Every year
when 15th August arrives, our country turns into a beautiful painting of
saffron, white and green. Patriotic songs echo in the streets, children run
with the flags, and our phones are flooded with “Happy Independence Day”
messages. It is a day of immense joy and pride.
But in the
middle of this loud celebration, a quiet and uncomfortable question hides: Have
we forgotten what freedom actually cost, and what we have turned it into
today?
We have
reduced our freedom struggle to a few famous names in school books. But worse
than forgetting our past is how we are misusing our present.
- The Cost We
Forgot : When People Bled for Tomorrow
When we
talk about freedom, we treat it like a gift that was handed down easily. We
forget the oceans of blood, the broken families, and the young lives cut short
so that we can breathe free air.
- A bookbinder
by profession from Patna, Peer Ali Khan played a monumental role in
the 1857 revolt by secretly organizing and leading a network of freedom
fighters. Even when captured and offered his life in exchange for
betraying his comrades, he proudly chose the gallows, declaring that no
threat could shake his loyalty to the motherland.
- Leading a
massive procession of protesters during the Quit India Movement in 1942, Matangini
Hazra (73) refused to back down even when security forces opened fire.
Bleeding from her wounds and holding the tricolor high, she chanted ‘Vande
Mataram’ until her final breath, proving that true courage knows no age.
- During the
1942 Quit India Movement, Kanaklata Barua bravely led a procession
to hoist the national flag at a local police station. She took a bullet
straight to her chest with unwavering courage, making the ultimate
sacrifice at such a tender age to keep our flag flying high.
They did
not suffer, bleed, or walk to the gallows so that we could take our rights for
granted and waste them today. Their sacrifices remind us that the foundation of
our nation was laid with absolute selflessness, resilience, and an unbreakable
love for the motherland that asked for nothing in return.
2. The
Misunderstanding we live In: What Freedom means Today
Think about
those brave heroes who gave their lives for us, and then look at how we treat
our freedom in the present. Today, a dangerous misconception has taken
root where freedom is mistaken for a license to act without any accountability:
- We often think
a free society means we can litter public spaces, ignore our civic duties,
and behave entirely selfishly.
- We believe
freedom of speech gives us the right to spread hatred, abuse others online
behind a screen, and tear down social harmony.
- We treat our
rights purely as an entitlement, completely forgetting that every single
right comes paired with an equal duty to our nation
- The Hypocrisy
of Convenience : True freedom is heavily disrespected when people commit
shameful acts, harass others, or show complete disregard for the law and
safety, only to transform into overnight ‘patriots’ every 15th of August
just to post pictures online with hashtags like #Azaadi.
This is not
true independence. That is pure entitlement, ego, and a complete disrespect for
our history. True freedom means we all share responsibility, when we break
society apart through carelessness, unfair judgment, or division, we destroy
the very freedom we celebrate.
3. Bridging
the Past and the Present
When we
misuse our freedom for petty selfishness, online abuse, or civic
irresponsibility, we dishonor the young heroes who gave up their entire future
for us.
True
freedom is not freedom from rules or responsibilities, it is the freedom to
build a fair, kind, and fearless nation where everyone can live with dignity,
equality, and mutual respect.
How to Honor them this day
- Remember their sacrifice: Look past the holiday celebrations and
remember the unyielding courage of people like Peer Ali Khan, Matangiri
Hazra, and Kanaklata Barua.
- Redefine your Freedom: Whenever you are about to misuse your
rights, whether by wasting resources, ignoring duties, or spreading
negativity, stop and ask yourself: Is this what millions bled for?
- Act with Purpose: Be a responsible citizen and help build the
nation they dreamed of through your character, kindness, and integrity.
Our
ancestors gladly gave away their “Today” so that we could have our “Free Tomorrow”.
Let us stop treating freedom as a free pass, and start treating it as the
sacred duty it truly is.
Jain Hind!
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AUTHOR:
KARISHMA