Independent voices
I-Day celebrations and speeches apart, city dwellers talk about what freedom really means to them.
As we celebrate India's 72nd Independence Day, we speak to individuals in the city about what freedom means to them, especially when the news media is replete with so many instances in the recent past where individual freedoms have been assailed. Also, with general elections coming up in 2019, the
concept of freedom is probably more relevant now than ever before.
A balance of rights and responsibilities
Freedom for me is my right to live with dignity in this country where I would not be denied of any opportunities solely based on my birth or my caste. There is the Constitution which I shall adhere to and in it are enshrined my fundamental duties as a citizen, which I shall also follow. Freedom means that I am an integral part of the country and that I shouldn’t be afraid of showing discontent with the government through peaceful means. It is my duty to be aware of the country's affairs and stick to the laws but it is also the government's responsibility to legislate on matters that would evolve us as a community.
— Ankit Priya, a UPSC aspirant
Not driven by external forces
A free society is one where a doctor is not driven by external forces and forced to do his duties in a particular fashion, but rather, governed by his/her own moral compass and inclination"
— Dr Virinchi Sharma, psychiatrist
The right to live without fear
I believe that I have every right to eat, write, think what I want as long as it doesn't affect the day-to-day life of other individuals and their rights. This doesn't mean that I employ my rights to kill or hurt others in the name of my freedoms or beliefs. As an individual, freedom also means the right to live without fear
— Mukund Venugopal, working professional
Provide access to the basics
The country has been teaching us to expect less and less in terms of rights and remedies. In such a context, freedom means the state where I am able to do what I need to do, even if it's not what I want to do. I should have access to basic things like education, jobs, voting or even citizenship
— Shahal B, 1st year PhD