Independent but not free

All my Indian friends, I wish you all a very Happy Independence Day! Today, 15th August 2008, we are celebrating glorious 61st anniversary of our Independence.

My cellphone and email account were flooded with greetings. I am sure even you all must have experienced the same.

We are on the way to become a major economic and cultural power worldwide. We are proud to be mentioned as a software giant, industrializing and globalizing nation in the World. We have deep traditional and religious societies spread all over the country.

I visited some historical places this morning. Unfortunately only a few were present there to celebrate the Independence Day. These days, either due to some fear or due to sheer indifference, people prefer to stay at home than to visit crowded places on such National events. In the last few years we all are gripped in a state of violent mental agitation, that is basically negative in its orientation. Religious anger, activism and mass mobilization is rallied against some thing rather than standing for something.

60 years of precious independence! A number of honorable martyrs have shed their blood to make our country independent of the foreign rulers. We salute those great martyrs!

With great pride we say that we are an Independent nation, but we are still not FREE! We are still behind the bars of fear and insecurity.

Let us stay united to make our beloved nation truly independent and free.

Jay Hind! Vande Mataram!!