What does Independence mean to you? A day off from work or school, to listen to your grand-parents reminisce about the distant past, to attend traditional day functions in your office or college, or to listen to patriotic songs all day long? Or does it mean something more?
Let us first define what is freedom. According to our Constitution, the Right to Freedom is one of the fundamental rights guaranteed to all citizens. Within this is the freedom of speech and expressions, fredom to assemble peacefully without arms, freedom to move freely throughout the territory of India, freedom to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India. How many of these are being violated today without anyone being culpable of these violations?
MF Hussain has to leave the country in a self-imposed exile because of the constant bickering and protests against his work.
An effigy of James Laine is burnt because he wrote a book on Chhatrapati Shivaji which his “supporters” did not approve. One of the historians who helped Laine research this book – Shrikant Bahulkar – was assaulted and had his face blackened by Shiv Sena activists.
Film makers have to get their films approved from political parties or religious groups to ensure that there are no untoward incidents while screening of movies. The list of such movies is endless – Sarkar and Singhh is King are just two examples.
People settling in Mumbai from other states are threatened and assaulted as they are “stealing” the jobs of domiciles.
Where is the freedom in all these incidents?
To me it seems, the only people free in this country are the politicians and the scamsters – free to go about their crooked ways, making money for themselves and not caring two hoots about the country, the citizens or any one else. Lalit Modi, Suresh Kalmadi, Sharad Pawar, Raj Thackeray, Bal Thackeray, the Reddy brothers – just a few examples of the people destroying the country.
I respect my country and the past leaders who fought for our freedom, but it seems that the current bunch of -leaders- politicians are all set to reverse the effort that was made. No sir, you can go about playing your patriotic songs, attending co-op society meets on how we can all live in communal and social harmony. You can buy flags for your cars and vehicles and throw them away in the mud after the Independence week is over. I, sadly, do not want to be part of such pseudo-secular patriotism.
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