The Value Of Seventy

70th independence day! 

15th August, 1947 when India got independence, we thought we are free! We are independent! No more serving the British! 

So many brave people laid their lives for us to get independence, so many of them! 

But today, after 70 years, when we are putting photos on social sites of our beloved tri-color, and captions of patriotism, wishing each and everyone 'Happy Independence Day', do you think we are really independent? Are we using our freedom in the right way? 

• Everyday we hear news of girls getting raped! 
• Politicians filling their pockets rather than serving the country! 
• More and more corruption! Everywhere! 
• Pollution and population are uncontrollable!
• Female infanticide!
• The nature being chopped off from sheer existence for more concrete jungles! 
• Fights on religions and caste systems! 
• Ignorance towards farmers,  soldiers and athletes (other than cricket), education system, the overall growth of the kids, Health care system! 
• Increasing slums! 
• Malnutrition! 
• Farmers suicide!
• And the list goes on.. 

Surely, we have come a long way in 70 years. And we strive to improve with each passing day. But are we really using this freedom in the way it should be used? 

On the one side where government is trying to get better public transportation system to commute, better education system, cleaner cities,  better roads etc, are we supporting it? 

We still see small kids begging for alms and food everywhere ! Ladies still do not have the freedom to live for themselves! Men still think they are superior and should be worshiped no matter how they behave! Women still face so many issues irrespective whether they are single, married or single mothers! People sleeping on streets! People spitting tobacco! 

When? When are we going to improvise? When are we really going to understand change begins from within ourselves? 

Every day we see never ending long queues in traffic! 

Rio Olympics 2106 showed a lot of Indian athletes but does the government do anything for them? Why is cricket  the only game considered as a "godly sport" and not gymnastics or swimming or badminton? Why can't other athletes get the same amount of fame and money? 

Yes, it's easier to say that no country is perfect. Agreed. But it's harder to change for the better or at least try? 

We have gone to the moon and back, but are we really ready for the small changes within ourselves? 

We pollute sea water by throwing trash, flowers, and what not! Degrading the life beneath the water! The flora and fauna! 

We pollute air by using too much and too many air conditioner, cars, smoking, and chemical factories! Do we think about the coming generations? 

Cutting down hills to make a smoother surface and building more buildings! The next generation would never know what a hill looks like or what a tiger is, unless shown in a national park or in a zoo or even worse, a picture using the latest technology, a laptop or a smartphone. 

Progress is good! But nature has its own value. 

The day we no longer see small kids selling tri-color on traffic signals or train stations, we could say, yes we are independent.

The day when a woman is allowed to choose to live alone, prioritizing her career and her dreams, instead of being forced to marry and give birth to a (male) child,  we could say we are independent.

The day when men give woman the same amount of respect as they expect, give the same amount of freedom as they ask for, we could say we are independent.

The day we no longer see racism or fights between 2 communities, we could say we are independent.

The day inter caste or inter religion marriages or same gender relationships are not looked down upon, we could say we are independent.

The day children get better education and food, we could say we are independent.

The day there is not extra money 'under the table' asked, is when we could say we are independent.

The day we no longer see female infanticide because it's a girl child, we could say we are independent.

The day when there is a equivalence between concrete and real jungle, we could say we are independent.

The day we no longer see our tri color being stamped on, or in the gutter on 16th August or 27th January, is when we could say, we are independent. 

And last but not the least, the day we realise India is our home, we should keep it clean, healthy and happy, is when we could say we are independent.

Surely, it will take some time, maybe years to traverse through all the social, economic and political ills of our society; but let's begin with the change within ourselves first, today! 

This independence day, let's pledge for harmony, equality, freedom, positivity and brotherhood and say no to pollution, corruption, or anything that will make India, our mother land, be looked down upon. 

Let the Hollywood create a movie on the harmony and its real values, instead of slums, next time :)