If they answer not to thy call, walk alone!

Today is Independence day. The day some of us wait so eagerly for! The day, I as a child never missed the flag hoisting ceremony on TV. The day, I hoisted flag in my colony and distributed sweets among my neighbours. The day I never missed the afternoon film on Doordarshan. Thanks to Sankalp, the day has only become more meaningful to me.

I am happy with the fact that we Indians are still living with our heads held high. We have started to question the system. We have started to demand quantifiable transparency, accountability and efficiency in the system, we had only blamed for 6 decades. We have started gaining our long fought dignity. I have always believed that dissent is the highest form of patriotism. I am glad the culture of dissent is slowly coming back amongst us Indians.

But what we have achieved is not enough. We have a long way to go. Only 60 years back, an entire generation died for it. I dream of an India that is prosperous, strong and caring. Not just India, but the entire human race living in freedom and dignity. After political freedom, this is the time to work towards economic and social freedom. Caste based, religion based, gender based hatred still torment us. Even today, the rulers of this country serve the bourgeois, while masses suffer. Prices of basic commodities continue to rise, while governments subsidise huge multi-corporations in a single pen stroke.

I might not be fit to do anything big on this Independence day. I cannot change governments, nor can I uproot corruption from India. But there is one person I have the ultimate control over- myself. On this independence I wish for the strength within, that will make me keep my head up and walk on rough roads even when self applause, corruption and selfishness provoke me. I wish for the strength to be able to stand up and walk on, however alone and dark the path might be. I wish every single citizen of the world, who dreams of a better and brighter world, may have the strength to walk alone.

If they answer not to thy call, walk alone!