India is a country of hypocrites. In short, India and its people do not follow what they preach. It’s a shame but that is the reality. Few Indians might disagree with it. But hypocrisy is so inherent in our culture that we are unknowingly part of it. Here are a few examples that show India is the land of hypocrisy.
Paying in full in the mall, but bargaining on the street is fine
How many times you would go to a mall or a shopping complex, and pay in full without even checking the bill or asking the rates of various branded items. It’s considered cheap to bargain in the air-conditioned malls and shopping complex.
But it’s all right to bargain on the footpaths with the dwellers who sell goods to earn two meals a day. Just because the dwellers are not in a position to put their foot down and ask their price, customers believe bargaining in their right. So much for equality.
We all want government jobs, but nobody wants to use government services
There are millions of Indians trying for government jobs every year, even paying lakhs in bribes to secure a post in a government agency. But the same people avoid government hospitals and government schools altogether. They are ready to spend lakhs to seek private services but are not willing to use government services for free.
It’s all right to marry a stranger, but not to talk to
As parents, we teach our kids not to talk to strangers or take any gifts from them for their own safety. But all this advice goes down the drain when it comes to choosing a life partner for the children. The same daughter has to walk and/or sing to convince strangers that she is the best marriage material. The girl or the boy has to agree to a marriage proposal in just the first meeting. Well, it’s all right to marry a stranger, but not to talk to them in India.
Sportspersons are forgotten, actors playing them are revered
When Priyanka Chopra played MC Mary Kom in the latter’s biopic, the amount she earned from the film is probably more than the sum of all the prize money the boxer would have earned in her career. While sportspersons are easily forgotten and seen doing menial jobs after retirement, actors playing them are recognised and given the status of a god.
You need a degree to be a peon, but nothing to become a politician
In India, you need to pass some educational qualification to apply for the job for a peon. But in the same country, if you wish to become a politician and look after the welfare of the people, you don’t need any degree at all. There is just no educational qualification required to become a politician. An illiterate can run the country of literates in India.
However, things are improving, with the girls getting equal rights, government agency enhancing their services, and couples agreeing to know each other better before saying yes to marriage. However, the major chunk of the population is still ruled by such hypocrisy and needs a change in mindset for India to become a progressive country.
Please note: The views expressed are personal opinions of the author.