Glimpse of an "Independent India"

On this Independence Day, I thought instead of posting a message wishing everyone a “Happy Independence Day” on FB, I would write something more meaningful, something fulfilling which I meant to do from a long time.

After 65 years of Independence, are we really independent is the question I frequently asked myself. I am - I always replied to myself. I take my own decisions, I live my life in my own way, have freedom to speak, freedom to see dreams and fulfill them, so yes I am very independent. The irony is - in real sense, I am just lucky. I was born in a house, where girls are given equal respect. My father brought me up like boys in real sense, gave me authority to take my own decisions and be responsible for them. Taught me how to live by principles, take nothing in life as granted, and to fight for what is wrong. I found my life partner who is like minded, has similar values, and belongs to a family that is equally liberal. So in essence I am lucky.

But luck is something that is not equally spread in our fellow Indians, so when I looked around I felt, they are not so lucky. Basically, freedom is a mere thought, a luxury, experienced by few.

Millions of children in India even today sleep hungry, they do not have freedom to choose what they can have for dinner, if its their day, and they manage to find something in rags and sleep with half-filled stomach.

Girls in India do not have freedom by birth, by the increasing cases of female foeticide. They are not free to go to school in many places, and if some parents do decide to send children to school, their male siblings take priority over them. They are not free to object when dowry is being asked, neither free to speak up when tortured in their in-law families. Not free to wear jeans or clothes of their choice (courtseyy recent Khap Panchayat’s rules) in some places, not free to go to bars or are attacked if they choose to. Eccentrically no freedom of speech, thought or choice. Not even freely walk on road, or stay in a secure apartment, recent incidents on women would prove that.

People are not free to marry by their own choice, to fall in love, few Khaps ensure that. If you defer from the idea, either you are boycott by society or brutally killed.

You are not allowed to have any ideological freedom if you choose not to be part of any corruption, or wrong doing. You are a government officer, you are supposed to be corrupt, taking money for every little work you do for common man, and you are not free to be honest.

Mary Kom after winning bronze for India at Olympics recently told tabloids about her journey, and the conditions she has been in until now. The kind of support our sports authorities provide to people who go and compete in Olympics directly determines the number of medal they bring back. Someone told me with the kind of conditions other top scoring countries keep their sports people with determines how developed those countries are. In India all we support is some high-profile sports, you wouldn’t want your kid to choose Kabaddi as a sports to play, you would want to him to take up some other sport that has charismatic people, or media-savy players.

Even media is not free to show the stories in a real way. Assam burned and burned back and forth, but channels chose not to cover it big time. Instead they wouldn’t mind showing girl being abused on camera, mind you just keep shooting the whole incident, not go ahead and save her. I remember when Gujarat burned in 2002, it got complete coverage in all the news channels, but not Assam, as Gujarat means more political mileage than Assam.

Not all kids are free to choose what they want to become, even before they go to school, their parents have decided that they become doctors, or engineers. It sounds really old fashioned but is true. If your child dances well, sings well, looks good in front of camera, parents themselves push their single digit aged children to limelight. Makeup, glaring lights, long shooting schedules, losing on school and studies, designer clothes, even made to walk on ramps. Yes I agree today kids are super smart, very confident, tech-savy and light years ahead of us, when we were of the same age. That’s a totally different discussion. But in the process we lose that innocence, that sheer naiveness that brings smiles all around. Innocent is the new stupid!!

And I can go on and on!! This is just tip of the iceberg.

The problem is we know the problem, we even discuss about them with our family or friends or public forums or blogs and appreciate that someone like Aamir Khan took a step further and is doing something for the society. What we forget is he took a step to showcase something that people like us the commoners achieve through their uncommon act. Every episode of Satyamev Jayate portrayed someone who did an act to come out of age old barriers, get themselves free, cases are ranging from 19 year old engineering student to some 60+ year old woman. One thing common in all the cases are people who thought unconventionally, who chose to swim against the waves, sometimes for their own cause sometimes for others.

Lets ask ourselves, deep dive, are we really contributing to the society? Is my sole freedom enough? Isn’t the whole society, nation’s freedom necessary for each of our individual independences?

At the end of the day its our own conscience that we have to answer to, to my family, to the next generation. That 19 year old engineering student could have chosen to hang out with friends or do Facebook, but he chose to impart knowledge to kids in his village. He cared to open a school for the illiterate in his village. His conscience lead him to do his little bit by educating the next generation, that’s how he a 19 year old boy visions an Independent India.

And that’s how we all should!!

I often asked myself why is it that I have got so much, and some people got nothing. Well maybe I was given lot more resources than I need, and given the job that I utilize these resources well for welfare of society. How many of us stop and think on those lines? Well really rare.

We are worried about falling economy, rate hikes, fuel hikes, school/college fees of our kids, and a lot more on our minds to even think about what worse is going on outside comfort of our houses and AC driven offices. Economy will fall, as the people taking care of it (Read Manmohan Singh and company) are too busy taking foreign trips (read Ex. President Pratibha Patil) on our expenses. While we are mute spectators to 2G, 3G, CWG and what not. But we are to blame, as WE the people of India have chosen them. We utilized one single freedom that we had and our most important duty “To VOTE” discreetly. So we are responsible for increased corruption, falling economy. But this is not the point of discussion in this post.

I am more concerned about utilizing my lucky freedom to benefit of others. Well some people might say, we are a part of it, we are part of Indian economy, and doing our fair share. But is it enough, direct answer is No. We need a full-fledged participation to lead to a completely free India.

Lets stop getting fake fuel, medical bills to get some tax benefit together. I know it’s a small bit, but charity begins at home.

Lets not just walk by next time we see someone bullying someone, or hitting a child, or an old person or a woman. Point is to protect them and then empower them.

Lets be part of some organization that teaches underprivileged children, make sure we do not take domestic help as young girls or boys as that’s illegal.

Lets ensure we teach our next generation good values, moral values, and infinite love for the country. Not teach them its rot out here, and leave abroad the first chance you get.

Lets encourage our kids to take interest in Politics as much as they take in TV and Sports and not advice them to stay away from it. We want them to be politically literate. No country can be totally developed without a solid political foundation and we are the people who choose who are to govern us. We better choose right.

Lets not give dowry when we are marrying off our girls, however, rich we might be. Instead empower them with education, and self-dependence and knowing their rights. Lets not take dowry either, as that's illegal for one, and two demolishes our self-respect, not just in front of others, but to ourselves, to our kids.

Lets raise our voice against any wrong doing going around us. Not just keep quiet, and think that's not my job. If cleaning your house is your job, then consider the country as your one big house, and cleaning it - is everyone's job.

Lets stop paying any amount of money while getting some work done in government offices.

Lets set an example for others to follow!!

I know it’s a long monologue, but if you cared to read until here, do share if you have any experiences, or any organizations that you are part of. Or just leave your thoughts here along with mine.

This Independence Day I look a future India that’s free from hunger, fear and scarcity. A wish to see people with freedom of thought, freedom to dream, freedom to choose.

Ho gayi peer parbat si, pighalni chaahiye

Is Himalaya se koi Ganga nikalni chaahiye

Aaj ye deewar pardo ki tarah hilane lagi

Shart lekin thi ki buniyaad hilani chaahiye

Sirf hungama khada karna mera maqsad nahi

Meri koshish hai ki ye soorat badalni chaahiye

Mere seene me nahi to tere seene main sahi

Ho kahi bhi aag magar aag jalni chaahiye

"Happy Independence Day"

Stay Tuned!!!