Are we truly free after Independence?

I often used to have a thought to this question whenever I’ll read about corruption indulged in roots of Indian Politics. We belong to republic India but our country’s government is encroached on political parties thus allowing leaders to rule over us with their own democratic tantrums. “Corruption free India” is one of the boosters that fascinated every Indian whenever folks like Anna Hazare or Arvind Kejriwal came forward for selfless social service.

Luckily, I came across a different approach to analyze this question when I read Khalid Hossaini. His fiction works on ‘The Kite Runner’ and ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ are remarkable in terms of illustrating Afghanistan’s slavery under Sovereigns, Russians and most devastating Taliban’s.

When Taliban overpowered Afghanistan, they set their own rules & regulations for the sake of conserving fake religion. Women weren't allowed to go out of their homes without their husbands and if they did, they were beaten, abused or even perished. The art monasteries, public places, western outlets were demolished. They used to have regular practice to sentence people to death for unjustifiable offences. There was neither women empowerment nor enough employment for men. It was 09/11 in America which brought U.S. to come into action and wipe off Taliban from Afghanistan and let the country sigh after years of misery and refugee-ism.

After reading these novels, I had a gratitude for being a part of India. Indeed India has also experienced deterioration pre-independence and our ancestors/martyrs have also struggled through hard times but it was 68 years back. The Indian young generation has only read or heard of pre-independence fights. We should rather feel privileged of being an Indian than creeping over corruption or orthodox traditional values comparing our level of materialistic growth w.r.t developed countries.

We aren't flawless but neither inconsiderable for our existence.

India has poverty, malnourishment, corruption, women assailment and what not BUT which country doesn't have it? It’s just the matter of extent of influence.

The way India is emerging out of modernization, let’s hope edification keeps spreading awareness so when we look back from 1940’s to 2050’s, we realize the difference :-)