My beloved country and its people celebrated Independence Day with great pomp and gaiety on August 15 (Thursday). This is a very special and important day for Indians since the country got freed from the black rule of British in 1947. I find this as a formality for countrymen, officials and government now and missing its real meaning. However, as a common and concerned citizen of India, I found myself surrounded by many genuine questions that somehow gloomed my free mind and heart. I started to question myself, Am I really residing in an “Independent and Democratic Country”? Sadly, I got a Big NO as the answer as the circumstances around left me bewildered.
 |
| Independence Day |
Some of the strong points that stroke my mind are as follows:
i) The four pillars of democracy namely 1. Legislature 2. Judiciary 3. Bureaucracy and 4. Press, all have lost credibility and somehow involved in Corruption and activities that leave citizens of country in utter shock.
ii) Poverty rate is very high, millions go to bed in the country without proper one time meal. Malnourishment cases followed by death are increasing day-by-day.
iii) Still a fair portion of India’s population is illiterate. Education schemes run by government is empowering corrupt officials not the children.
iv) Mid-day meal run to increase the attendance in primary level schools is mismanaged and related officials are making money without thinking twice about the essence of scheme to spread literacy.
v) Primary level contracted teachers are getting salary from 5,000 to 8,000, which is less than a daily-wager. Half of their time is utilized by government in various types of surveys instead of conducting classes.
vi) Schemes like cycle to girls, dresses, laptop, etc. are more vote focused instead of need bases, which increases burden on tax payers pockets.
vii) Two areas of country Kishtwar (J& K) and Nawada (Bihar) were under curfew, some groups like GMM demanding for seperate state of Gorkhlanad,
viii) Corruption is at all time high in almost every nook and corner of the country. In the recent decade many big scams done by politicians & ministers have been reported such as Coal Scam, 2 G Scam, Fodder Scam, Coaltar Scam, etc.
ix) Unauthorised and illegal mining of coal, sand and other natural resources have increased at an alarming rate and government is not in mood to put a break on illegal activities.
x) Prices of essential food / eatable items such as wheat atta, rice, pulses and vegetables have increased many times. Onion has touched around Rs. 80 - 100, and much more.
In today's scenario if these unrest and uncontrolled consequences were known to Freedom Fighters and Father of Nation "Mahatma Gandhi", they would never have put their lives and everything on stake for "Freedom of Country". Till we get solutions of all major concerns, I think it is useless to claim ourselves as world’s biggest democracy. Of course, we all should take blame for this, but I find four pillars of democracy mainly responsible for all such "Chaos". But it is the responsibility of people around the country to grill the government and policy makers for their misdeeds, unless the situation can be worst in the coming time.
Before I sign-out, sharing a couplet addressing to Mahatma Gandhi and freedom fighters.
“Dekh tere bharat ki haalat Bapu, Janta hai pareshan
Mahngai, Bhrastachaar, Garibi, saar chadke bole aur Janta hai pareshan,
Neta, Afsar, Police or Qanoon sab hui beimaan aur Janta hai pareshan,
Dekh tere bharat ki haalat Bapu, Janta hai pareshan”
