What Independence means to me...

The largest  democracy in the world is gearing up for its 64th Independence Day... The time has come for the nation to again stand together, recall and reaffirm its Tryst with its Destiny ( to paraphrase the words of the great leader )...

Each Independence Day is yet another special day evoking a multitude of emotions ranging from pride, happiness, patriotism etc etc which if summed up together, could be referred to as the unique feeling of Indianness...

Come this Independence Day, I will definitely stand up proudly to sing the national anthem, participate in the festivities and just have yet another nostalgic trip down the memory lane of how our freedom fighters sacrificed everything for the independence of the country... Yet I will do one more thing...

I will devote this time to think and deeply ponder on this question : "What Independence/Freedom means to me"

For me Independence means the following (to cut directly to the chase as they say..)

1. Independence to me mean the freedom to move about freely any place that I want to be without the fear of getting myself blown to shreds coz someone somewhere have not done their homework correctly and lacks 'proper intelignece'
2. Independence to me mean that I could migrate to any place in my country without the fear of getting bashed (for being a U.P wallah, or a Bihari or a Gujarati or somebody from the Northeast ) by somebody who, though claims, but is not a 'Manush' after all
3. Independence to me mean the respect for everybody without being branded as a result of one's ethnicity, gender, profession, caste and religion
4. Independence to me mean that my parents could have their full pension delivered to them immediately after their retirement without having to run around govt. offices at this ripe age greasing the palms of beetle spitting clerks
5. Independence to me is when girls and women can roam freely (yes, even in night) and enjoy themselves wholeheartedly without the fear of being picked up, raped and later face the apathy of the public administration in bringing the culprit to Justice
6. Freedom to me mean the freedom from hunger, where our children so driven by hunger no longer have to eat human excreta for survival
7. Freedom to me mean that our farmers (who are the backbones of our country) do not have to be driven to despair by an apathetic system and end up committing suicide
8. freedom to me mean the freedom from diseases, maternal deaths, the deaths of child and young born which is so preventable and avoidable at very little cost (I had read once that the worth of a society and civilisation is understood by how much consideration it has for its weaker section- which definitely includes the mother and the baby)
9. Freedom to me mean the end of domestic violence where wives are bashed up despite their valuable contribution and endless sacrifice for the brute who does it
10. Freedom to me mean that the guarantee of a basic standard of living for nearly half of the country's population and where growth is equitable (certainly as the country with the largest number of billionaires we can at least ensure this)
11. Freedom to me mean that we address terrorism face on and not get in to the politics of whether it is 'saffron' or 'green' terror while innocent die by hundreds 
12. Freedom to me mean the freedom of expression, the freedom to air my views openly and yet not be judged but be respected for it
13. Freedom to me mean is the openness with which with we embrace our brethren (be it the naxals of naxabari, or the maoist of north east, or the numerous 'indigenous' terror outfits)who because of some reason or the other are not too happy with us thus giving the message loud and clear to all divisive forces (both within and outside) concerned that we would solve all our problems within by talks and negotiations with our own people and they better keep their hands off
14. Lastly freedom to me mean that we live in a country where we do not stoop so low as to march a women naked in the street because of her low caste, or burn kids sleeping in a vehicle coz their father preaches a different religion, or drive out artists from the country coz of their differing view points... Freedom to me mean seeing my country as a prefect example of tolerance, empathy, understanding,proactiveness, of equitable growth and reaching out to those most in need...

 As time and again it is refreshed in our memory that the freedom that we have was gotten beacuse of the high and dear sacrifices maded by our ancestors under condtions of great difficulty against a mighty empire whose sun never used to set... Having got such a well earned and hard fought freedom. let us not fritter it away because of our petty differences, biases, prejudices and mostly coz of our apathy...

I would like to end the post by quoting the last letter of Shahid Bhagat Singh written just few days before he was hanged... I want all of us to reflect on it and decide for ourselves what we need to do at our end for taking our country to greater heights...

"Friends,

'Naturally I should have a wish to live. I do not want to hide it, but I can live on one condition. I do not want to live in prison or under slavery. My name is a symbol of 'Hindustan Inquilab Party'...

 

Today people are not aware of my weaknesses. If I would save my self from the hanging thread , it will come in front of the public and became well known. The glow of the Inquilab will not radiate nor may it will finish.

But if I will die laughingly, then in the case of my death, Indian mothers would wish to model their kids as a Bhagat Singh. This way the number of martyrs will increase to that level that it would be very difficult for evil

imperialistic powers to ignore it.

Yes, one idea always disturbs my heart. Whatever wishes I have for the country and humanity I was not able to fulfill the thousands part of it. If I would have lived then I would have got the chance to fulfill it. Apart from this I did not have any desire or lust to save myself from the hanging thread.

 

Who will be more fortunate than me? Today I am very proud of myself. Now I am desperately waiting for that moment.

 

Your Friend,

Bhagat Singh  

 

22 March 1931