Independence Day: an overview from a different stand

After 62 years of Independence 214 million people in India doesn't have any food everyday. Debraj Deb speaks on the plight of the edged ones.

‘Will independence help India?’-such was the question among the colonial servants of Great Britain here before 1947 and truly saying the question is more or less the same till today; its potential outlook might have changed a bit. Why the British troops stay in India, why the Indians live undermined in their own country and lot many more questions have simply been replaced by newer and perhaps more grotesque ones such as why ultimate hunger rules 214 million Indians in average till today despite the ‘fact’ that Indians are declared ‘one of the richest among….so on and so forth’ the more with every passing day. Questions ask why economic balance could not be established in the country even after 62 years of its independence. As a matter of fact, its time to reconsider the term “independence” itself; not just like the ones shouting “Ye azadi jhoota hain” or the ones shouting for separate dominion. The realization has to be in an entirely different perspective.

A report of the socialist activists during the pre-independence period says, “Fundamentally, the Indian Nationalist movement represents the interests of Indian capitalists. It is naturally supported by the Indian educated castes, who see the promise of fat jobs in the Indian army or civil service, and in the legal profession”. Though not entirely true, the report has got something in common with the modern-day thinkers who say that the Indian independence has done nothing but replaced the white rulers with the black ones. The report is of July, 1930.

Ranging from 1930 till today, the country still remains the same; desolate and distressed. Our leaders and lawmakers do mistakes involve in corruption and still shout out solemn promises in public, promising to give up their lives for the wellbeing for the citizens of India.

India has emerged as the world capital of hunger with 214 million hungry people, Vandana Shiva of an NGO called Navdanya quoted a report as saying. 'India has emerged as the capital of hunger with 214 million people being denied the right to food,' Shiva said, adding that this was more than the total number of hungry people in sub-Saharan Africa. India also fairs poorly on the Global Hunger Index where it ranks 94 among 118 countries. 'Fifty-seven million children in India are underweight because of lack of adequate nutrition. This is one third of all underweight children in the world,' Shiva added, quoting the report 'Why is Every 4th Indian Hungry?' This scenario remains thousand of miles away from our daily life and so, we don’t see their plight, and we don’t see people living by eating tadpoles, snails in the majority of the rural parts of the country. I, personally, being a journalist have moved across several parts of my state, Tripura and several other states of the NE. People live here in the utmost distressed condition, without the minimum living conditions. These are the people who exercised their franchise and cast their votes to make some petty party leaders win in the funny elections for the earnest dream of having a better sustainability for their lives, a much better guarantee fort their existence and nothing more. But our country has failed to meet this very humble demand of its citizens; it really is very shameful to say. And here we stand, observing our 63rd Independence Day with such pomp and grandeur of which even 1% is not shown in launching a project for saving the people in the villages, the jungles and the poors in the plain lands alike. People die (they do die) and the administration feel nothing. Time goes on and we, people with frickle memories forget all those columns which might have come out once in some newspapers or some TV shows.

India acquired its long cherished independence on 15th August, 1947 but the independence came with such an uncertain economic distribution policy till today. People still die from hunger in several states, some live by eating snails. The question is what will be the next generation of our independence; a petty bourgeoist democratic setup as it is or a so-called socialist pattern or some all new anarchiest social setup without any borders? However, whatever the pattern might be, all we can hope is the next Independence Day comes up with a newer light where all and one will be happy and “Independent”.