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Time to remember sacrifices of freedom fighters

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All over India people will celebrate the Independence Day of India on 15th of August 2016. This year in 2016, India will celebrate its 70th Independence Day to pay tribute and remember all the freedom fighters who had contributed a lot and fought for the nation’s freedom. Everyone knows that our country got freedom from the 300 years of British rule at the stroke of midnight as India moved towards August 15, 1947.

The midnight of August 15, 1947 is one of the most memorable for every Indian on earth, as it is the time, when India gained independence from the stranglehold of the mighty British. The day is a celebration and to realize our freedom. Thousands of our freedom fighters sacrificed their lives and millions of them struggled in order to drive away British rulers and constituted a system of democracy centered around us. How our nation has fared over the last 69 years is something we cannot change but the future is in our hands. India’s Independence Day is a day of great significance for its citizens. This is a special day when we remember the great sacrifices of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Raj Guru, Mahatma Gandhi and other brave freedom fighters for their unforgettable contribution in securing freedom for the nation.

Don’t we forget the importance of this day soon after the evening? Aren’t we attaching too much importance to our individual freedom rather than to the national independence?  Why is there little sense of pride in the country about what our parents and grandparents managed to achieve against all odds? The awakening of masses by Gandhi and the activities of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose behind the scenes (of strengthening Indian National Army) which had intensified during 1940s were already a cause of concern for the British.

It was Lord Mountbatten who had personally decided the date of Aug 15 because he had considered that date to be “very lucky” for his career. During the World War II, it was on Aug 15, 1945 (Japan time zone) that the Japanese Army had surrendered before him (Lord Mountbatten was the commander of the allied forces).

In the midnight of 15 August 1947, India was proclaimed as independent country by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru where he delivered his speech over “Tryst with destiny”. He said during his speech, “Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we will redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes, but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.”  Today our country is a well established democratic country all over the world. Gandhiji was great leader who taught us about effective way of freedom like ahimsa and sathyagraha methods. He dreamed of an independent India with the non-violence and peace.

It was not so easy for the India to get freedom from the Britishers however; various great people and freedom fighters of the nation accomplished this dream. Let us be grateful to those events responsible for the freedom in India. Indians were treated more badly than slaves by the Britishers just to fulfill their meaningless orders. Let us ensure that we exercise our rights and proudly participate in our democracy so that India heads in the right direction. The celebration of Independence Day is the same throughout the country and this is the occasion when we find whole country celebrating and rejoicing. However, the real celebration is to pay tributes to those patriots who shed their blood for achieving freedom.

Vinod Chandrashekhar Dixit

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

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