Every year on 26 January we gather to celebrate our country’s Republic Day, like we do every year. Flags are hoisted, parades are watched and many people simply enjoy a holiday. But more than celebrating, we should use this day to remind ourselves about the struggles that went into creating our democratic, sovereign, socialist Republic.
When the British left, India’s condition was pitiful. From being one of the richest, it became one of the poorest by 1947. India was in ruins. There were 543 princely states that wanted to keep their kingdoms. Communal forces were tearing the country apart. The economy was completely destroyed after decades of colonial rule. Nothing was easy and nothing was guaranteed.
But India rose like a phoenix. On this day, the Constitution of India came into effect. It was not just a legal document. It was the foundation on which the Republic of India stood. Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and the members of the Constituent Assembly ensured that this country would be governed by law, not by rulers, and by people, not by power.
The Preamble of our Constitution promised justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. Jawaharlal Nehru repeatedly reminded the nation that democracy was not something we could take for granted. It had to be protected, practised and defended every single day.
But 75 years after Independence, we are witnessing the rise of the same forces that were present during British rule and were trying to become hurdles in the formation of our Republic. We all know how much the RSS and their ancilliary organizations loved the British rule. So much hatred they had for Gandhiji, that they even opposed Quit India Movement that became the genesis of India’s independence.
Our Constitution, drafted by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, is under attack today. Crores of Indians who never knew about the concept of fundamental rights saw their lives change because of the rights and guarantees provided by this Constitution. It gave dignity to the poor. It gave voice to those who were never heard. It gave equality to those who were denied it for generations.
Today we are witnessing forces in our country whose sole purpose is to destroy the Constitution and establish another authoritarian regime. A system that works very similar to British rule. A system that extracts resources from the country and its people, and serves only a few elites who have already become extremely powerful.
Killing the Republic in a slow and steady manner
This very day that we are celebrating may not exist in its true sense if these divisive forces succeed. The weakening of the Republic does not happen overnight. It happens slowly. Institution by institution.
We are already seeing this. The Election Commission is being compromised. There is clear evidence of manipulation in elections, which puts a big question mark on India’s democratic ideals. Independent institutions are being weakened one after another.
People are being brainwashed into fighting each other instead of fighting corruption or asking for accountability from the government. The condition of Manipur shows how a beautiful state can be destroyed by toxic and divisive ideology. Regionalism is increasing. Language is becoming a barrier to free movement and unity within India.
We are seeing poor people being beaten up for petty issues. Common people are dying because the government has failed to provide clean drinking water. We are forced to live with toxic air that is slowly killing us. Suffering is being normalised again, just like it was during British India.
The Constitution that came into effect on this very day and protected citizens from the excesses of the ruling elite is now being reduced to a historical book.
There is also something more worrying happening.
The Constitution that formed the Republic of India ensured that people could ask questions of those whom we elected to power. But today, what we are seeing is the opposite. People are being made responsible for doing the tasks of the government.
First it was demonetisation. Then it became our duty to file GSTs. Then it became our duty to get vaccinated. Now we are seeing SIR, where citizens are busy finding documents just to prove that they are voters of India.
The people are constantly doing their duties. But can we honestly say the same about the government?
Today, if you even request the ruling elites to perform their constitutional duties, you can face serious consequences. Questioning power is becoming a risky venture. Dissent is being treated as disloyalty.
This is not the Republic that our forefathers had envisioned.
Dr. Ambedkar warned that without social democracy, political democracy would not survive. Nehru warned that authoritarianism could grow from within if people stopped questioning power. Those warnings are becoming more relevant with every passing day.
Republic Day therefore cannot be reduced to parades and celebrations. It is not just another holiday.
On this day we must resolve to fight for our Constitution.
Fight for our rights and freedoms.
Fight for our right to change a government when it no longer serves the common people.
We must fight for clean air as a fundamental right. We must fight to ensure our tax money is properly used for public welfare and not for luxurious party offices. We must fight for this Republic and for this Constitution which has ensured that despite inequalities, religious differences, languages and ethnicities, all Indians remain equal.
15 August gave us freedom. But 26 January ensured that this freedom would survive.
We are not here just to celebrate another national holiday. We are here to protect the foundations of our Republic and to ensure that the idea of India lives on.
