Are We Free?
I am the first generation in my family to be born in free India. My
parents were very young then and are a product of partition. I have heard a lot
of anecdotes from my grandparents about life before 1947.Indeed I am so very
proud to be an Indian and today I am a well educated professional and
entrepreneur because my country made it possible for me. I got every
opportunity I needed to fulfil my potential. In fact on my various travels I have
met women from various countries and realised how lucky I am when I hear their
struggle to even basics like education.
Sneha
Bhandare, Entrepreneur
As an Indian I don’t feel free in India even after so many years of
celebrating the Independence Day. In an independent country, it's not the
freedom one achieves to do anything and everything, but freedom to live and let
live in peace, which in the recent few years have not happened and it's very
fresh into all our minds. Violence against women, the abuse of young children
happens too often, how can we say we are independent?
Jill
Rodrigues, Homemaker
Yes, I feel free in India compared to the other nations of the east who
are undergoing lot of problems and insecurities. We in India practice free
and fair democracy and most importantly we have the freedom of press. Press
constitutes the fourth estate and acts as a watchdog over the politicians in
the country. The very right of casting my vote to choose the leader of my
choice gives me the sense of freedom.
Disha
Mashelkar, Media Professor
There has been progress in Goa as well as India. But, if we look at the
term independence in the truest sense, I still feel we have a long way to go,
especially individual freedoms. There has to be strict laws in place, and if
they already are, they have to be even more strictly implemented to penalise
the perpetrators. Women safety, discrimination on the basis of cast and
creed, true independence for the elderly and disabled, we have a lot ground to
cover up. Also, a lot needs to be done for The Swachh Bharat Mission by
providing better infrastructure for garbage disposal systems including safe
disposal of biomedical waste. Until all this is done we can only wait in hope
for truly feeling free.
Akshada
Bandekar, Singer
Yes.... Our constitution gives so many updated laws which provide a
protecting shield for every citizen of India. It allows learning, working and
staying in any part of our country. For me that is FREEDOM.
Being free and liberated is an amazing feeling which helps individual to
live with self-respect and pride, economical prosperity and societal growth.
Archana
Sudesh Shetye, Teacher
India is no doubt a free country where every individual has rights to
practise their own beliefs and government needs to protect it. However, the
recent incidents of mob lynching, add to the fear, we are
right now free in Goa, but whether we will live freely at the end of five years
only time will tell.
Ahraz
Mullah, NSUI Goa President