Growing up in the 70s and 80s, Independence Day meant to be a day to remember the contributions of freedom fighters that otherwise remained within the four walls of our history classes, walking the parade in Ashram maidan in the scorching sun (with a feeling of churning of the tummies that precedes spinning of the head) and ultimately a holiday.
Over the years there's lot to cheer and weep for a country that saw the Nehruvian social development marked by the public sector white elephants that still slow down the economy with its unique work culture of apathy, Stoic Indira rule, Age of nepotism under Rajiv that also ushered in the computer-literacy revolution, the liberalisation of the 90s that devalued the rupee over years from Rs3 to a dollar in the 1970s to Rs 40 in the 1990s, but boosted exports; created jobs, millionaires and more poor; and the rise of religious intolerance and moral policing in life and arts (read books and movies) and a tunnel-visioned foreign policy that alienated all of our neighbours.
India leads in space technology, Global exports of goods/services and soft power. But we do also export maids, drivers and labourers (when there is shortage for them domestically) and risking self respect. I am yet to see a Lebanese maid or a Jordanian labourer in the Middle East. Doesn't mean all is well with these countries; yet there is an inherent self respect in the polity.
There is more nationalism visible now. FB/Twitter profile pics are painted in tri-colour, people do actually wish each other on social media and RJs and TV anchors fill up their script for the day. School children are still asked to join rallies and some may still feel dizzy under a monsoon free sun; but the nauseating chillness of the ruling class that is free of accountability and ethics, and immune to the laws of the land celebrates the real independence.
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