That's the most striking sentence that one would observe on independence day of India. What does this mean to me as an Indian? Till I was in the school, I was singing the National Anthem. That has always been inspiring me. There were two three occasions where I spoke about independent India during my school days in the assembly of students. Ofcourse, it required some preparation and courage to speak. I was not so much of an independent thinker then. Now, may be I dont depend so much to think. So, I started to think. First thing, Independence means, the right to live. As long as you are in the country the government ensures that you could have a good night sleep and dream. This thought inturn is in sync with what 'Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak' said 'Independence is my birth right'. Next, the fundamental rights that constitution confers on every citizen of India, living in Indian democracy. They include individual rights common to most liberal democracies, such as equality before the law, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of association and peaceful assembly, freedom of religion, and the right to constitutional remedies for the protection of civil rights such as habeas corpus. And if you were to enjoy these fundamental rights, you also need to be aware of your fundamental duties. Such as to abide by constitution, to uphold and protect sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, to defend the country, to promote harmony, to value and preserve rich heritage of our country, to protect and improve natural environment, to safeguard public property, to strive towards excellence so that the nation rises higher levels of achievement, to participate in such a nation building process. Now that I am aware of my fundamental rights and duties, I started to think how many Indians could honestly say they live by them?
Few incidents I could recollect - most common ones.
- destroying public property such as government buses, trains, offices
- poaching of rare animals & national birds
- cutting trees, encroachment of forest land, lakes
- women and child abuse
What is the guarantee that you are not going to be a victim in sometime? If you want to enjoy the fundamental right, you must responsibly discharge your fundamental duty as well. Otherwise, there is no meaning to life and hence no meaning to 'Independence'.
