India is a cradle of the human race, | 68 years ago, on this day the cradle of human race was declared a Republic. The long-cherished reins of power were now handed over to us – the people of India. The most clichéd definition of a REPUBLIC that we often come across is a state in which people’s will and wish reign supreme. This REPUBLIC day instead of simply applauding ourselves for our achievements of the past 68 years let us introspect to what extent have we lived up to the definition. How far have we the people, who claim to be our own masters actually succeeded in freeing ourselves of any kind of bondage or compulsion? To what extent have we done justice to the ideal of a Republican nation? George Orwell once said, “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” I think this statement holds a greater relevance in today’s time when the slightest remark causes our volatile sentiments to take over our reasoning and leads us to act impulsively. One piece of historical fiction, one statement in support of our next-door neighbour or one post on the social media platform has the power to flush all our moral values down the drain and become a part of a mob. A mob hurtling abuses at the offender, a mob disrupting the working of a state or a mob threatening to kill. But not all hope is lost. On the flip side are those who live by the words of George Orwell. Those who have the courage to voice the truth in spite of threats. Those who remember that diversity is what defines India. Those who remember that freedom of speech, thought and expression is at the core of who we are as a nation. In an age of where the intolerant minority has so many venues to spread dissent, it is becomes doubly necessary for the tolerant majority to speak up. The second most important aspect of a Republican nation such as India is that of Justice. Sometimes all that a rebellious child needs is love and attention. The insurgents in the north-eastern states are those rebellious children of India who have either been continually ignored or suppressed. They battle each day just for the mere acknowledgment of their presence as well as to become a part of the national mainstream. Regular violation of human rights, migration related issues, widespread poverty and a variety of such problems are a part of their everyday grim reality. On a daily basis they battle for equality, liberty, justice and fraternity– rights the have been promised under the Indian constitution. And it is here that we must introspect why we celebrate Republic day every year. It is not just because of the spledour of the national parade or speeches fueled by patriotic fervour. We celebrate it because it is on this day that we the people of India made the momentous decision of choosing democracy over other forms of government, choosing a Constitution which would form our core values, which we would adhere to and abide by over the years. A democracy is not just the freedom to express dissent or consensus or the right to choose your leaders. It is also the freedom to assert what you stand for. It is finding your voice within a collective whole. A nation is a reflection of the people who live in it. But do we want a country where in the freedom to disagree isn’t valued? Or a system where the individual isn’t respected as an individual? Our democracy is like a legacy and identity for us and for generations to come- a check against totalitarian thought and autocratic functioning. So let us celebrate republic day by embracing the ideals of our constitution and continue to strive along the path of becoming a true republic. |
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