We the people of India…..
These words were written sixty one years ago, upon the founding documents by the founding fathers of our nation. They rose from the ashes of two hundred and fifty years of tyranny, resounding in a free people. A people freed from the bonds of slavery and oppression, with hopes of a new nation, the best among the other great nations of the world. Words of a new found hope echoed fulfilling the tryst with destiny. Where few centuries ago stood small kingdom’s and satraps of scattered geographical area, a people from various faiths and diaspora, bound by nothing in common but freedom, rose to choose and form a Union, The Republic of India.
The story of this nation was reborn amongst the pain and bloodletting of the partition, exuberance of the new found freedom, but most importantly with the hope of a new country, a new people with new dreams. To keep at bay any tendency for the flimsy whims of a tyrant the constitution lay down and give every citizen a right to vote as an equal. So, woke the people of the nation from a slumber of centuries of darkness, free and equal in political status. For the very first time the dreams of the great dreams of million came true,the people were one.For the first time in its long and glorious history any ordinary citizen could aspire to greatness, without the leaning to caste or hereditary consequences of birth and aim for the highest office of the land. For the first time a mother could dream of unlimited achievements for her children based solely on ability and talent. For the first time a nation as a union would determine its destiny. All these were made possible by the guarantee of freedom and the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution of 1949. The day we choose to become a Republic. The 26th of January 1949.
After reflecting on the 61 years of the Republic, I feel that there is something terribly wrong with the nation and all is not well with the state of the union. The dreams and the hopes of over a billion people seem to have turned into a nightmare and chronic cynicism. A nightmare that we are finding ourselves increasingly difficult to awake.The important questions and reflection that we need to ask of ourselves on the eve of the republic day are;
How did the dream of our founding fathers turn into a nightmare for our generation? And more importantly,
Where is the freedom promised by the constitution stand today in relation to its citizens that is US?
The answer is simple we let it happen to us, we did not then and still do not raise our voice at the slow attrition of our freedoms and entitlements of good governance by the string of amendments to the constitution, and blatant violations of the citizens’ rights by the agencies of the state, at the flimsiest of political expediency by the political parties, but most often by the Indian National Congress. The constitution as such has not failed us we have failed to live up to it. The republic has turned into a virtual monarchy, a gerontocracy, an Oligarchy embodying the worst features of all rolled into one. And more recently a more disturbing trend of the judiciary performing more functions of the executive than of the judiciary, this has resulted mainly due to the total failure of the government and the leaders on all fronts. This by implication means our failure as a nation, as a people.
We as a people are often very passionate about defending our points of view vocally, and that should be the case, this is how we can form a vibrant democracy but when things come for a call to action, everything just shimmers away. Why? Because, we for some reasons we always find ourselves disagreeing with the others about differences rather than focusing on our similarities as citizens of a nation. This trend has to be arrested and the divisive politics defeated. Even after 63 years of independence the unity of the Republic is a distant echo. Are you up to the task of leading a united India? Are you willing you place your identity as an Indian First? Or are you still going to carry on the caste and regional identities which today has become a burden to the progress of the nation? These questions require a deep reflection on where do we stand today and we want to go tomorrow. Are we going to commit ourselves to winning the future for India or are we going to give the next generation a worse state of the union? We have a duty to the next generation and we will not disappoint them. We cannot derelict our duty toward the country. It is not an option.
So many years have gone by and our leaders still lack a vision of a unified and prosperous India. Where there is no vision, the people perish as the bible says. The state of the union is dismal on every front. The corruption is rampant, the rule of law has broken down, governance is decaying giving way to anarchy, people still die of hunger, children work at hazardous jobs when they should be at school, criminal are making laws and the people wait is cynicism and helplessness. And, we look on? A Mother dreams of her children getting education but the dreams are obviated by the state. And I can go on writing about what’s wrong with this nation but will not. We have to look towards the future of this nation, till such time as we are willing to stand up and say no this is not the country I want, I want something better and it is reclaimable we still have hope.. All you have to do is say to yourself “I protest”.
I have said it many times over and will say it again “I protest”. I say this not because it will work wonders, nor can that change the situation. I say it because I believe that it is my refusal to accept the state of the union and and my willingness to do something about it. that is more important. I believe that all great endeavours in history begin with a protest, a very personal protest.. I believe that we can create a better future for the nation, for the people. Because, I still have hope and the determination to change the situation around. All I need is more people to believe in what I believe, more people to dream my dream, share my aspiration come out and lead the nation.
If you believe in the power of an idea, if you believe in the power of words and that they can echo through history with sufficient belief in it. If you have said “I Protest”. If you believe that you can lead this nation to a better future. If you believe that freedom is non-negotiable. If you believe that the government should be small but effective. If you believe that all the hungry can be fed, all people deserve a better future, if you can help them dream then you are the person we are looking for.
Join us to give the people of the country the government that they deserve, this country a system it needs. Reforms are not born out of pity, but need. And India today needs overhauling reforms to get it back on track and shrug the garb of socialistic policies which have plagued this nation for too long, far too long. It’s time we said in on voice, as one people ENOUGH!
We are the freedom team of India. And, we are looking for leaders to lead this nation.
Vidyut Jain's Blog 
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