Happy Independence day...!!!

“Happy independence day”  “Proud to be an Indian” “ Jai hind..Jai bharat” salute to the sacrifices of the Jawaans who laid their lives for the nation..

Don’t get me wrong guys, these are not the sentences from my side; but the most popular status updates and the forwarded text messages that have already started up buzzing with the clock striking 12—with the onset of our nation’s independence day...and sorry for being so rude-but it irritates me..

I am not being unpatriotic- neither do I deny the genuine, much deserved respect we all should have for the soldiers who put their lives at stake for serving our nation---but this manner in which we all show our love towards nation seems hypocrisy to me.

 I have no other manner to express my anger or irritation-so I use my freedom of speech here; and you are free to read further or leave it incomplete, if you think the mindset I am about to present is too much for you “ patriots” to handle.

When all others are free to copy and paste the country praising messages without feeling them-the ever complaining ones being free to openly criticize the corruption or unemployment or poverty or illiteracy or any other sin and clearly blame the incompetent government and bureaucracy…when the morally uplifted people are free to boast about the developments and global contributions the country is making, and feel proud to be an Indian..I am free to tell why this Independence Day is not happy for me.

Because I do not feel free---though I can easily move wherever, whenever and however I want-though I can do anything that I wish for, though in my daily life the so called corruption, unemployment illiteracy etc do not affect me..I am educated- employed- never had to deal with corrupt people- nor lost someone dear in a terrorist attack or during wars. I live a safe stable and happy life, and avail all the facilities my fellow countrymen have. Sometimes I even think that had I been living the same life in any country other than India—it would have been just the same. So that’s my story and would like to ask you--are u really proud to be an Indian?? Or are you really in a position to blame someone for the country’s pitfalls??

Whether the country is doing good or bad- do you really have any contribution in it, or does it really matter to you?

Maybe the honest answer is “no”

We are free…but are we independent?

I don’t hesitate to say “no”.

Sometimes I can’t do what I feel like doing—because I fear what people will say…so my actions are dependant on the mindset of the people .i worry about gossips and rumors..

Sometimes when I go to the college canteen and am asked to pay 5 bucks extra for a chilled coke—I prefer not to argue—partly for the fear of being called a miser..and partly because of the desperate need of coke..i am dependant on these luxuries and my taste buds, and have to ignore the unfair moneymaking by others.

When I go shopping and cannot find a straight fit jeans and the shopkeeper suggests to get a narrow fit; which is in fashion—I have no other option but to follow his advice. I am dependant on the fashion trends, and have to ignore my personal choice.

When the teacher asks me to do some personal favor; I cannot deny him; fearing a negative impact on the internal marks. I am dependant on the impressions on teachers for getting good scores.

When I see the incidences of eve teasing-I cannot do anything. So I prefer avoiding the unsafe roads.

When I see a young girl working as a servant- I can give a good lecture against child labor, but am speechless when the girl tells about her poor financial condition.

When media presents nonsense as breaking news and silently ignores the genuine but less profitable issues—I feel helpless and still see whatever is available, or switch off the TV.

There are times when I feel helpless, when I choose not to react, when I sense wrong being done, yet can’t do anything about it.

I live a free life—but am bounded by many forces—some of them have been made by people like you and me. Some dictated by social factors, others by personal interests.

Talking about big things like corruption, poverty etc is very easy—but what are we doing about it? Shameful thing is that we do not work towards independence even in small daily issues, where we can contribute. So the big issues are better off in the parliament.

Just forwarding the patriotic messages on a single day, marked as a national holiday is not my definition of patriotism, nor do I feel proud to be Indian on just one day.

I have no right to be proud…coz I do not have any contribution in its development, nor do I have any right to complain about anything—because I am not doing my bit to improve the conditions..

I shall be truly happy and feel independent when I am in a position to feel free from within my heart- when I do my share towards betterment of the nation; which may not be a big jump- but a small step that will be for my country’s good.

And when each one of us realizes this..that very day we shall be free and independent.

 Together we can, and we will make a difference..

Ishita Bhown

Claiming 'I am what I am, easy to know and difficult to understand.', Ishita Bhown is a bubbly, talkative girl from Jaipur who is full of hopes and dreams. Her first novel  ToGetHer  is a story about a simple girl who enters the fascinating world of engineering with a lot of dreams and aspirations and experiences different shades of this new phase of life.

Born with a talent of different writing style her first book itself lets you unfold new twists and turns of life.