You must have heard the first speech of our first Prime Minister, Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru stating “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom”
Yes, the midnight is long and still persists; the freedom has yet to come. My words are not of a philosopher, I mean it in literal sense.
I have understood the word Freedom as a status where you are free from slavery, where you are free to make your own laws, where you are free without condition. Our own Parliament, our own representative’s elected by us. There will be no condition imposed on us by our past British ruler. If the condition still persists and we are under compulsion to follow that, then we have to think are we really Independent, are we truly free, are we a sovereign country ?
The word Freedom, the word Independence is an ability to think, make own decisions, to act on its decision and of making a choice. Freedom of a country can’t, I repeat can’t be with condition.
There was a conditional Transfer of Power on 15th of August 1947 by British to Congress, the condition where properly mentioned by British in their Parliament and the condition mentioned by British in UK Parliament become law for India, even after Independence. Even after so called Independence we had obeyed their wish. The Transfer of Power was made by and act, which is known as THE INDIAN INDEPENDENCE ACT, 1947 passed in British Parliament on 18th July 1947. We were not allowed to punish those who were supporting British for ruling this country, those who were shooting at our patriotic freedom fighters. Who were putting our freedom fighter behind the bars.
We were properly handcuffed even after Independence by Section 10 of Indian Independence Act, 1947 which was passed in British Parliament. We (Free Indian) a sovereign country was asked to give respect to the GADDARS, who where Judges, Police Officer during British rule. Those who played major role in making India slave. As per British, we have to give them salary, pension and respects as they were getting during the period when we were slave. This was conditional freedom which we got in midnight.
This is not end of conditions imposed on us; our constitution which came into existence was also influenced with condition imposed by British. They left their blood in India and named them as Anglo- Indian. Anglo Indian is those citizens of India whose Father’s or grand father or grand grandfather’s were British / French / Dutch Christian but mother were Indian.
The Article 331 of our constitution gives privilege to Anglo Indian and as per this article TWO Anglo Indians can be nominated as Member of Parliament in Lok Sabha. I am still not able to understand why this privilege was given in 1950 to our Rulers who made us slave, who outside their club wrote on boards that “Indian & Dogs not allowed”, was it under pressure or was this condition imposed by British for our conditional freedom. The logic people can give that this ruler class was in minority after Independence and thus their voice should also be in the Parliament, due to this reason the privilege was given. If this privilege is based on religion then why Parsi’s were not given this privilege. Thus by not giving this privilege to Parsi’s, creates doubt that Article 331 introduced in constitution was under pressure or just the difference is of British blood running in some veins.
The special status & privilege doesn’t ends here, the next Article of our Constitution Article 333 again give this privilege of nomination to Anglo Indian in State Legislative Assembly.
Was this our expression of gratitude towards British for making us slave for approx 200 years?
No, we were so obliged to British that we assured them that Anglo Indian will be appointed on goods post. The Article 336 of our constitution states:
“During the first two years after the commencement of this Constitution, appointments of members of the Anglo – Indian community to posts in the railway, customs, postal and telegraph service of the Union shall be made on the same basis as immediately before the fifteenth day of August, 1947”
Why was this commitment? To whom was this commitment? Was it under pressure? Is this not Conditional Freedom? Why till date this Article 336 is not yet deleted?
The word Condition & Freedom can’t be together, “conditions” will always overpower “Freedom” and its influence your ability to think, your ability to take decision and on your act. Once condition is there, there is no freedom.
The story would have ended here if the provision of these privileges would have been ceased as per constitution after 20 years, but the above privilege was extended to next 10 years by amending Article 334 (b) by 23rd Amendment act in year 1969.
We were still not able to understand that after Independence all citizens of India are actually citizen of India, irrespective of their religion, Caste or creed. We created a new citizenship of Anglo- Indian by giving them privilege. Again we amended the constitution by 45th amendment in year 1980, then 62nd amendment act in year 1989, 79th amendment act in year 2000 and recently in year 2009 by 109th amendment act it has been increased for more 10 years.
The time has come to wake up, let’s leave behind the midnight. Let’s correct our mistake. Let’s be free, free without condition, let’s be free, mentally free and be INDIAN, just Indian, not North Indian, nor South Indian and never Anglo- Indian.
