A patriot is always concerned for the progress of his country.
All his acts and moves are guided by the thought that his country should be the fore-runner in the comity of nations in every sphere. But there are people who pretend to be patriot but do anything for their own interest even at the cost of their native country. Such people are very dangerous to the country than the real enemies. Because it is very difficult to identify them. They are the traitors and spurious patriots.
The virtue of patriotism is significantly displayed during the time of war. One who is a true patriot is ready to sacrifice his all for his native country. He even puts to risk his own life for the sake of his country. He is always eager to serve his motherland in the way the situation demands. All great nations which made their name in history are proud to illustrate the services of their patriots. Their role had been detrimental in the progress of the nation. The English present the brilliant example of patriotism. It was the patriotism of the countrymen which helped to extend its empire in big portion of the globe. The real strength and power of the country lies in these patriots.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
India is proud to have produced many patriots. These patriots have made great sacrifices for their motherland. Their names are written in golden letters in the history of India. Shivaji, Rana Pratap, Vir Kunwar Singh, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Sardar Patel, Subhash Chandra Bose, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, Maulana Azad, Mahatma Gandhi, to name a few, who sacrificed their lives for their motherland. They lived and died for the country. They are examples for the generation to come.
The patriots play prominent role in the progress of a country. But the real test of patriotism is at the time of crisis. One who is a real patriot stands unfared in the face of all trial and tribulations. The intensity of concern and love for the motherland remain unchanged. Spurious patriot shirks when their services are required. We should be on guard against such traitors. They can never be trusted. They are the people who pass on the confidential information to their enemies to serve their petty ends. Jai Chand, Mir Jafar, etc. come in this category whose infidelity brought great distress to our country. Such elements should be identified and strictly dealt with.
No doubt patriotism is a virtue. But it should never be allowed to go beyond certain limit. Then it becomes chauvinism. It is not a good sign. A person having such attitude begins to look down upon other countries. It narrows down the outlook which ultimately proves disastrous for his personality development. Aggressive patriotism sometimes put the peace and prosperity of the country at danger. It often leads to mass killing. Mass killing of Jews in Germany during the regime of Hitler is an example of frantic patriotism. This should be avoided. It should never constrict our outlook and vision.
