Nation got its freedom after toiling against an almost 200-year British rule in India. On this day we commemorate the sacrifices made by millions of our freedom fighters, who had sacrificed their lives in the freedom struggle and with their unfaltering grit and patriotism, forced the British rule to finally end. It is a day of immense pride for all Indians. This day also has deeply etched in our mind the tragic holocaust and bloodshed perpetrated upon the innocent citizens by the fanatics. Lacs butchered and women folk dishonoured and abducted in the frenzy. The pains and agonies of this day, for which the politicians of the day were wholly responsible marks the anniversary of undivided India’s partition into India and Pakistan, which took place on August 14-15 in 1947. Let’s not forget our roots and our history which led to this significant day.
The long battle that our forefathers fought and its fruits being celebrated on the day of independence should only have possible due to the selfless sacrifices and headstrong commitment to free India. It all began with the Battle of Plassey in 1757 when the British got control over India and the East India Company began ruling in our country – often referred to as the British Raj. The rule and slavery persisted for about a century. Our first attempt to get freedom in 1957 yielded no result and yet, Indians did not lose their heart and continued to strive and fight for the country’s independence.
The struggle, the hardship and the non-violence campaigns during the freedom struggle are remembered to date across the globe. People across the world were inspired by India’s unfaltering march to independence. Some of the great freedom fighters of India, whose courage and patriotism continue to inspire us to work for a prosperous and even stronger India, include legends like Mahatma Gandhi, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Bhagat Singh, Mangal Pandey, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Subhas Chandra Bose and hundreds and thousands more.
We have also had iconic leaders who strongly believed that “a pen is mightier than a sword” and wrote to freedom like Sarojini Naidu, Gokhale, LokManya Tilak, B.R. Ambedkar, Rabindranath Tagore, Jyotibai Phule and many more.
It was an equal contribution of everyone – people who participated in wars, people who wrote about the discrimination and the injustice, people who participated in all manner – no matter how huge or small their contribution was. It was the collective effort of millions of people that led us to the path of independence! Let us pledge our resolve to keep India’s freedom intact at all costs and shun our differences in the best interest of peace, progress and national harmony.
