Celebs Speak: Are we living in a ‘unified and independent’ India?

Today i.e. 15 August 2013, is the proud moment wherein India celebrates its 67 years of Independence. We do talk of ‘Freedom of Speech’, ‘Freedom of Expression’, but the sorry state of affairs puts a big question mark over the safe future of every Indian. Are we really independent in the true sense of the word? Is celebrating Independence Day even significant to us? Aah, we are sure these thoughts run into the minds of Indian citizens now and then. So why not ask people from the television industry about their thoughts. Optimists would say that every country has drawbacks. Everybody cannot be the same and be good. There are dreadful people everywhere and every country has at least 1 percent of the population doing something bad and you cannot keep pin pointing at everybody for their deeds. But was this the India our founding fathers dreamt of? We spoke to actor Chetan Hansraj who said, “I think the situation in India has changed dramatically. There is so much nonsense happening all around. You open the newspaper and you feel you are reading an obituary of bad news. The feeling of being proud to be independent doesn’t apply as we are letting our political disrupt system rule us and they are not doing anything to the benefit of people. In Thane, there are people dying because of lack of food. No one is doing anything. I do not feel we are independent.” Aamir Ali is one actor who believes that it is upon us to bring goodness for our nation by our deeds. He stated, “Every country has its own shortcomings and weaknesses. You cannot blame everybody. It is for us to think and behave positively. I am glad to be in an industry which does not differentiate based on caste, creed or religion and I tell everybody how blessed I am.” Back in school, during our civics class we were taught that India is a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. The Preamble also goes to bestow on all Indians justice, social, economic and political liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship, equality of status and opportunity. So are ‘we-the people’ enjoying all these rights? Do we find relevance to the feeling of being a proud patriot,” Aamir added. Supriya Pathak put some light and said, “Independence Day matters a lot to me as I like to be reminded of the old times of how we fought, the way we stood strong and the great work we did to achieve Independence. I think we all should remind ourselves of these things. We have a beautiful country and we should make it more beautiful by working together towards it. I do feel we are Independent, but we are ‘selfishly independent’ and not in a communicative way.” “These situations are prevailing practically in every country in the world. And no amount of candle marches, fasts and anulom-viloms can change this perverse scenario. Only independent thoughts and unified action can bring about a change. The youth must become active participants in the system to change that. In my view, we are not independent yet,” added Ashiesh Roy. Dolly Bindra is of the opinion that it is not the people, politics or the corruption to be blamed. It is the situations created in our lives which make us do the things which are not moral. She explained her thought process saying, “I feel our country is a completely independent and democratic country and it will always be. Today, we blame people and politics, but politics can happen between you and me too. No one wishes bad for the country. It is the time and situation due to which a person is thinking about him first. Sab ko apni dukan chalani hai. Today the Supreme Court lays a law, you criticize it. It doesn’t, yet you criticize. I say, let them lay the laws. They are doing it for us and the country. So, I feel it is the time which has forced people to do the things which they are doing.” Talking about independence, Roop Durgapal highlighted how she doesn’t feel safe, forget being independent and free. “I do not think we are independent at all. Just by saying that we are a free country doesn’t make a free country. There is so much of crime happening around. At least me, being a girl, I cannot say girls are independent. We need to think twice before talking anything or going out because we fear of being victimized.” Guess the country needs new avatars of some of the great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Swami Vivekanand, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Bhagat Singh and many others to wage a war against corruption and make this country ‘beautiful yet again’… Here’s hoping that we do get an Independent India in the near future…