Say Yes to Freedom – The Need for the Second Independence Struggle

My fellow citizens, greetings as we celebrate the 69th independence day of our country. We must be thankful at this moment for the countless sacrifices made by our forefathers. We are proud that our motherland is the second largest democracy in the world with the demographic dividend of the most number young people residing in. Clearly, we stand to gain and contribute to the rest of the world.
Dear friends, while all these make us proud, I wish to reflect with you the need to say ‘yes to freedom.’ Even after 68 years, there are enslaving situations for us to see. It was rather easy for Gandhi and others to fight against the colonisers but it is relatively difficult to do so against those who have replaced them. What has happened all these years is swelling, a few people getting rich and influential. Of course, we all know that swelling is not growth but a sign of decay. Corruption, injustice, gender violence, untouchability and fundamentalism put us to shame day in day out.
The need of the hour, therefore, is the second freedom struggle, to say ‘yes to freedom.’ To do this three things are essential in my opinion. 1. Anger 2. Idea 3. Action
1. Anger
We’ve been told not to get angry. It is socially unacceptable for us to be angry. In a way we have been programmed to be silent spectators of the society. But I urge you today to get angry when looking at the society. Dear friends, apathy is neither a virtue nor energy but a just anger is. Get angry when justice is denied and injustice thrives; get angry when looking at the plight of the needy. Only when you are troubled within, angry for the enslaving situations, you will begin to think.
2. Idea
When you are angry for a cause the brightest of ideas emerge. This is the beginning of any freedom struggle. It was when thrown out of the train, the angry Gandhi got the brightest of ideas. So anger leads to an idea.
3. Action
Idea is not to give talks alone but to show it in action. We need to work, act on the idea. The world will remember us not for the beautiful sermons we preach, for the awesome literary accomplishments but definitely for standing up for freedom, freeing ourselves and freeing our fellowmen.
Tagore wonderfully said God is found in the sweat of the suffering masses. Let us join hands with the thousands of our underprivileged and oppressed brothers and sisters in our land. Get angry, you will get an idea as to what to do and act on it. Say Yes to Freedom. Anger, Idea, Action. Jai Hind!

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