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| INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS – A DYING SPIRIT | | | S.S. Rissam (BSL, LLB, LL.M, PGDHRM) | 8/20/2011 11:13:47 PM |
| The August 15, 1947 is a memorable day for every Indian, as it is the time, when India gained independence from the British. The flag of India was given its due respect, when it was hoisted in the midnight on the Independence Day. Since then, this day is celebrated with pomp and gaiety, across India. Cultural programs and flag-hoisting ceremonies are the predominant affair especially in educational & political circles. In all the schools and colleges across India, all the students and staff members would celebrate the day. A sort of social gathering is arranged in the educational institutions and cultural programs are organized and flag hoisting ceremony takes place. As the flag is hoisted by the head of the institution, students sing national anthem and pay respect to their flag and to the country. Students and teachers celebrate the day at their respective educational institutions, while others who are not involved in political or educational circles sit back home and spend the day as a holiday. Earlier people use to watch the live telecast of Prime Minister's speech at the Red Fort in Delhi, as it was the major highlight of the Independence Day of India but now people are not interested as they feel that these khadi - clad politicians show this different face of their only on Independence Day and otherwise they are not concerned in true sense towards their country.
These days the charm of celebrations is dying among the Indians especially youth as ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, the Union home ministry issues a nationwide security alert, especially for Jammu and Kashmir and Assam, where security agencies suspect a series of terror attacks. Among other high-security zones, the national capital see around thousands of police personnel being deployed like in an emergency situation , along with anti-aircraft guns at certain sensitive places. At times we feel, are we getting ready for celebrations of our freedom or again fight for our freedom? Intelligence agencies ask paramilitary forces to be on maximum alert at airports, including Delhi and Mumbai, suspecting it could be targeted by terrorists during celebrations. Does such environment, with so much vigil, strictness, aircraft guns etc give a kind of invitation to people of India to come out of their houses and celebrate this day in their respective towns?
Independence Day is also not celebrated with enthusiasm among the people in J&K as shops carry deserted look with their shutters down on Independence Day, while you can still spot the groceries and small stores opening up late in the evening. Such is the atmosphere in J&K that people are forced to sit back at home as people feel any untoward incident may happen today. Also all roads leading to the venue either in Jammu or Kashmir are sealed for public, making even difficult for those few who wish to go and take part in the celebrations. This prevailing psyche in J&K people is somewhere killing the celebration charm of this day in J&K. It is becoming just like a holiday much awaited by people in J&K every year forgetting the real sense of pride we should have on this day. Tight security arrangements are put in place across the J&K to pre-empt any untoward incident leading to choking of all state and people feeling troubled to go out, resulting they preferring to be at home. Main purpose is to ensure that Independence Day parade celebrations are held peacefully at all districts of the J&K. Is Independence Day just a day to do parades? Even curfew has to be imposed in various towns in Srinagar while restrictions on movement of people are also put in force in the rest of the Valley. The day is to celebrate INDEPENDENCE but sadly the day causes restrictions on a person to move freely and independently. Police and paramilitary forces are seen patrolling the deserted streets. Separatists ask people to observe 'black' day in the Valley to protest what they call as the "illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir and denial of independence to its people by India" forgetting that their calls cause denial of independence to people in Srinagar by implementation of curfews because of their calls. As the separatists threaten social boycott of those who venture out on the roads in violation of their black day call, people prefer to remain indoors in the Valley leading to closure of shops and business markets causing people losses of their daily earning. And in order to give positive shape to their calls they blame govt. by saying that it is ironic when India is celebrating its Independence Day, the entire population of Kashmir is being held hostage by the security apparatus forgetting what role they are playing leading to implementation of this security apparatus.
At times authorities close the Jammu-Srinagar and the Jammu-Pathankot highways besides the strategic Jawahar Tunnel and clamp prohibitory orders. When ever people talk about such things with surprise, what they get to know about it is that, these are routine matters at this time of the year and it is nothing new. What does this ‘time of the year’ signify? Does it signify people are regulated that day? Does it signify people cannot celebrate? Does it signify people loose our freedom for a day? Does it signify people are still not independent? Or does it signify that people have surrendered their mental state to such anti- national forces which have started exploiting their nerves? What ever the answer is, it is becoming just like any other day with ever-growing troubles and sorrows. The lack of interest in the Independence Day celebrations among the common citizens is a reflection that the citizens of India are completely fed up of this patriotism which has been continuously shown in celebrations just at official levels for last six decades in this country. A famous Independence Day Quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower that “Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men... is somewhere losing its sense as far as celebrations of the Indian Independence is concerned.
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