It’s been 66 years, we have journeyed far.
Map of the British Indian Empire from Imperial Gazetteer of India
The world had watched once as at the stroke of midnight our nation was born. At the stroke of midnight history was made. A country, democratic, free and united after over 400 years of autocracy. Countless human beings had suffered and many had not survived to witness this birth.
Diverse religions, beliefs, languages and a countless gods in the helm, pleasing everybody was out of question. There was criticism from all directions the north, north-east, south and the west, all had their own say. The streak of socialism in the leaders of those times ironed out some differences. Most of these still pose a threat to this democracy. They are the necessary evil that a democracy needs to strengthen. Perhaps India was the toughest test for democracy!
A map of the world, highlighted on a scale from light blue to black, based on the score each country received according to The Economist’s Democracy Index survey for 2010, from a scale of 10 to 0, with 10 being the most democratic, and 0 being the least democratic.
Whatever be the case, democracy may have had its victims but it has still given a voice to them and the freedom to represent. Rather our freedom of thought speech and action has had sheltered another often tyrannous ally – the freedom to influence and be influenced. Power concentrated in few places have done what the British Raj had done then. Converting the rest of places into a market. Luxury has become necessity. Detachment from this has been virtually rendered impossible. Languages are being lost. Religions and cultures forgotten. Survival of the fittest is the rule of the world. Burning the land to build our empires of wood stone and concrete, oblivious to the cascading effects.
And yet we celebrate the 66th Independence day.
there’s no harmony in democracy’s chorus unless we all sing…