72nd I-Day & Agony of Border Dwellers

72nd I-Day & Agony of Border Dwellers

Debananda S Medak

(The writer can be reached at debanandatimes83@gmail.com)

The historic moment has come again to remember and salute those great heroes, patriots and the freedom fighters whose revolutionary struggles had brought India into being the world’s largest democratic nation state on August 15, 1947.

Hence, right from east to the west, north to the south, from farmers to the President of India, millions of Indians are reverberated again to celebrate the 72nd Independence Day of India on this day of August 15. On this sacrosanct moment, the citizens of the world’s largest democracy are going to enthral the world by singing its national anthem, ‘Jana Gana Mana….” for the 72nd times ever since 1947. Forgetting our differences on caste, creed and religion, let us together sing, “Maa Tujhe Salaam, Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon and Mere Desh Ki Dharti … on this great occasion.”

Millions of national flags will be flown starting from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to the village Panchayat on this great occasion. Like earlier, the aerobatic teams of the Indian Air Force will mark the day by displaying airshow in the metros while in the remotest corner of the nation, some primary school children will be joining a small march shouting, ‘Vande Mataram’ led by their teachers in front holding national flags made of foolscap folio.

However, despite all these thrilling narratives being connected with the nation’s Independence Day, the present day celebration of the I-Day is gradually pointing to a new landscape of rural-urban divide. This is because, the gracious presence of the respective Governors, Ministers, MLAs, bureaucrats and various noted activists’ are all restricted to the venues celebrating in the urban areas. As if, India attained independence only for the urban India. Under this given situation, it appears as if, father of the nation MK Gandhi’s ideas on Swadeshi and Gram Swaraj have no more been a part of the State’s welfare dream.

There are villages like Matinagar in West Tripura, Sabhapur in South Tripura which are located on the other side of the fencing along the No Man’s Land of the Indo-Bangla international border (IB). Since they are still located beyond the IB fencing in Bangladesh side, the movement of the Indian residents is highly scrutinized by the security forces which eventually disheartening their senses of Indianness despite that these are genuine Indian villagers. Hence, sharing his agony to this writer, the Panchayat chief of Matinagar village said, “Even after 72 years of India’s independence we are not independent. Though politically we are Indian citizens, geographically we are still residing in the Bangladesh side along the IB. It is unfortunate that none of us of this village can feel the degree of joy of India’s independence.”

Border villages of Arunachal Pradesh like Taksing in Upper Subansiri district along the MacMohan Line and Vijaynagar of Changlang district along the Indo-Myanmar barrier share the same agony. These villages are yet to be connected by a surface road even after 72 years of India’s independence. These villages are frequented by the politicians and bureaucrats of the state only during the time of lection. Until the next election, they are made to maintain endless silence. However, the security forces deployed along the borders do maintain patrol in certain interval of time.

It is quite ironical that like earlier, this year too, the Indian nation state will showcase itself as one of the most outstanding and promising developing nations in the world during the celebration of the 72nd I-Day. However, in between this celebration, the sufferings of these villages like Taksing, Vijaynagar, Matinagar and Sabhapur will never find a space. Can we consider the residents of these villages as Indians? Moreover, would they celebrate the 72nd I-Day consider themselves as legitimate Indians?

These are only a few villages along the borderlands who are either entirely left out from celebrating the I-Day or frustrated to celebrate the same.

Forgetting all these, the State machinery are concentrating only in the urban areas. Under this given situation, who will unfurl the national flag going across the border fence? Who will trek two-three days to unfurl the national flag at Taksing? Perhaps no one! Hence, they will remain independent without celebrating it. Is it independence in true sense?

The singing of national anthem and numerous patriotic songs will mesmerize millions of Indians who are luckily located in the urban and semi urban areas of India during this great occasion. Contrary to this, the residents of these villages will be crippled with silence, isolation, deprivation and a great sense of distance from the so called mainland of the independent India. Cannot we share our boundless happiness of independence to these villages? Cannot we let them salute to the great Indian national flag on this occasion?

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