Another Independence Day has arrived and chronologically it will be the 73^rd one. Besides being the sacred occasion of paying glowing tributes to the valiant freedom fighters who steered the country in reaching this free state of existence, it is also a day to introspect, urge of which almost instantaneously grips the mind of any citizen of the world’s largest democracy.

72 years is not a small time and many milestones have been reached with failures too which will be too difficult to conceal even in this festive aura which has enveloped the length and breadth of the nation. After 200 years of remaining a British colony, full political freedom has been achieved which has bestowed power to decide own courses of action. A multi-party system in a vibrant democracy with people enjoying unbridled power to decide as to who’s going to be their ruler(s) - it’s no doubt the ideal system thankfully continuing unhindered. But as the nation gets more matured in terms of its years of independent existence, the negativities which still blossom in scores continue to give us pain compelling to think as to when will they flee from this land, if at all ever. Poverty is the ‘harbinger’ of all sorts of inequalities and a huge part of population is still reeling under it. If the British social way of terming the Indians ‘niggers’ with imposition of ban on access to entries in public places can be called manifestations of extreme feudalism, can it be denied that it hasn’t bade goodbye from this land yet? Casteism is also a form of feudalism and is an undeniable factor in many parts of the land and there are many instances of unimaginable oppressions that are meted out under various pretexts which have now become too difficult to deny as they are being captured in alarming regularity in cameras followed by free flow across social media. A country that is being hailed as ‘Bharat Mata’ is still unsure and wary to deliver the long awaited need of giving 33% reservation in Parliament. Northeast will invariably form a part of the discussion and there will always be oozing laments. This very rich part of the country in terms of natural resources as well as ethnicity, culture and human resources hasn’t been properly integrated with the mainland in the way it should even after moving through the septuagenarian decade of Independence.

Prolixity it may appear, but these are undeniable facts and it will still be a long journey ahead to overcome them. But since it’s a day which encourages all Indians to be optimistic, it’s time to look forward to move ahead with the hope that maximum of these negativities will be effaced within reasonable time.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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