In the journey through these seven independent decades, have we achieved what we had vowed to – our liaison with the dream of being an autonomous and free state? How far have we neared or departed from our aspirations and our pledge of being a welfare state?
The dream of an independent and free India had been woven to undo the blindfold from the eyes of an enslaved community; urging them to look upon their conditions to break the shackles of ignorance, illiteracy, malnutrition, injustices and many more.
Our founding fathers included Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Azad, Bhagat Singh, and the millions of men and women who made sacrifices for the holiest dream of India.
A land where there would be a place for every person irrespective of their beliefs, caste, religion and race will live together.
A land where there would be zero tolerance for any discrimination. They dreamed of the orchards and the garden of flowers where a flower could spread its fragrance with various other flowers without intimidating the very uniqueness of each of them. In short, a dream of heaven on Earth, some might say that it was a romanticisation of a myth, but it was and is possible, what all it requires is a heart full of love and compassion.
Our founding fathers aspired for many models of development amongst Gandhi Ji’s dream of a rural development-based model society, where he was more inclined towards agrarian society with the objective of self-sufficiency. This society was aimed to be accompanied with moral and spiritual richness among the Indian citizens; his vision was sustainable, self-sufficient, just and acceptable.
On the other hand, Nehru’s vision of India was based on industrial development, scientific institution, an amalgamation of western and Indian society, a socialist and secular nation to embrace all faiths with equality and justice for all. Therefore, Nehru is often known as the architect of modern India.
Some other patriot who adopted another means to convey their idea of India shared a similar concept of independence with Gandhi and Nehru, except that they were fanatics from Muslim league, RSS and VHP like organisations. They were staunch advocates of two-nation theory and were more exclusive and radical in their nature as compared to their counterparts on the Earth.
Today, when I see the rise of these fanatics in Indian politics, it makes me pessimistic and concerned for the future of India.
Though India is not a weak nation that would shatter and convert her vast and inclusive, principles which she has nurtured since the beginning of this civilisation, what made me more concerned is the fanatic sadomasochistic intention and their blood lust.
Today, we might not have the answers to how we can uproot the bigotry from the people’s heart and the mind; how we can fetch people towards what our ancestors dreamed for our country. But, I believe that together, we can find the answers. Let’s begin our journey towards the liberation of our heart and soul, let the antediluvian shackles of bigotry rot.