one person, it’s a job well done and a night soundly slept. Help us build India with the likes of Mr. Ravi Kumar Narayan and create many more Ravis in every society, who will grow to transform the future of your surroundings, and ultimately the country. Once a soldier, always a soldier!
Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev are probably smiling at us from up above, for what we did, what we have done, and what we will do.
ARE YOU WITH US?