The last issue coincided with the 68th Independence Day of our country. There were celebrations all around. The whole country heard with great interest the much anticipated speech of the country’s popular Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While the speech will be analysed and dissected by all sections of society, some in favour , some vehemently against, my own impression of the speech was that the country has floundered on basic values like cleanliness and hygiene, respect and security of our women, the unaccountability of our elected representatives, their failure to develop the villages in their constituencies and general high handedness and apathy of the authorities towards the citizens. His speech was sans any tall claims of relations with the high and mighty of the world. He did not even touch upon our strained relations with our closest neighbour. In other words, his emphasis was on self-improvement.
Somewhat on similar lines I have penned my thoughts on the theme that the Independence Day celebrations should not just be a mere ritual of hoisting the National Flag, but should also be a day of introspection on what we have failed to achieve even decades after Independence.
Azadi ke din hum sab karte hain
Is tirange ko salaam
Laharata rahe yeh sada shaan se
Rahe ooncha iska naam
68 saal se mana rahe hain
Hum yeh jashn e azadi
Us waqt ke bache hain jo senani
Woh honge ab pad-dada ya pad-dadi
Kya poorn hua lagta hoga
Jo sapna tha unhonen sajaya?
Kya phal unke sangharshon ka
Unke bachchon ko khush kar paya?
Kya khet hue woh hariyale jinko
Apne lahu se unhonen seencha tha?
Kya atyachaar woh khatm hue
Jinhen dekh kar kabhi unhonen
Apni aankhon ko meecha tha?
Kahin hua to nahin aisa
Ki gore sahib to chale gaye
Par kuchh apne desh ke hi wasi
Humen gulaam banate chale gaye
Anpadh anpadh hi rah gaye
Garib bane rahe garib
Jo padh likh gaye woh chale videsh
Chhod ke bhrasht haathon mein
Is azad mulk ka naseeb
Azad hai yeh desh ab
Kisi phirangi ka gulaam nahin
Par kuchh logon ne abhi bhi is se
Joda hai apna naam nahin
Kashmir, Kashmir hai
Use samajhte Hindustan nahin
Poorvottar ke kayi nagrik
Mann se lete Bharat ka naam nahin
Koi Hindu hai , koi Muslim hai
Koi Sikh hai koi Isai
Kahaan gaye woh Bharatwasi
Jo aapas mein the bhai bhai?
Desh tarakki kitni bhi kar le
Jab tak log yahan ke ek saath nahin
Jab tak desh se zyada jeb hai pyari
Tab tak khushi ki koi baat nahin
Tiranga to phir bhi hum har saal phehrayenge
Geet vijay ke baar baar dohrayenge
Par jhaankenge jab apne mann ke bhitar
To shayad thoda sa sharmayenge
Azadi ka jashn phir bhi har saal manayenge!
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