India Is ‘Independent’! Are we free?
India celebrates its 77th Independence Day. “When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.”
– ― Ralph Ellison
Is the world looking up to India or is the world just looking at India?
Freedom — A word redolent with benevolence. Has “freedom” turned into one of those buzzwords honoured more in the invocation than in its exercise? Freedom is Feeling Free and being free! Freedom of speech and expression. Freedom of Religion! Uniform laws! Freedom of want –economic stability. Freedom of fear of life and property.
Are we free? Freedom works within rules!
These are tough to answer for many of us because no matter where you’re born it’s difficult to actually feel complete on all of these elements. But then again there could be consequences! You may have time but no money! You may have money but no time!
What the world thinks of us is crucial.
Given the velocity of change underway, the challenge for India on its Independence Day- First, India must sustain and strengthen its trajectory of rapid economic growth. Show that it is capable of realizing its development goals within the fabric of liberal democracy. India already accounts for 15% of global growth though nearly 40% of its population live in various shades of poverty and barely a third are connected to the internet.
India, has “emerged as a bridge between the many extremes of the world. India’s plural and composite culture, is the “living proof of the possibility of a confluence of civilizations”. India is home to the world’s most impressive religious diversity. Four of the world’s major religions were born in India — Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. India is a melting pot of religions and has created a unique culture that will leave you amazed.
Reality check-1! Remarkable milestones that span across various sectors! Makes India A Proud Nation.
India was the first ever country to grant voting rights to women without any discrimination. So far, India has witnessed 16 significant bloodless changes of power — parliament at the Centre. It shows the strength of the Electoral democratic values of the people of this country.
Aryabhata- India’s Leap into Space ushered in a new era of space exploration for the nation and Mission to Mars to the current day Chandryan-2. This achievement paved the way for subsequent breakthroughs in the field. Agni Missiles: Empowering National Security. Unveiling DNA Fingerprinting: A Milestone in Genetics. Pokhran-II: Harnessing Nuclear Potential.
Eliminating Polio: A Public Health Triumph. COVID Research: A Resilient Response. A trillion dollar economy- Economic Reforms: Catalyst for Global Influence. Ayushman Bharath- Revolutionizing Healthcare: The National Health Mission’s Impact. New education policy- NEP2020
India’s Green Revolution in the 1960s transformed the agricultural landscape, increasing food production significantly and making the country self-sufficient in terms of food grains. India is the largest producer of milk with 18 % of world production, the second largest producer of rice, with over 100 million metric tons, wheat over 90 million tons, sugar 25 million tons, fruits and vegetables over 200 million metric tons.
The IT revolution in India has been a game-changer. The country emerged as a global hub for software services, IT outsourcing, and technology innovation.
India’s digital transformation has been remarkable, with initiatives like Aadhaar biometric identification and digital payment systems
Reality check-2!
Challenges despite76yrs. Of independence!
But what we think of ourselves is perhaps more important. The world is indeed looking at India — though not necessarily looking up to India- because
· India ranked 96th out of 138 countries in the Forum’s latest Global Enabling Trade Report. India is home to 23% of the world’s population but sees only 2% of global trade.
· Water scarcity. India’s large population places a severe strain on its natural resources, and most of its water sources are contaminated by sewage and agricultural run-off. 21% of communicable diseases in India are related to unsafe water. Diarrhoea alone causes more than 1,600 deaths daily.
· India faces a double burden of infectious diseases and a dramatic rise in non-communicable diseases to account for more than half of all deaths.
· India’s rank in the Forum’s Human Capital Report is 78th of 122 countries.
· India is ranked 85 on the Henley Passport Index,
· number 94 on the Global Hunger Index,
· number 103 on the World Economic Forum’s Human Capital Index,
· Number 131 on the UN’s Human Development Index.
Man is born free but lives in the confines of Rules and regulations and often in chains! We are still slaves of poverty, slaves of malnutrition, we are still slaves of castes, and we are slaves of misinformation and manipulation! Children die because of the lack of doctors and oxygen! We are the most youthful country in the world and probably the most underemployed as well.
Every action or decision is bound by the perception of society. We can never be completely independent as long as we live in a society. The society was surrounded by corruption and corrupt politicians. Bribery was the order of the day. People were killing each other for no reason. The crime rates had increased and people are not feeling safe.
The Country is free from slavery! Child labour is a very severe form of slavery! Children were abused and forced to beg.
Have we got freedom from corruption? Are we free from corrupt, criminal politicians? Have we at least got freedom from our basic problems like poverty and unemployment? If your answer is No then we need to revisit our belief on being free and independent.
We are not able to get freedom from corruption which has made its way into the hearts and veins of most Indians. 186 OR 34% of newly elected MPs have in their election affidavits disclosed criminal cases booked against themselves. Corrupt, criminal and Castiest and nastiest politicians rule us! The illicit use of power by these politicians has turned the entire Indian polity into an unscrupulous one. When your lawmakers themselves have such a criminal record, how can you expect to get freedom from all the crimes in India? So do we really have the privilege? Are we Independent?
Violence against women is increasing day by day. Every three minutes a woman is subjected to some kind of violence! We have more than 400 million children in India, they are not free inside their homes or on the streets. Unfortunately nowadays not even in the schools where they go to shape their future, to get educated they are becoming a target of disruptions. The children are being sexually harassed and raped by their own relatives and neighbours. The innocent children before they could even understand the meaning of freedom, have lost it, and they are not free and safe. Are we really independent?
Are we an “election-only democracy”? Elections are regularly held. But in between polls, there is no governance and no accountability. The Indian Constitution outlawed caste and gender discrimination, yet they continue with a great deal of force. We are a casteist society. Elections are won and lost on the basis of caste, corruption and coalition! Baba Sahib Ambedkar called for the annihilation of caste and we are perpetuating it! Even after so many years of independence, we are still not able to free ourselves from the clutches of the caste system. So are we really Independent?
We are still dependent on the political system which keeps the people illiterate so that the votes can be controlled easily.