Republic Day Blog

Today is our 72nd Republic Day, and on behalf of our Jagaran Natya Dal, I would present my Views on my Nation for this special Patriotic Day of our Country.

We have seen that despite some positive effects, our Nation at present is going through a very struggling time, from various social and political conflicts, rapes, harassment of women, animals, to caste, color, race and facial discrimination, border, and sports conflicts.

We have seen that India is basically and can be seen from 2 views, one of troubles and conflicts and the other of positive and optimistic hopes. So, here I will try to discuss some of them: ---

India, whom we often refer to as our Motherland, got freedom at The Stroke of Midnight Hour, when the entire world was sleeping. Bharat Mata won its Battle against the 180–200-year-old oppressive British Raj, although soon after her historical win, it was landed upon emotions and horrors of the horrible partition that followed: India’s partition into Pakistan (West Pakistan Then), and Bangladesh (East Pakistan Then). The horrible bloodshed went on for nearly 2 years. Anyway, leaving those negativities away, on 26 January 1950, our country’s Constitution came into effect while paying a tribute to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, and the Constitution’s Amendment was enacted on 26 November 1949.

So, The Country got its democratic Constitution on this very special day, where we say that the law is equal for everyone, and we term our Nation as Bharat Mata. Yet there is some discrimination in terms of gender and class.

Women are Worshiped as GODDESSES In India But Still Crime rates against Women are at peak in India.

It is still referred to as a patriarchal society (Except the North-East, where there is a Matriarchal Society), although we have seen women’s success in various fields- from sports, education, media, science, doctors, to fashion, household, and a lot more. In village areas, these conditions are even worse.

We have also seen that Women are worshipped as GODDESSES, but still, crimes against women like molestation, female infanticides, child marriages, slut slamming, domestic violence, deviating them from education, and a lot more are still at great peaks. Women are still afraid to step out and come back home late at night, be it for their life’s sake or shameful judgments by society.

But there are some personnels like Roshni Misbah &Priyanka Kochaar (Female Bikers), Gunjan Saxena & Ruksana (Indian Armywomen Pilots) who are challenging the Indian gender-biased society. Then I can say Proudly that great Personnel whom we worship like Swami Vivekananda, Sri Sri Maa Sarada, Sister Nivedita, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, stood up against such grave discriminations bravely. The 3rd Gendered Person or“Hizra’s” have controlled a part of our society, and have advanced our Nation into success. Some of them are Gauri Sawant-an an NGO runner, who is the mother of a girl whose mother passed away, Uber drivers like Rani, who has given us a lot. We have witnessed that they still face lots of discrimination. There are many other special persons like Gawri Sawant, Roshni Misbah, Priyanka Kochhaar, Gunjan Saxena, and Rukshana.

Proud Indian Armywomen Gunjan Saxena, Biker Girls Roshni Misbah and Priyanka Kocchar, Transgender Gauri Sawant, and Indian Shuttler and World Champion PV Sindhu are challenging and changing the Indian Society.

We hope that our Constitution provides equal laws for women and men, as well as politicians and society change to revolt like these great Personalities. If we can worship them and follow their principles too, soon we will stop judging people based upon their caste, dress, body, working style, skin color, and others.

We have also seen that in India, where the tallest statue of the world stands- of Sir Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, his great ideas of unity and fraternity are nearly or never followed.

But there are some villages and urban megacities like Mumbai, Delhi, Guwahati, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, etc where people don't have a proper house to live in, no proper food and money. Even in the world’s wettest place Cherrapunji, which once had a beautiful record of the most rainfall in the world, has a huge scarcity of groundwater, due to excessive mining and grazing land for construction works. Poverty-stranded people, especially ladies who must bear the tough burdens of carrying water by walking miles and climbing hills and rocks. But again, the Constitution of India has made equal laws for both poor and the elite class peoples. This Republic Day, I hope the big Leaders and local people of India will understand their pain and support these poor people in their needs first, provide them with proper food and shelter first and then build tall statues and skyscrapers. This will make Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and even Bharat Mata Fell very happy. However, there are some NGOs like Langarkhana’s, Madrasa, Ramakrishna Mission Moth, and some Churches that serve the people in need.

Many of India’s Places Have lost groundwater levels and most people in India Lack Proper Food and Shelter, while tall towers like World One(above) are standing amid such a poverty crisis.

But amidst the Poverty Crisis, Some NGOs And Religious Centers are putting their efforts in Feeding the people in need.

We live in a country that accepts the North-East as one of our 7 Big Sisters. In Imphal, the capital of Manipur, our great Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose planted our Indian Tricolor, along with his great Indian National Army, in 1943, winning the war against the British army.

The North-East Indian Celebrates Netaji Subhas Ji’s Brave Efforts for Freeing India…

However, the people of the North-East are still treated and discriminated against with shallow words like ‘Chinese’, ‘Momo’, and ‘corona-viruses. This is really a matter of shame for India as most of our proud athletes and sports stars like Chanu Saikom Mirabai, (Silver in Olympics 2021) Mary Kom (7 Time world boxing champion and 2012 Olympic Bronze Medalists), and great Baichung Bhutia have made our country proud. Their immense support to the Indian Army in our victorious battle against China in 1962 and 1965 was immense as well and can never be forgotten.

We Have seen massive atrocities, and protest against the shameful racism of India’s Own northeast.

But, still, Indian Stars like Mary Kom and Mirabai Chanu, are busy making our India proud.

So, the next time you try discriminating them with slang and stingy words, remember the massive mistake you are doing to your Motherland.

We also live in a country, where sweet birds and animals are worshiped as GODDESSES like Rudra, Nirrti and ViraBhadra (For Dogs, ), Murga Mata ( for hens and chickens), Monkey GOD Hanuman,

GODDESSES Lakshmi for Owl, Saraswati for Swans and Ducks, and Ganesha for Rats. Yes, rats and mice are also worshiped here. Finally, Durga or Parvati Mata sits on a lion, and Jagathdhyattri or Sherawali Mata Di sits on a huge Tiger.

Sadly, we see that we have only 1400 Tigers left in India. Here, Elephant GOD- Ganesha Puja is celebrated every year, but elephants get killed for their tusks. Violence against dogs and birds is also rampant in India. If a tiger or lion hunts down a person, then news headlines and police protection turn up, but when animals get hunted down, nothing happens.

Hanuman The Monkey GOD

Elephant GOD Ganesha

So, let us hope that this Republic Day, there will be equal respect for animals and birds. The GODDESSES and GODS will really be happy if Mother Nature, birds & creatures are given their due respect.

In Our Country India, we have equal laws in the sports field, irrespective of gender, religion, special ability, etc.

Yet we have seen that Cricket has been given a special status by us, and the other sports like badminton, football, tennis, and carrom have nearly lost their respect. Even the Olympics and Paralympics are not given that much importance. We have seen stars like Avani Lekhara (Gold in Paralympics 2021), Palak Kohli (Bronze in Paralympics 2021), Sumit Antil (Gold in Paralympics 2021), have bag medals for our country despite their special ability and made our India stand proud For the National Anthem. Palak Kohli And Avani Lekhara will shine above cricket in our eyes. Even Mithali Raj in ICC Cricket is getting valued like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. So, on this Republic Day, let’s have an optimistic view of wiping out all such discriminations to make Bharat Mata shine in the sports field too.

Clockwise from top (Specially Abled Tennis Player Vavina Patel, won first Silver, Avani Lekhara, won Gold , Palak Kohli, won Bronze, and Sumit Antil Won Gold,) For India In Paralympics 2021.

From childhood days, we have been hearing songs and powerful speeches of Rabindranath Tagore, Nazrul Islam, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Asifa Ali Begum, and Mahatma Gandhi. We are familiar with Netaji Sir’s Indian Nation Army’s Motto: ‘Unity, Self-Sacrifice and Faith’, and Nazrul Islam’s Song “Mora Aki Brinte Dui Kusum, Hindu and Musalman”. Sadly, we have seen communal riots turning up every now and then in India, be it 2002 the grave Godhra riots, the 2017 Dhulagarh riots, or the 2020 Delhi riots. Some infamous laws made by our ministers, namely CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), NRC (National Rights of Citizens), have also affected the country badly. There are terrible and detrimental myths that consider most Muslims as terrorists, and most Hindus as rioters or mob-lynchers. Despite having equal laws and the same Constitution for all religions -Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, etc in our Nation, communal attacks and terror attacks still take place. It is really a matter of shame for Our Bharat Mata.

Indian Freedom Fighters and Great Personnels Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose(left), Kazi Nazrul Islam (Right)

However, we have also seen amidst so much hatred, some news of Communal Unity and Fraternity. These include Vaishno Devi Temple opening doors to Muslims for their prayers and their food, Muslim sisters and brothers protecting Hindu and Sikh houses during communal riots and vice versa, and many Gurdwaras and Langarkhana’s opening their kind doors to the Muslim, Hindu, and Catholic needs.

Amidst the communal tensions in India, most people are busy uniting each other through Communal Harmony, which still gives us an Optimistic hope for India…

Thus, on this 72nd Republic Day, let’s hope for Communal Unity, Caste Unity, Gender Equality, Body shaming free, and Color Equality Bharat Mata.

A special thanks and acknowledgment to Comedian Vir Das, from whom I got this brief idea.

JAI HIND, JAI HIND, JAI HIND, VANDE MATARAM.

--- by Jeet Basu