On the night of 14/15th August 1947, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru addressed the Constituent Assembly of India,
“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.”
Yes, it is 62 Years since we have awakened to life and FREEDOM…since we have stepped out from the old to the new… since we have pledged towards the service of humanity.
But the question is how far we have used this freedom. Indeed a much more pertinent question is how well we have understood the meaning of freedom. Is freedom for us just the liberty or privilege to move around freely? Or does freedom mean much more than movement?
What we forget here is the fact that 62 years ago, what we attained was not just the freedom to move, but also the freedom to be ‘moved’. Each time that we pledge, ‘All Indians are my brothers and sisters,’ it is a commitment to bear it upon our shoulders to save one life...save ones life...not because the one who needs our help and care could be our brother or sister...but because he/she IS our brother/sister.
It is about this freedom that our Lord Jesus taught us through His life and mission. He was not just a man who moved around the streets of Palestine, rather, someone who was moved at the sight of the deceased, ostracized and pulverized in the society. In fact, He had a kind of kindness that enabled him always to try to do something that would be part of the answer and not part of the problem. This kindness is one of the most creative and powerful things that any of us can do for another human being. It is not just confined to the first century, it’s not just something that happened long ago, rather every one of us has within our reach this ability to show kindness and mercy to other people.
Yes, we have the ‘FREEDOM TO BE MOVED’ and it is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of RE-DEDICATION to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity… to be compassionate and no more be (e)motionless at the sight of violation of human rights.
HAPPY INDEPENDANCE DAY!!!
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