Resident is one of most commonly used word in a democracy. It is used at all levels of politics. A citizen is a person who enjoys rights and performs her/his duties in a state. A citizen can even be one who stays in a village or in slums. One who is a member of society of whatever status, is a ‘citizen’. Every nation or society is known because of its people. It is required that every person living in nation be a responsible and good citizen.

We need to know and learn our responsibilities as good citizens. We are a part of society. We must understand that each of us is responsible for what we do in this society. Don’t think that our actions will have no effect on our life. If society gets hurt due to our reckless actions, we are bound to be affected at some point of time.

We are all citizens of one country or other. We acquire citizenship of our country generally by virtue of our birth. But to be a good citizen requires a lot of training and understanding. All of us have a right to take part in legislative as well as judicial activities of this country and can give free expression to our views and opinions from platform and through press. A good citizen, therefore, is one who is always broad minded. I believe that some characteristics of a responsible citizen is one who chooses, instigates and decides their own actions by making accountable choices. Therefore, one of most important action of a responsible citizen is an individual who obeys law and lives within regulations of law.

There are certain rules of conduct for members of every society so that there is peace and harmony among them. Some of these rules are written laws and anyone who breaks them is punished by court. But there are many unwritten rules which are no less binding on every member of society. Peace and happiness of society depend a good deal upon proper observance of these rules too.

A good citizen must be ready to sacrifice his life for sake of his motherland. He must love his nation and be a nationalist. He should have firm and deep faith in his motherland. He should obey laws of land. But he must also keep in mind welfare of state, benefit of society and long term interests of nation.

A good citizen is one who is conscious of both rights and duties. For instance, right to vote is one of our most important rights and it is our duty also to exercise right to vote. If a person does not vote she or he cannot be considered a good citizen, though otherwise she or he may be a good person.  Most important duty of every citizen is to respect rights of others. Our constitution gives everyone right to practice one’s religion. Every citizen, should practice religion in her/his own way but in doing so one must respect right of other citizens to practice their religion in way they like.

A good citizen is always loyal. He is loyal to president, because he stands for all that is best in laws of his country. A good citizen is also devoted to his country. He thinks that as his parents gave him natural life, so he owes his civic life to his country. He therefore, calls his country his motherland and is ever ready to lay down even his life for her sake.

Progress and development of every nation depend upon deeds of its citizens. If percentage of good citizens is higher in a nation country will have good progress and development. If we are born in any of nations we are ultimately called citizens of that nation. As citizens of any nation, it is our duty to helps people in their needs. A good citizen teaches people in society to live with peace and harmony. He/she does this by not involving in any of violent acts that might give rise to fight.

Before you take an initiative to change country, try to change society you live in first. For that, you’ve to unite and stay connected to members of your society. Our responsibilities as good citizens would be making our society a safe and equal place for all. We need to live life without being feared about our safety. Do everything possible to make that happen. We need determination, education and a brave heart to do that, nothing else. We also have to make our society rules justifiable and equal to everyone. Our responsibilities as good citizens are doing good for country and society in all. We need to end corruption as well if we want justice for all. As the wellbeing of society and also future of our children are upon us, you’ve to make sure you never encourage corruption.

Citizens are smallest units of nations that organise to form a family, society and further a nation. A good citizen will surely give rise to a good family. Several good families will make a good society and finally a good nation. Country and social welfare depend on our accumulative actions. You must understand these responsibilities so that we can do well to ourselves and our children.

Thus, a good citizen is one who adjusts with his environment, lives up to expectations of his fellowmen, according to all norms and rules of country. He does not act in any way that brings any sort of dishonor to country. With all these essential qualities, any individual belonging to any country can be called a good citizen fulfilling these norms will be termed as a good citizen in any country.

Published in The Daily National Courier, June, 07 2023

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