Since the morning, social media are abuzz with independence day good wishes. We are all busy receiving and forwarding these messages to our social media contacts indiscriminately.
I am not against greeting each other to commemorate a day, especially when the day is as important as a day as our national independence. It is the right thing to do. After all, 75 years ago, today, we ceased to be a colony of a European island nation as we got our political independence.
Today should also be the time to introspect and ask a few questions, even at the risk of shifting our gaze from the celebration. Some of the questions may not be easy to ask. Some may be too obvious. For some, there may not be an immediate answer. But that must not stop us from asking the questions.
As Randy Pausch famously said,
The Questions Are Always More Important Than The Answers
So here are a few questions that come to my mind. I am sure none of these questions are new or unique. People have been asking them for some time now. You may know the answers or may not know. The idea is to provoke thought.
So here goes….
* Today is our independence day. But, whose independence are we talking about? Independent to do what?
* Do you and me, English-speaking urban elite, understand independence the same way as the teaming mass, not so fortunate?
* We seem to be proud of our democracy. Is this really the kind of democracy we should be proud of?
* Democracy entails us to be upright and conscientious citizens. Are we doing enough as a citizen?
* Democracy presupposes dialogue and respect for those who do not agree with the majority. Are we sure that we are following the basic norms of democracy?
* Our Constitution gives a lot of rights to us as citizens. Are we doing enough to ensure rights for those who cannot ask for it?
* What is independence to those kids who, instead of going to school, are forced to work?
* What is independence to that father who cannot earn enough to provide food to his family?
* What is the freedom of that new graduate who, despite having a degree, does not get a suitable job?
* What is independence to those tribal families who are uprooted from their land, mercilessly, in the name of development?
* What is independence to that couple who face death threats because of marrying outside their religion, caste, or social status?
* In our own land, where our ancestors were born, we are losing our right to live. Why?
* What has independence changed for those accused of political dissent and held without trial indefinitely?
One can go on forever!
I am sure you also have a lot of unanswered questions. Today is the time to ask them.
Democracy is a work in progress. It is a continuous process, a journey, without any destination. Like any long-term journey, a timely course correction is required. Maybe, that time has come!
But irrespective of getting the answers let’s not stop asking the questions.