When Will Independence Be Recognized?

Consider these recent happenings:

1. A film by a leading actor is called out on social media to be boycotted, because of what he said years back. And also because of his role in a previous film.

2. An impoverished individual seeking his ration of food grains is asked to first buy the a tricolour for adorning his home as per independence day celebration drive. He has to fork out Rs.20 from his meagre earnings for buying a replica of the flag to show his patriotism.

3. A qualified, experienced, competent professor of an university loses her job for her private Instagram picture that showed her posing in swimwear. A student was caught ogling at it by his father who was apparently "outraged by the immodesty" of a respected academic. The university immediately dismissed her from service, and demands an obscene fine for "damage to its reputation".

What do these incidents have in common? Are these happening in a dictatorial state? Or in a backward, fundamentalist country? In a Taliban led regime or a Chinese/Russian dictatorship?

No. These are happening in our great country, that boasts of 5G networks, space missions to Mars and the Moon. advanced, state-of-the-art technology. several world-class institutes, and a democratic, multi-cultural, tolerant tradition of several centuries. 

There used to be something called individual freedom that is held up by our Constitution. Where is that now?

I hope we get it back in the 75th year of Independence.

#Independence #IndividualLiberty #IndiaAt75