Me 60 years back

Well, the thought came to me as I read Advay’s blog. He said he would have been a “Garampanthi” freedom fighter if he would have been born in pre independence era. Made me think what I would have been. First thought was: Might be one of the followers of Gandhiji, not that I agree with all his views but I think the path he showed is much better than any of the other leaders. The feeling of national unity which I think was more important than even national independence could not have come out of these garampanthi people.

But when I analyzed a bit more, with more brains than heart, I guessed if I just go by what I have done so far, I would have gone to the queen’s land to get a law degree and came back and appeared for ICS as it was called that time. I know I am not ICS/IAS material but then who says I am engineering material now. But as that would have been the most lucrative profession that time, I would have definitely attempted for that. After that, I would be happily serving the British Indian government. Don’t get me wrong here, I would not have been one of the “Ingrej er paa chata kukur” (Meaning the dog who licks Englishmen’s feet, used in these typical freedom based serials like yug), but would have been a typical serviceman. Let’s say I was a district collector of some suburb of Calcutta. Don’t even know what that means but from what I hear from people, he is the government’s representative for the district and the welfare of the district is in hands. With this in mind, let’s see what I could have done.

I would have been extremely helpful to the poor people, listening to their woes and establishing free schools for poor children. I would have made sure that none in my district are dying of hunger. I would put my best efforts in bringing industries to my district and for that I would have done my bit of “Maska” to the angrez. I would have been a regular to their parties, drinking socially as I do now and as I am near Calcutta, I would have been pretty much in the center of politics. I would have supported Gandhiji’s ideologies as would have been the fashion by then but not sporting a Gandhi Topi. Pretty much westernized in terms of clothes. Overall, I would be a serviceman to the nation as a representative of the government and would have done my part in development of the people of the country. Independence at the cost of anything could never have been my priority. On the day of Independence I would have been extremely happy, would have hoisted a flag in my office building but never failing to give a sendoff party to the Angrez who were my bosses or colleagues.

Does it sound bad? Does it sound like a traitor? Most importantly, what do you think you would have been say in 1946? And if our paths crossed how would have reacted to me? I do need some comments on this one unlike the previous one.