|
Come August and its raining functions
in the country on Freedom Struggle. And why not, the
struggle had embedded the Hindus & Muslims, Privileged & Poor, Badshahs
& Beggars and Dignitaries & Commoners alike, so beautifully that the
world is still wondering how these Indians belonging to various
religions, castes, societies and regions sacrificed almost
everything they had, fought for the freedom of their country and won
over the “The Great Britain”.
Clearly, one can just imagine the
harmony and accord with which people were living during those days.
However, unfortunately for us, “The Independent India” is not the
same again.
True, it was the British, who had sown
the seeds of the hatred among different communities in India, which
was never part of the Indian culture before the British Rule.
True, it was the British who in the
form of Partition inflicted on us a wound that bleeds even after
sixty two years.
However, how can we forgive ourselves
for not only persisting with the same hate-game but deepening the
communal divide even further. And as if this is not enough, we are
now up for dividing the freedom fighters as well on the same line.
Tragically, in most of the functions
that are held in August today, a tug of war is observed, many a
time, to press for who’s contributions were more during the freedom
struggle. Earlier the war was between Hindus and Muslims, but now it
has been exceeded to the Gujaratis, Maharashtrians and other
regional levels. It seems that the functions are held not for
acknowledging the efforts and sacrifices of the freedom fighters,
but sadly, are held for one-upmanship.
Moreover, earlier in the text books due respects were given to the
Freedom Fighters irrespective of their castes and religions. And if
they had leaders like Mahatama Gandhi, Pandit Nehru, Sardar Patel
and Subhash Chandra Bose on one side, they also had Abul Kalam Azad,
Dadabhoy Nawroji, Mohd Ali Johar, Tahir Mehmood and Hakeem Ajmal
Khan on the other.
Same was the case with the Government
offices. Previously, these offices used to have portraits of the
freedom fighters belonging to various religions. However, today the
situation ceases to be the same.
Remember? Maulana Azad’s portrait was always there along side
Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru, but alas, even his portraits are
slowly vanishing from the Government offices.
What’s more, we have even alienated
the likes of Chandra Shekhar Azad and Ashfakullah Khan, who were
hand in hand even while on the gallows, in this war for
one-upmanship.
It is still music to our ears when we
listen to
Serhad Per Marne Wala, Har Veer Tha Bharat Wasi…, one from the
popular collection of patriotic songs. We
have already dragged ourselves in a
habit of looking each and everything along the lines of religion.
Can we, at least, forbid dividing our freedom fighters on the same
line?
Can we, at least now realize the
gravity of the issue and take a lead in impeding such emerging trend
once and forever?
|
Bhopal-based Maulana Azad NIT girds up its
loin to bolster sagging image: Bhopal-based Maulana Azad National
Institute of Technology (MANIT)
Anger
against State, ATS refuses to die down
Thousands thronged
Janata Dal (S) rally and dharna, Malegaon Bandh call
received mixed response:
Thousands thronged the rally.
Comment on this article