FREEDOM AT MIDNIGHT

When the union Jack was brought down and the tricolor flag went up at the stroke of midnight of 14-15^th August 1947, India attained political freedom. When the whole world was sleeping India awoke to life and freedom. A moment that comes rarely in the history, we step from old to new. India, whose voice was suppressed for a long time found its voice. We gave unto ourselves the constitution on 26^th January 1950 and India became republic.

Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru became the first prime minister of free India. Panditji is considered as the architect of modern India. ‘Long years ago we made a tryst with Destiny. Now the time has come to redeem the pledge’. Nehru thus spoke after assuming the power of Prime Minister Ship. Nehru knew that the bedrock of modern India was to be democracy and the culture of India was and is ‘Unity in Diversity’. He knew that India can progress only through pluralism.

Nehru, adopting five year plans laid the foundation for the growth of industries, agriculture, science and technology. India which was importing rice and wheat saw green revolution. The foreign policy was based on ‘Panchsheel’. The dream run of free India into a powerful and democratic India for the last 2-3 decades received a blow. The wicked China attacked India in 1962. India under Nehru thought that since India was a peaceful country run on panchsheel wouldn’t be attacked by any country. Hence the defense preparedness was not given that much of attention. After the blow India prepared well enough to defend itself militarily. India is strong militarily and with nuclear forces to defend the motherland.

After the Gandhi-Nehru dream and 70 years later India saw many ideological somersaults. Today it is shouting patriotism (television channels). The mood of the people that prevailed at the time of independence has gone. The thoughts that the wounds of partition would heal has gone wrong.

Idealism of the Gandhi-Nehru era has gone and the politics of opportunism prevails now. Democracy has become an instrument of power. Votes can be got by inciting communal hatred among people. India’s culture ’Unity in Diversity’ is put in the back burner. In such a situation what a thinking person can do?

‘Light a new candle’.