Do we Indians, especially Malayalis, have civic consciousness? Even hearing this question makes one angry, doesn’t it? Such a question to a Keralite who takes pride in being part of the most educated, cultured, and tradition-rich people in India! As Malayalis blessed with numerous educational facilities and opportunities, there is no doubt that we are expected to uphold excellence. But what is the reality? Is it not true that Malayalis have no hesitation in throwing garbage on public roads, spitting in the middle of the street, overtaking long queues of vehicles through the wrong side while honking loudly, driving vehicles recklessly-whether intoxicated or not-at excessive speed, and saying or believing anything through social media and other modern platforms? All these clearly show that there are serious flaws in our collective civic awareness, even though we pride ourselves on being politically, socially, and culturally advanced. But this is not merely the fault of a few individuals; it is, in fact, a shortcoming of our educational system itself.
Even Indira Gandhi’s Confession did not become a Lesson:
On Teachers’ Day, September 5, 1984, in Delhi, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi lamented: “The greatest mistake that has happened in the field of education is that we could not teach our children about the freedom struggle.” Having lived under colonial rule with countless restrictions and loss of freedom, when independence finally came, we were seized by an enthusiasm to cut off every bond. To stubbornly demand rights while closing our eyes to duties-that became our condition. Mahatma Gandhi repeatedly reminded us that for every privilege there is a corresponding responsibility, but no one listened. A river is not merely water; it also includes its banks. Without the banks that hold the water, there is no river. Here, we simply failed to emphasize enough the duty of the “banks.” Could any ruler explain the importance of civic responsibility more clearly than this?
Citizens Who Forgot Civic Duty:
The most painful reality is that those who were born and raised in independent India were able to grow up without understanding what civic duty truly means. Everyone became aware of rights, but hardly anyone even thought about duties and responsibilities. In other words, if receiving is a right and giving is a duty, today’s people have learned-and are being taught-only how to receive. Europeans, however, are different. Passing civic consciousness on to the new generation is considered society’s responsibility.
Therefore, they do not violate traffic rules, do not honk unnecessarily, do not spit in public places, and they respect the privacy of others. There are countries where military training and service are compulsory from a young age. This not only instills discipline and order in life, but also plants the awareness that however great a citizen may become, in times of need he must serve the nation. But what kind of training has India provided its sons so that it may rightfully demand service when necessary? As part of teaching social responsibility, even practices like the “Service Week,” once implemented in schools, have been discontinued. Programs like NSS have been reduced merely to a means for obtaining grace marks.
What is Civic Duty?
Civic duty is a culture. It is not something received as a gift; it is something acquired. It is the awareness that one is part of society, and the conviction that society grows through one’s participation. Is it meaningful to insist on being a patriot without cultivating civic responsibility? In fact, duty is the other side of rights. One becomes an ideal citizen only by fulfilling duties. Article 51A speaks about the constitutional duties of citizens. And yet, even after decades of independence, have we succeeded in training our children in true civic consciousness?
There is Only One Solution: Civic Sense Must Become a Habit:
It is time to recognize the absence of proper civic consciousness in India, especially within Kerala society today. Considering that Christians were once a community that guided this society, it would be appropriate to study the fading of civic awareness among them. That is, the descendants of a community that took the lead in teaching Malayalis to read and write, imparted the meaning of social life, and crossed mountains and forests to discover new paths of life and mission, are now slow to recognize their own identity.
The reality is that civic consciousness has suffered injury. The energetic vitality of Christians, who were once the backbone of social transformation, is now diminishing-this is a serious truth. When one withdraws from public consciousness into personal safe circles, cracks begin to appear in one’s responsibilities toward society as a citizen. Recovering the foresight and integrity shown by our predecessors is not merely the need of one community; rather, it is essential for the revival of Kerala’s civic spirit. Only by rediscovering its roots and historical mission can this community once again become a guiding light for the nation. Faith-formation classes must continually speak about citizenship and civic responsibility. Along with citizens’ rights, the necessity of embracing duties and responsibilities must be clearly explained. Environmental protection, waste management, cleanliness initiatives-everything connected with civic sense must be passed on through catechetical instruction and family gatherings. Likewise, the relevance of patriotism must be discussed.
Most importantly, the Christian presence in Indian politics must become a subject of reflection. Compared to the 1970s, when Indian and Kerala society was filled with Christian names and influence, what is today’s situation? Along with becoming leaders, it is equally important to become responsible followers. If all Christians begin to actively participate as members of political parties, the depth of anti-Christian sentiment will begin to decrease. Thus, Christians will be able to acquire and express a purified citizenship. This is an era when Christians face great difficulty in expressing their civic and identity consciousness. Yet, we are all children of this soil. How can a Christian, who established himself on this land two thousand years ago, be made to feel like an outsider? To prevent that from happening, we must carry within us the awareness that we are the children of this nation-civic consciousness must live within us.
Mr. Shinu Anatharakkal
(St. Augustine’s Higher Secondary School, Ramapuram)
