Independence or Liberation

Story of a common man in India. I am sure everyone must have noticed this or similar.

Rahul spent whole day waiting in a serpentine queue outside the college for his admission. His hard work to score over 98% in twelfth standard was evident from his frail figure. Right from ninth standard his growing years were confined to the four wall of his small house studying hard to score well in twelfth standard. He was shaken when he found his name in the waiting list for admission in the college. By end of the day all that he saw was admission to a mediocre student under some quota and rejection of his application. Clutching the crumpled mark list in his hand he headed towards his home, uncertain of the future in independent India. The system had rejected the talent.

Ramu walked eight kilometres to the nearest police station with his application. He had a small piece of land that he cultivated diligently. The approach to his farm was through a narrow strip of land in between the farms of two landlords. A local goon had encroached on this passage blocking way to his own farm. Ramu had no access to his farm as the neighbouring landlords did not allow him passage through their farms and the goon had blocked his path. The goon had started an illicit liquor distillery that was blooming with the blessings of local politicians. Ramu waited whole day holding the papers in his hand to meet the police sub inspector. By end of the day all that Ramu saw was the goon speeding away in his SUV along with the sub inspector. Clutching the crumpled paper soaked with his sweat Ramu headed home, uncertain of the future in independent India. The corruption had vetoed an honest worker.

Naresh joined civil services nearly thirty five years back. He was on verge of retirement. After faithfully serving the government he was falsely implicated in a scandal as he did not oblige the kin of a minister. Naresh was restlessly moving up and down the corridor in minister’s office for an audience. He wanted to be heard and his suspension order to be revoked. Whole day he has been pleading less than half of his age twelfth standard pass personal secretary of the minister for few a minutes’ audience. By end of the day all that Naresh saw was the minister leaving his chamber with his kin who was responsible for the problems that he had. Clutching his suspension order in one hand and wiping his tears with another, Naresh headed home, uncertain of his future in independent India. The nepotism had anguished a loyal worker.

Sita suffered from tuberculosis. She got the medication from government dispensary. For some strange reasons the medication did not work. The organism had become resistant to the drugs. It was feared that substandard medicines were supplied to the dispensary. The medical social worker helped her to reach government hospital. Sita was lying in one corner of the female ward in the government hospital on a small piece of gunny bag. There was no bed available for her. No one attended her for whole day. Late evening Sita saw a bed being prepared, she had a ray of hope. All that Sita saw by end of the day was the bed being allotted to a patient with mild fever, who was the housemaid of the doctor. She gathered strength to be on her feet, clutching her prescription in one hand, she picked up the gunny bag with another and headed for home, uncertain of her future in independent India. The favour had overruled the need.

Rita, right from midnight was standing in queue for darshan of her favourite deity. On an auspicious day the temple attracts large number of devotees, that includes a common man on the street to the powerful politicians and Bollywood actors. Holding the puja thali (पूजा थाली) in her hand she was praying and patiently waiting for her turn to get the glimpse of the deity. Sun was rising over the head and she was sweating. The queue was moving at snail’s speed. Just after the dusk her turn came. She was dictated by the priest to offer the payers as fast as she could. See looked at the deity, stood still, and closed her eyes for a moment, to pray for a better future, when someone pushed her out. All that she saw be end of the day was a Bollywood star being escorted to the temple to have close darshan  (दर्शन) of the deity. On her way out she was clutching the puja thali ( पूजा थाली) in her hand and was uncertain of the future in independent India. The devotion was crumpled by position.

Sixty four years after the independence, we are still uncertain of the future. We got the independence but not liberation. The independence has resulted in dependence on power centres. We were slaves of foreign rulers and now again we are slave of unscrupulous politicians, corruption, nepotism, systems, bureaucracy, redtapism, politics etc. Independence is a thing of the past, what we need is liberation.

Jai Hind




Disclaimer: Resemblance with situation or any person living or dead is purely coincidental.