AS OLD AS INDEPENDENCE

Born in 1947, I am one of those born in the year of independence. One of my friends is born exactly on to make in impressions on baby mind in form of memories. The advantage is I 15th August. I was not so lucky. I had to experience what is colonial slavery for good 48 days. Experience has failed can immediately tell how old is Indian independence. Disadvantage is nobody calls me a freedom fighter. I have seen many institutions go searching for freedom fighters. The best of the lot is gone very long back. Any from second even third line of freedom fighters is also not to be availed any more. Some of those who were not even in teens before 1947 were also felicitated as freedom fighters. Shouting of VANDE MATARAM from bathroom was also accepted as freedom fight. Now is perhaps the end of road for finding freedom fighters.

It does not matter any more to younger generation. India is India in their mind. The prefix of Independent has lost its bearing. Only those who were slave at some point of time can value importance of the word Independent. For the rest being Indian is same as being Independent Indian. They don’t see Americans calling themselves as Independent Americans. Americans also fought for freedom like us. The fight was over 1767. Ours got over in 1947. Sixty years is certainly long enough to confine few things to history.

Sad is the case for the organizers who are forced to find alternatives to the freedom fighters. The last war was also over in 1971. The terrorist are doing their best to provide alternative martyrs. We can have few more years of felicitations and honoring. How long are we going to bury our heads in the sands of history. It is rather pity that people can not think in terms of future on the Independence day. Why don’t we think of launching new ambitious endeavor. May it be Industrial, Cultural, political. Anything that is ambitious and nation building in character. Can we not have another visionary thinking big like Pt. Nehru ? If 15th August is a land mark of time, let it be bridge between proud past and promising future. JAI HND.

Arvind Khare