On 15th August 1947, India became a free nation. Free from all the oppression. Free from all the brutality. Free from all the restrictions. But as India celebrates its 70th Independence Day, a major dilemma surfaces in every youth’s mind – are we free in every sense? Have all the chains actually been broken? Independence and freedom are often used interchangeably but they are not the same per se. Freedom is the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved. It is the power or right to move, act, speak, or think as one wants. But amid all the social taboos existing in Indian society and all the restrictions imposed by our legal system, this freedom is subdued to an unacceptable extent. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, at his famous midnight speech of August 14, 1947 said, “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.”. But today the question arises, did we really gain this freedom?
Ban on the freedom of speech and expression
In India, authors, poets, artists, bloggers, spokespersons, all are harassed, sued and arrested for what they write or say. The Constitution of India provides for “reasonable restrictions” on the freedom of speech and expression. But in the name of “reasonable restrictions”, the government retrenches the basic rights of an individual, from keeping a watchful eye on internet activities to censoring even the non-objectionable scenes in films. India’s rank hit rock bottom in Reporters without Borders – Press Freedom Index, 2016 (133rd position out of 180 countries). In this context, countries including Qatar and Afghanistan stand in a better position today. This shows the impact of the curtailments on journalistic freedom by political authorities and their oppressive ideologies.
Moral Policing
Moral police is a term used to describe vigilante groups (generally the police forces) which act to enforce a code of morality and to curb practices which they deem to be against Indian culture. They object to acts like meeting of couples in public places, Valentine’s Day, night life, alcohol consumption, etc. A major protest was staged in the state of Kerala through the campaign ‘Kiss of Love’ in 2014. The campaign included a peaceful march and gathering where youngsters kissed and hugged in public. It was initiated after various incidents took place, where police had beaten and arrested the couples citing the spread of ‘immoral’ practices. The main aim was to change the orthodox thinking of these institutions.
Hindrance in inter-religious and inter-caste marriages
Inter-religious marriages are marriages between two partners professing different religions. Inter-caste marriages are marriages between partners hailing from different castes. Though Special Marriage Act, 1954 permits these unions, the modern day society is still bound by orthodox perceptions. In some cases, the partners are even killed in the name of ‘Honor Killing’ by their own families and their own communities. This not only takes away the freedom of choice of the youth, but also results in greater conflict between different communities.
Legal restraints on Homosexuality
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people face numerous legal and social constraints in India. Sexual activity and marriage between them is pronounced to be illegal. Recently, Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code 1860, which came into force during British rule in India and criminalizes sexual activities “against the order of nature”, was interpreted to include homosexuals. This is a major step backwards in the pathway to the growth of this nation. Homosexuality is treated as an unnatural concept that defies the laws of nature. Some even suggest that it is a medical disease that ought to be treated or is a result of bad influence. To prevent freedom from suffering a major blow, this section should be amended or repealed as soon as possible.
Live-in relationships
It is an arrangement where two individuals consent to live together on a long term basis without marrying. In India, marriage is considered as a sacred bond. Gradually, cohabitation is becoming popular in India – particularly in the urban communities. Right of maintenance, right of inheritance and protection against domestic violence are some of the rights given to the female partner by courts. Despite live-ins having mushroomed in India for a considerable length of time, society prefers to live in denial; they cringe at the idea of live-ins. Couples face a lot of hurdles, like dealing with the family and convincing them and finding a house to live in. They confront their first obstacle even before they have started to live together. This needs to change.
Restriction to choose one’s own occupation
Parents restrain children from choosing their field of interest as an occupation, though they do it with an intention of improving their career prospects. But what they fail to understand is that because of such restrictions, they do them a greater harm than good. Posing constraints in matters which children are competent to judge and will affect every aspect of their life, will lead them towards ignorance. Children should be allowed to conduct experiments with their life to find the work which pleases them and gives them maximum happiness, and not just money. As of today, increased cases of people suffering from work depression can be found even in well paying jobs.
Restriction on freedom to dress
Freedom to dress according to his/her will is the freedom to present oneself in public. This right is pigeon-holed for a woman in India. To wear short dresses is considered a practice against Indian culture and traditions. Society judges a woman on the basis of her clothes, categorizing her to be a person of bad character if she doesn’t dress according to the established norms. This right of a woman, to wear what she pleases, should not be associated with a taboo as these traditions and beliefs about clothing often get in the way of choice and convenience.
Conclusion
The Government and the society should not try to enforce its belief system on every phase of an individual’s life. The notion that everything derived from the Western World is damaging and all the traditional norms are beneficial should be done away with. This idea prevailing in the world’s largest democracy would tarnish an individual’s freedom instead of repairing it. Hence it may be deduced that even when a country gains Independence, it does not necessarily mean that it’s people have gained their freedom.
By: Aanchal Singla
