Independence Day Speech

We gained our Independence about 67 years back. Our history after independence is much shorter than the British reign over India, which already seems long gone, forgotten. Over these few years, we have had 13 changes to our Prime Ministers, couple of wars with Pakistan and China, resolution of Kashmir still seems murky, more than 65% of the population still living under $2 a day which by any reasonable standards is way below poverty line, our GDP growth today is the lowest ever, INR - USD exchange rates are the highest ever, and infrastructure development is dotted with sub-standard quality construction and corruption which is eroding the feathers off the gold swan that India once was.

The British on the other hand, built our rail networks, started the use of the telegraph system, taught us how to harvest and process tea, taught us the English language - a means through which we are able to connect to the entire world and able to travel and settle in foreign countries effortlessly, abolished the outdated caste systems and united the India that was one split into an area with dysfunctional rulers like the Rajas and Nawabs having their personal agendas and with no unanimous and comprehensive governing system.

The British tyranny and unfair approach towards certain segments was definitely undesirable and what prompted the great revolt and led to the formation of India.

It was then, 67 years earlier, a free and a united India that we now know was born. We were inspired by our leaders, we had a passion in blood and a fire in our belly. We wanted to build our own country with modern views and a land that was accepting of all. So we created a constitution that took the best of the British and American constitutions and created the largest democracy that the world had ever seen. The promise of freedom was alive.

However, the ideals and the passion that was present during the time have now been long gone, forgotten, the same way we have forgotten the pains that we have gone through in reaching where we are today. We have started taking our land for granted.

We have been given this day to think about our country and to feel the pain it is going through and see how we can help make it better, stronger, successful and powerful. It is not about flag hoisting, or singing national anthems but about putting our minds together to bring about the development that is expected of a land which is no longer under foreign rulers with what seemed like, conflicting interests.

This is not a day about a political party, its not a day about Manmohan or about Maya or about Mamata or about Modi. It is a day for all of us whose voice resonates as Indians.

It is the day for us to not just remember our forefathers, our soldiers, our leaders, our scientists, our literary experts but to be inspired by them, and to rise up to the occasion and do good at whatever it is that we do in our daily lives, to make things more efficient, to improve the lives of those around us and to bring true glory to the country that we call hamara.


Comments

Post a Comment

Your angle here:

Popular

Closeness in the time of Cholera

A foreigner's guide inside the brain of Donald Trump

Quinine For The Creature