Today we are celebrating our 73rd Republic Day. It is the day India became a sovereign Republic of the Commonwealth of Nations.
India was under British colonial rule for over two centuries. However, soon after getting Independence, a drafting committee under the chairmanship of Dr. B.V. Ambedkar began working on the new constitution of India. In 1950, on this day, it came into force.
From a colony under the British to becoming a republic, it was not an easy journey for India. India fought for its freedom with no signs of respite in sight. A thin hope that someday our motherland will become free from the clutches of British colonial rule led to this relentless struggle.
During this time, the nation witnessed countless sacrifices and suffered immense pain. It was subjected to tragedies like the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, and even at freedom, the bloodbath of partition.
Our freedom fighters bravely fought an endless defeat, believing we would breathe freedom. It is their sacrifice and martyrdom upon which our nation stands today.
So Republic day is not just another holiday to celebrate. It is a day to introspect, foremost of all, how we lost our freedom, and earned our sovereignty — only then we wouldn’t repeat the blunders of the past.
India then was divided. It was a society where class distinctions were ripe. Many among us were so greedy and self-centered that we let down our people, denied them support, and joined forces with the colonial British. Not just the British, but all the vassal kings, and our fellow citizens who served the British in various ranks and forms are responsible.
India could have launched a decisive war against the British, even before it colonized her. When the British East India Company began expanding and occupying territories, we must have woken up to the threat and stood together. First, the Mughals invaded us and then the British. It was possible because we had rats and moles willing to sell themselves and the nation.
However, the pinnacle of freedom fight brought people together. And that togetherness is the spirit we need today to take the nation forward.
The fruits of our hard-earned freedom and India’s growth story should reach every individual and family struggling to fend for themselves. There should be none left hungry or homeless. There should be progressive labor opportunities and parity in wages — so that people are not dependent on grants, gifts, and charities.
The constitution of India stands for all, and as citizens, we too should stand for all. Within the realms of our reality, we must take that little effort to see if someone needs our support. Because by transforming our surroundings, together we will be transforming India.