By Shekhar Dey
Jamshedpur, Jan 25: As you hold the newspaper, you will be sitting under the glow of a resplendent sun, the rays ensuring the rush of adrenalin to seep in the spirit of a free, democratic nation whose love, care and fraternal feelings dissolve all barriers of caste, creed and religion to create an indelible bond that is embodied in the Indian Constitution. January 26, since 1950 has been celebrated as Republic Day by a nation brought up on the dreams of martyrs who envisioned a free, democratic India.
This dream of a free Motherland unchained from the British Monarchy was a fight where the blood of the young and old, men and women smeared Mother Earth to paint the colours of a free India. Some of names of brave martyrs have been scripted on the pages of history in letters of gold while some others have been covered in the sand dunes of time.
Among the determined addicts of freedom were two categories of patriots. One group comprised the soft segment that wanted Swaraj through nonviolent, peaceful agitations. The other stream included the nonchalant ones that believed in snatching Sampoorn Azadi from the British rulers. The supporters of the latter group hoisted the National Flag on January 26, 1930 and claimed total freedom. Agitations continued, politicking prevailed, lives were lost and leaders of the Swaraj movement of both segments were sent behind bars. But determination never flinched.
Ultimately, freedom was attained. But the irony was that the date and time of Independence was fixed by the British. On the midnight of August 15, 1947, the national flag of a free India was hoisted from the ramparts of the Red Fort in New Delhi. The date, January 26, was forgotten but not by those who had unfurled the Tricolour on that date in 1930.
But the struggle continued. Yet, all had to condescend and bow to determination. It was imperative to frame laws to make India a democratic, free and independent nation and Dr BR Ambedkar and his team after more than two years of burning the midnight lamp authored the Constitution which was approved by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949 and adopted on January 26, 1950. Since that day, India became the sancta sanctorum as the Largest Democracy in the world, going ahead full steam on the road to achievements and progress. The spirit prevails, the adrenalin flows in a proud nation splashed with multihued cultural heritages in a confluence called Unique India.
