The Standpoint

Being an Indian on Independence Day

By

Abhishek Mukherjee

Flag-hoisting ceremonies, cultural programmes, flying of tricolour kites, patriotic songs and movies on television strive to ring a bell in the minds of us all, Indians, on August 15. It is a striking reminder of our extraordinary struggle for the right of our own country, the lives that were shed to drive out the foreign oppressors.

“A new star rises, the star of freedom in the East, a new hope comes into being - a vision long cherished materialises. May the star never set and that hope never be betrayed! We rejoice in that freedom, even though clouds surround us, and many of our people are sorrow stricken and difficult problems encompass us. But freedom brings responsibilities and burdens and we have to face them in the spirit of a free and disciplined people,” said Nehru when the fateful moment arrived. Today India has vastly improved, yet for youngsters it is the responsibility that freedom gave us which lacks fulfillment.

For every sixth person in this planet, Independence Day holds infinitely more significance than just the achievement of freedom. 00:00 hours August 15, 1947 presented a blissful moment of new-found dignity and honour – a new life, a new dawn of another era. What makes it even more special is the fact that our exceptional leaders laid the foundation of a pure and principled nation. The real unified India was given birth to that moment.

The nation took off then, but has not been able to achieve a perfectly smooth and successful ride. Many college students feel that India ought to learn from nations like South Korea and Malaysia who have been able to bring a huge turnaround in their fortunes. Japan, in fact, was in ruins after the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. They have not looked back since then.

Says Sanjay Gupta, a second year engineering student in IP University, Delhi, “For me, Independence Day means the celebration of our freedom, but we can’t leave it at that. We also need to look at the harsh realities – our country is economically better than just the Sub-Saharan Africa. Our system needs a re-look. The fact that we have a coalition government is itself testimony to the fact that there is confusion and stagnation in our system. Our administration is just too lackadaisical. A single proposal to be legalised takes years for being passed by the parliament and then implemented. Moreover, everything gets diluted because of corruption and confusion at all levels. Lack of education among masses and a huge population makes it look worse. I’m proud to be an Indian, but I only wish there weren’t so much corruption and a struggle for survival everyday.”

It must be kept in mind, however, that India’s founding fathers stressed on the purity of means. Having people from all kinds of backgrounds, faith, caste, language, creed and colour, India strives to embrace all. The slowness and stagnation is only a repercussion to achieve this.

“Every theory applied will have a side-effect. If there is brainwashing and lack of clarity of thought among voters during elections, it is because Universal Adult Franchise attempts to give a fair chance to the illiterate adult people of India in its administration. India will have to face problems for such justness and fairness in the means, but it is worth it, because our founders have chosen the morally rightest way of running this most unique and diverse country in the world. Though slowly, India has been developing the correct way. China may be much more developed and competent than us, yet fact remains that it is virtual dictatorship there. Independence Day means a lot to me,” says Deepak Shenoy, a call centre employee.

It is a common consensus among many youngsters that it is India’s population and diversity which poses as a hindrance to all-round development at a faster rate.

They believe small towns of India need to be revitalised to ease the pressure off metropolitan cities and achieve urbanisation at a faster rate, which is quintessential for overall development of the nation.

“15th August every year prompts us to look ahead. To be flourishing we need to move out of villages as soon as possible. 70% of Indians are still very poor and survive on farming in villages. It is a long way ahead,” adds Megha Choudhary, a class 12 student in Delhi.

The optimists among the youth today, though appearing to have been smitten by the West, do admit that the family values, deep-rooted culture and the rich heritage of India is something they cherish and have always been proud of. Being an Indian involves immense responsibility, they feel. There are never-ending problems that India faces which can not be solved in a day, yet there have been numerous known and unknown instances in which Indians have shown courage and risen above all odds to achieve miracles.

Independence Day, thus, acts as a reflection of today’s India in comparison to 1947. It is not just a walk down memory lane, but also a reminder of the duties as a citizen of the nation. It is time we focus on abiding by the duties and fulfilling them.