Happy or Unhappy Independence Day?

It's 64 long years since we got ourselves freed from the British raj. This long journey is laden with ups and downs. We can certainly feel happy and be proud of our great achievements- increase in life-expectancy, literacy rate and Gross Domestic Product. We are now among the elite trillion dollar economies. India has produced world class scientists, engineers, journalists, doctors, sportspersons, artists, industrialists, actors and politicians who have left an indelible mark on the world stage. We have a lot of billionaires and there are at least 56 Indian firms which are among the world's 2,000 most powerful listed companies. Lately, with a new rupee symbol India has joined the club of few elite nations to have a unique identity for their currency. But this progress has been asymmetrical. The country is still plagued by corruption, poverty, communalism and other human rights abuses. Haven’t many of our billionaires made money by their proximity to government?

If the British looted this country prior to the Independence, today our own politicians, bureaucrats and corporates are looting this country through their unholy nexus. The situation of farmers, Dalits, minorities and the poor is indeed deplorable. All over the country many farmers are rendered homeless and their fertile agricultural land is acquired for industrial expansion. There are growing cases of atrocities against the Dalits and Minorities in different parts of the country. According to the Multi dimensional Poverty Index there are more poor people (421 million) in eight Indian states- Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal- than in the 26 poorest African countries combined (410 million). 

In this context, can we really wish these homeless farmers, Dalits, minorities and poor of this country ‘Happy Independence Day?’

Only with a stronger political will and a resolute commitment to the values enshrined in the Constitution the entire nation can think of celebrating ‘Happy Independence Day’ on the 15th of August, every year. Or else it would continue to be a ‘Happy Independence Day’ for the few billionaires of this country and an ‘Unhappy Independence Day’ for the rest of the Indians.