It’s been 60 years since India became free from the clutches of colonial rule of Great Britain. Many doubted its survival at that time. But, today they salute the India of today that is a shinning example of development, democracy and virtue.
The country won its freedom from alien rule after years of trouble, turmoil and struggle, led from the front by Father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Ever since we won our hard-earned freedom, democracy has flourished in India, marking the trait of people’s rule. Governed by a people’s Constitution, setting our targets high of right to equality, fraternity, friendly relation with neighbors, going in line very much alike the tryst with destiny of Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first PM.
60 years is a long time in a nation’s history, which can make or mar it, but the India of today rises above its neighbors, who are still struggling to find resolute feet for themselves in the world of today. Democracy has survived troubled times in India and thrived in predicament when wars were forced on us by our neighbors. Yet, India goes one step ahead in taking to friendly measures even with its enemies, along with building on its defenses. Today’s India stands hand in hand with developed countries like the U.S., Australia, strengthening relations and heralding a new era of nuclear technology. India’s booming economy makes it world’s second fastest growing in the world, next to China. Indian engineers are heading the IT revolution in most parts of the globe, with almost all nations including the U.S. demanding more and more of our engineers, doctors to work there.
But, as we bask under our achievements, we should not forget that we are a nation of a billion people, the second fastest growing population in the world after China and ready to overtake it in a gap of few years. We have millions thriving below poverty line, dying for penury, poverty. Millions in India sleep with empty stomachs. We are a nation that is fast emerging on the world’s screen as a killer of its farmers, with thousands of our debt-ridden peasants ending their lives in misery. Rampant illiteracy negates our IT success. Moreover, we face terrorism on one hand and Naxalism and Maoism on the other that remain a roadblock to our development. Also, though united, yet demands for autonomous states keep sprouting their head, making an uneasy roar giving air to anti-national forces that are always willing to create panic in our country by instigating religion against religion, caste against caste, state against state. Our sex ratio and increase in female feticide cases too remain a worrying point. And, don’t forget the biggest blur to our democracy is Operation Bluestar in Punjab.
Yet, India of today is an answer on its own to those who wrote it off, the very first days of its freedom. We in India, have to make sure that we will not let anti-national forces terrorize and mislead us. We are one nation and will stand united, come what may. Our unity in diversity is our strength. No one can stop us from developing if we keep this attitude, but we need to remember that our development should not be at the sake of environment, particularly as global warming sets in.
Let our flag remain fluttering high. Jai Hind!
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Source: Bloomberg
