Independence day celebrations are just minutes away, a day that brings out the patriot in each of us. People wake up early to watch the ceremonies, hear the prime minister speak, witness the flag hoisting and watch with pride the marching soldiers.
I have always been proud of this day, celebrating it with fervour- partly because of my army background where every soldier and family celebrates it with much pride and jubilation but mostly because I believed in a free India.
This year it is different, in fact it has been different for a few years now – the celebrations seem empty, and despite the underlying pride in the achievements and potential of the nation, the existence of daily struggles are infuriating to say the least.
Long before I understood and fully grasped its meaning I had begun to associate freedom with Mahatma Gandhi’s quote ‘India will attain full freedom on the day women can walk freely at night’ , using it generously in classroom debates and essays.
Even as I quoted words I did not comprehend, I was being “prepared” for a life that my family knew, was going to be anything but filled with freedom.
Many August’s have passed since, each day is filled with cases of moral policing, rape, molestation, dowry deaths, female foeticide. Independence day just happens to be day jammed in to celebrate (a hollow) freedom.
These are other reasons and everyday instances of loss of freedom. We are not free from corruption, politics within politics and forces that are increasingly intolerant to free speech and freedom of opinion.
Year after year the optimistic justifies this situation with excuses of population and stories of individual achievements, conveniently neglecting a collective failure in fostering a nation of the truly free.
Perhaps in the years to come, freedom will not be restricted to a token celebration of values long lost and stories of glory from the past. Perhaps, someday, Independence will live upto it’s definition and be a honest daily celebration by every citizen.
Someday pride for the nation will not be sporadic, but a perennial emotion that can only be achieved when the shackles of endless constraints are removed.