We The People Of India….
By Shalu Nigam
18 August, 2015
Countercurrents.org
Living in Delhi NCR has its own advantages as well as limitations. A week before the Independence Day, I started receiving mails and leaflets advising as to where and how one can spend the weekend. It appears that the advertisement, articles, mailers all seems to be competing with each other to recommend as to where and what once can eat, wear, go out, what books one can read and what televisions shows or films one can watch. Several stores offered discounts on products to `celebrate Independence Day’. There were invitations to eat Tiranga rice and Tricolour ice-cream in a glamorous, luxurious resort, another restaurant offered Biryani decorated in flag colors, a bakery shop sold cakes and pastries in the `patriotic’ colours, there were those who suggests which items to buy to exhibit patriotic spirit, all dictated and promoted consumption in one form or the other in the globalized and the capitalistic world. I disagreed with and fumed over such a capitalistic consumerist ideas of shaping and defining patriotism yet I swallowed my pride because, `Phir bhi Dil hai Hindustani’ (Yet, I am an Indian by heart).
However, the speeches made by the President on the eve of the Independence Day and by the Prime Minister of India on that day offered a different perspective of how India is developing and growing as a `Team’ of 1.25 billion people. There were pompous discussions and debates on different television channels as to what the successive governments have done or `not done’ for the country. The print and social media were also full of pictures and articles on how India is doing on social and economic front, how much progress the country has made and what can be done about the same. There were articles about the leaders, freedom fighters and others explaining significant roles they played in the freedom struggle.
I also came across the story of Sahila shared by P. Sainath[1]. According to him, Sahila is a courageous adivasi woman belonging to Sabar community in Odisha who fought bravely against British forces in 1930 when she was just 16 years old. Her father, Kartik Sabar was attacked and killed by the British soldiers and her house was put to fire which provoked her to fight back. Sahila died in poverty at the age of 90 leaving behind her three sons. There are many such similar enriching untold stories like that of Sahila which never came into the limelight. These inspirational stories of countless men and women who fought for the freedom have been lost in the heap of literature and historical material available on India’s struggle for independence. The struggle for freedom therefore involves innumerable people besides famous leaders who contributed equally in making India a free nation. These people fought passionately with the dream and vision to make country a better place to live in.
Inspired by these varied shades of patriotism, I decided to loiter on the streets to exert my `freedom’ as a woman in this man’s world, and while doing so, I came across a famished poor 11 years old child Ganesh who was selling small plastic flags on the streets. He has been in this city for a one and a half month and came here with his aunt as his mother expired and father remarried six months back. He hails from a village near Datia in Madhya Pradesh and been to a local government school for a few years. The step mother didn’t like him and his younger sister and never bothered to care about the kids. Rather she used to beat both of them when they demand food. His father had started drinking and is unconcerned about the welfare of the children. Somehow he contacted her aunt who has been to Delhi before. She asked him to accompany her this time to the city. He though it is a best opportunity to escape. Ganesh is now planning to get her younger sister too next time he will visit the village. After listening to his story I thought what `Independence’ exactly means to him? Does he knows or even will ever care to understand the meaning of democracy? And it is not only Ganesh but there are a million children like him who are forced to work and fend for themselves. The census data of 2011 reveals that there are 4353247 children in the age group of 5 to 14 who are working. Some of them are employed in hazardous occupations[2]. While as per the survey conducted by the NSSO in 2004-05, 90.75 lakhs children are estimated to be working[3]. As children they are deprived of their childhood. This made me contemplate that will Ganesh or children like him be able to claim their belongingness to this country? Also, when so many people martyred themselves fighting for independence had they ever imagine such a future for this country? Back home when I shared my thoughts with some of my friends they admonished me for being too passive in approach and spoiling the spirit of celebration. But impervious of their remarks I reflected on this notion of `celebration of Independence Day’ and its connotation from the perspective of different groups of citizens in the country. My idea is to decipher how the billions of citizens who are being oppressed or marginalized view or think about the Independence Day? What is the true meaning of freedom and democracy from their standpoint?
It reminds me of a news item I read a few days back which states that a 14 years old girl was married forcefully to a 40 year old man. And I deliberated on the facts that can a girl in such situation claim to be a part of `free’ India. What does independence implies to millions of these child brides who are denied their childhood and dignity at a very young age? As it is not a story of just one girl, rather a large number of girls, especially in North India are forcefully married at a younger age. A study conducted by UNICEF in 2014[4] detailed that worldwide 700 million girls are forced to marry before they celebrate their 18th birthday, out of which 250 million enters into marital alliance before they attain 15 years of age. It further pointed out that almost half of the child brides hail from South Asia and India alone accounts for one third of the global total. Also, apart from the ills like child marriage, women in India are facing numerous other social challenges and are exposed to various social evils. Female foeticide and infanticide is being practiced in many of the Northern states resulting in the `Missing women’ phenomenon. This is evident through the census 2011 data where Delhi recorded the sex ratio of 884 females per thousand males, Haryana (857), Punjab (863), Uttar Pradesh (874), Rajasthan (895) and Maharashtra (896) as compared to overall India sex ratio of 908 females per thousand males[5]. Those survived face numerous challenges like denial of adequate nutrition, lack of access to health and education, difficulties to access to basic facilities like toilets, besides facing violence and isolation in many forms. What do these girls imply by the term `independence’ or `freedom’? Do they consider themselves as really free citizens of this independent country?
The state asserts that it is working for women and other marginalized sections of the society, however, in reality when one see the contrary situation on the ground. For instance, the claims are being made that the targets for constructing toilets in schools have almost been achieved; though there are reports that argue differently[6]. Similarly, it has been asserted that more than 17 crores Bank accounts have been opened under the financial inclusion scheme, nonetheless, Annama, working as a maid in the posh colonies of Gurgaon, when visited the Bank to get her account opened, shared a different story. According to her, the bank officials asked for her Aadhar card with the address in Gurgaon, which she said she couldn’t get made because she has no residential proof to show. When she insisted that she couldn’t get the same, she was told to get another identity proof. However, when she expressed her inability to show any of such documents, she was made to run around form pillar to post. Finally, when she managed to get her account opened, and tried to make a transaction by sending 1000/- Rs she saved to her family in the village she couldn’t do so because the Branch of the PSU Bank in which she got her account opened didn’t have another branch in her village. The Branch of that Bank is located 20 miles away in another village and none from her family can travel to withdraw the money, neither any of them had account there. Because of lack of financial or otherwise literacy, women like Annama and their families face numerous problems in getting an operational bank account.
Even otherwise, for women in the country, the picture is not so rosy. Violence against women is a rampant. Recently, a news item reported that a pregnant woman was raped in Kokrajhar district in Assam by a jawan[7]. In another incident, a 16 year old girl is raped by her father in Kanpur[8]. In yet another incident a three year old girl was raped by a person known to the family. Moreover, not only sexual violence, women are facing innumerable forms of other violence both within homes and outside in public spaces. The National Crime record Bureau Report[9] shows 26.7% increase in crime against women in the year 2013 as compared to the figures reported in the year 2012. This is 51.9% increase over the data reported for the year 2009. The reporting of the incidences of rape increased by 35%, cruelty on married women by husband and his relatives show an increase of 11.6% in the year 2013 over the year 2012, assault on woman with the intent to outrage her modesty increased by 56%, the cases under the law on Indecent Representation of Women increased by 156%, and the cases under the Dowry Act reportedly increased by almost 18%. This data reflects just the `tip of the iceberg’ as there are a large number of women who bear the violence silently and never come out to report the matter or their cases are never recorded in the statistics because of various other reasons[10]. Also, there are cases where women in conflict zones are being tortured, violated or murdered and these are never reported. Those women, who dare to live alone, are divorced or widowed, face other kind of challenges. Also, those who tried to confront the conventional patriarchal culture are penalized for their insolence. Honour killing is one of the practices where daughters are murdered in case they assert their autonomy and choose to marry a man outside the caste boundaries. Also, deeply entrenched casteism and patriarchy never allow women specifically from lower castes to assert their lawful claims. For instance, a dalit woman sarpanch was not allowed to hoist a flag on the Independence Day in Morena district[11]. Feudalism binds people in a way to preserve traditional hierarchical structures and deny people to exercise their legal rights. Then can we still declare that almost half of the population in this country is enjoying freedom?
In fact as the number of cases reported about violence against women increased, more and more restrictions are being imposed on women, by families and society. Besides deploying usual tactics like amending the law and deploying technical gadgets like CCTV cameras, mobile apps and other applications, a long list of diktats have been issued to women as to what to wear, how to carry themselves, not to move outside home at night etc to ensure their `safety and security’ by those who think they are in power and can command others. Many religious gurus, political leaders and community leaders preached on `controlling’ women. Moral policing is being done to constraint women instead of controlling the criminals from committing the crime. Limiting women’s freedom and autonomy is considered as an easier task in a patriarchal society rather than restraining the men to prevent them indulging in a criminal behavior against women and still claims are being made that India is a free country for women.
Further, the free market economy approach has been promoted by the international organizations and is being adopted by majority of countries over the world, however this model ignored the plight of workers working in unorganized sectors. Men and women working in unorganized sector are exposed to different sets of issues like absence of social and economic security, problems due to deregulation of labour sector and situations that arise because of rolling back of welfare and social benefits by the state. For instance, a security guard, Mahesh, 29 years old, hails from Uttar Pradesh and came to Delhi looking for work 6 years back. His family lost the small piece of agricultural land they had and therefore he was compelled to migrate to city. He has four children and ailing parents in village who are dependent on his income. He was hired by a private company as a security guard then was fired after six months. He then tried to look for another job and with the help of his friend and secured one at a construction site where he worked for almost a year. He then tried to work as a casual labourer but situation was not easy. Some days he could find work other days he couldn’t. Recently, he was hired by a private company 10 months back but again he was fired because he requested for ten days leave to visit his ailing and dying father in the village. I doubt if he can really celebrate independence in the same spirit as a section of society is enjoying.
Similarly, Aisha who is working in a garment making unit in a SEZ shared difficult situation she faces everyday at her workplace. The female workers there are made to work for 10 hours per day and are being paid Rs. 20 for every piece of garment they stitch. One piece of garment takes almost one and a half to two hours and the supervisor can reject a piece in case she is dissatisfied. Thirty women are made to sit in a small room with inadequate light and no chairs. These women have to bend down for hours to stitch the garments and therefore she often complains of pain in back. These women are not allowed to take break apart from that for lunch. Aisha has three children whom she wants should study. Her husband is employed as a cleaner with another private firm and it is through this form of arrangement that they could manage to pay rent and meet other expenses. The couple came to Delhi 10 years back. For Aisha, her life involves around managing her job and her kids. Independence Day for her implies, “A holiday when I couldn’t work and therefore being denied wages for that day, I therefore, spend time doing household chores like cleaning my room as with the three kids it is always like a mess”.
Sona’s story is different. She and her husband own a small piece of land in a village on the border of Maharashtra. They took loan for their daughter’s marriage from a local money lender against the land a few years back. However, they couldn’t pay back and the lender was pressurizing them, also for past several years the crop harvest has declined. Frustrated by the situation, her husband committed suicide a few months back. No one came to help or support her. Now she has two young daughters to look after. “How should I feed them?” that is her major concern. According to her, “Freedom is a big word meant for big people. For us, running around to feed our empty bellies is a major issue. Our thoughts, actions, wish, all relates to our daily survival. Our pain, our tears, our sufferings….nobody understands…no one is bothered….” Not only Sona and her family, but generally, the plight of farmers across the nation is troublesome[12]. Recently, 25,000 farmers from Mathura petitioned the President of India to commit suicide this 15th August after a 17 years long struggle against the Government of India because their demand to receive compensation against 700 acres of land that got submerged after construction of Gokul Bridge was not met. This bridge was constructed without the consent of these farmers from 11 districts and therefore they have been agitating since 1998[13]. This made me think that shouldn’t the nation’s head hang in shame that the providers of food are being compelled to plead in such a way when the country is celebrating and boasting of its achievements. Aren’t these people worthy citizens of this country to be included in the celebrations called `Independence Day’?
I met Komal along with her kids at Chirag Delhi crossing a few weeks back. She along with her children has been displaced because her home in Bihar is flooded. Her husband told her to visit him as he migrated to the city two years back. She came to stay with him. However, a few days back he met an accident at a construction site and was hospitalized at the Safdarjung Hospital. The doctor recommended her to purchase certain medicines and arrange for the blood. She was begging along with her kids as she has no money to buy the medicine. She has no education or skills and do not know anybody in the big anonymous city to seek support from. Komal is not alone. There are a lot of displaced people like her roaming around in the streets of major cities surviving as migrants, they are homeless and have been struggling hard to defy Darwinian laws. Survivors of violence, conflicts, riots, natural calamities or manmade tragedies like that of Bhopal Gas leakage or those who are displaced because of dam constructions are finding alternative but difficult ways to exist. Most of them are women and socially disadvantaged communities who are protesting for long at various places like those in Narmada River[14], Kanhar dam, Kodaikanial[15], Kandhamal, Muzzafarpur, Bhagana, Niyamgiri and other such sites toiling hard to survive with dignity.
Thus, there are millions of citizens who are struggling in every nook and corner of the country to survive and to exist on daily basis in the `free and independent’ India. What is the meaning of freedom from the perspective of all these people who are the part of this country, yet are compelled to lead a life which is full of insecurities, worries, tensions and problems where they are unsure as to what will happen the next moment? These are citizens who are compelled to live in situations where they cannot exercise their right to freedom or choices in their day to day lives whether it is about the food, their livelihood, survival, health, education or personal liberties including choice to marry. Rather they are leading a vulnerable frightful life where violence exists in its virulent form and there is no escape from it. Struggling as survivors of natural disasters or manmade vices, these people are living in state of dire poverty, hunger, malnutrition and homelessness while facing the wrath due to casteism, patriarchy, violence, and number of other social and economic inequalities that continued to prevail since independence. Rather it may be said that situation has worsen over the years.
Can they have the same feeling of belongingness towards the country as compared to those who are enjoying luxuries of life? Can the plight of millions of these citizens be ignored under the blanket of `development’, `growth’, `diversity’, `multiplicity’, `over population’ `lack of resources’ and other such misnomers created by the state apparatus, over the years, to befool the country? Is the benefit of development available only to handful belonging to elite section of the society? Considering all these situations, a major question that arises is that when we observe Independence Day, it is whose independence that we celebrating and that we have got independence from what? When millions of these citizens are not permitted to claim their rightful entitlement in country’s `growth and development’ paradigm, when millions of citizens are excluded from the process of development, can we really claim that India is free country?
More and more expenditure is incurred on the `unplanned’ development of cities, however, the rural areas are being neglected over the years, compelling people to migrate, can we still assert that India is free country? Though India is home to the third largest number or 46 billionaires whose worth is equivalent to 176 billion dollars in 2012, yet the country harbors hunger and poverty where 80 percent of rural population and 70 percent of urban population are living below two dollars a day[16]. And `this happens only in India’ where amidst skyscrapers one finds shanty dwellings and slums, alongside prosperity there exists poverty, besides affluence there subsists vulnerability and among the efforts to establish peace and harmony there exists violence and brutality[17]. The country fails to sustain collective dreams, aspirations and hopes of millions. On the one hand where billionaires are leaving in styled mansions and palaces leading luxurious life, the Socioeconomic and Caste Census[18] data released a few days back, though claims to be incomplete and inaccurate, shows that worrying level of poverty and extreme deprivation exists in the country. Over half of the rural India does not own land at all and 51% of the rural population is dependent on manual casual labour. Among households who own land, 40% is not irrigated. Just four percent own any sort of mechanized agriculture equipment and 30 percent derive their income from cultivation.
India got political independence in 1947 from the foreign rulers, however, 68 years after that, today in 2015, India is still struggling to obtain freedom from ills and maladies created by those who misused and abused their powers. In fact, it may be said that colonialism has ended but the colonial mindset has not gone. The greed for money, power and status is creating a society where slavery and poverty persists in much darker shades and forms. The nation retained the system that is hierarchical, corrupt, mal-governed, mal-administrated and inefficient despite of paying lip services to the issues relating to good governance. Neoliberal policies, imperialism, neocolonialism, vested interests of different groups - political, religious, social and economic hegemony created through adopting policies of globalization, privatization and free market economy, all have created a nation where those who are powerful dominate and subaltern are marginalized with their voice being shunned in the noisy insane world and the voices of dissent are muffled.
Mr Ram Punyani[19] in his article analyzed impact of colonialism from various perspectives including the communal division created by the Britishers in India as well class based distinction that was revived to fuel the age old feudalism. He argued that introducing Industrialization and modernization were the incidental byproducts of colonization just like the social reforms. Similar analysis of the prevailing situation in the free India can be drawn in from the perspective of the common person. And it may be said that the empty noises and fake promises are being made by politicians over the years has added only to the misery of many and whatever `development’ that has been recorded in merely an accompanying derivative of the years of dance and drama that took place in the name of electoral democracy. Essentially, this is the reason that common people for whom earning daily bread is a major concern remain disengaged or unconcerned with the cluttered functioning of state machinery. Also, mostly because either they are being disenfranchised or disenchanted because their very basic existence is ignored, diminished, trivialized, curtailed and stifled by the gigantic bureaucratic mess.
The Preamble of the Constitution of India proudly began with the words, “We the people of India…”. Nevertheless, this phrase `we the people’ has layers to it. In a classified, divided, hierarchical society this phrase has lost its luster because even today this country is divided and fragmented on the basis of gender, caste, class, economic status, religion, literacy, social background and rural-urban divide. The gap between `haves’ and `have-nots’ has been widening. The unequal distribution of resources, assets and wealth in a free market economy is creating a segregated society where those who work hard are deprived and denied of the benefits of their hard labour and are being exploited while those who are powerful are looting and scooting the fruits of growth and progress. What is prevailing is injustice – social, economic and political. Those subalterns at the `lower end of pyramid’[20] are being deprived of their constitutional and legal entitlements, denied of their rights as citizens and are being dispossessed of their dignity as human beings in their daily lives. The freedom of expressions and thoughts is being denied[21] and what prevails is inequality in income, opportunities and dignity. Instead of harmony and unity, what is professed is disunity on the basis of social and economic background. Market fundamentalism and capture of power by economically elite sections of society is breeding inequality and impeding the way towards an equal world.
Therefore this Independence Day, the need is to review and address the prevailing situation from the viewpoint of countless citizens like Sona, Ganesh, Komal, Annama, Mahesh, Aisha, Sahila, all leading anonymous lives yet struggling hard and live across the length and breadth of India. It is essential to rewrite and redefine the freedom and democracy from the perspectives of those who have been excluded and oppressed for ages. What is required is to keep aside faux patriotism and imagine the future where common people are free and empowered to build a sustainable, just society, reclaim their rightful entitlements, question the power structures, voice their opinions and speak up for collective concerns. It is this freedom that we need to protect and celebrate; the freedom where everyone is included, the freedom to live with dignity, for all. Being Indian and to survive with dignity is a process that can only be imagined in India which strives hard to accomplish the goals of liberty, equality, justice, harmony and unity. The diverse mandates must necessarily follow to push the goal of right of subalterns which needs to be reconstructed and re-visualized. And this may be made possible by uprising against the undemocratic, unjust arbitrary rules and procedures created by the state apparatus which uses power to oppress people rather than facilitating justice. There is a need to reconsider, revive and rethink the phrase `we the people of India...’ afresh for a real inclusive democracy and to establish the true meaning of independence, making India a place `where mind is without fears and the head is held high’ as envisioned by Tagore.
The author is an activist and a researcher working on Gender, Governance and Law Issues. She has written several books including the one of Right to Information in India. She may be contacted at [email protected]
[1] Sainath P (2015) In Hindi Sahila ve Tumhe Yaad Nahin Rakhenge (Sahila they Won’t Remember You) BBC Hindi dated August 15, http://www.bbc.com/hindi/india/2015/08/150814_when_salihan_took_on_the_raj_sr?
[2] Labour Ministry (2011) State wise details of working children in the age group of 5 to 14 years as per Census 2001 and 2011, http://labour.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/Divisions/childlabour/Census-2001%262011.pdf
[3] Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India website accessed on August 15, 2015 http://labour.nic.in/content/division/child-labour.php
[4] UNICEF (2014) Ending Child Marriages: Progress and Prospects http://www.unicef.org/media/files/Child_Marriage_Report_7_17_LR..pdf
[5] Census (2011) Government of India http://www.censusindia.gov.in/vital_statistics/SRS_Report_2012/10_Chap_3_2012.pdf
[6] Sengupta Sushmita (2015) Will India get Freedom from Open Defecation, Down to Earth, dated August 14, http://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/will-india-get-freedom-from-open-defecation—50725
[7] The Time of India (2015) Pregnant woman raped by Army jawan in Kokrajhar, dated August 11, Assam, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Pregnant-woman-raped-by-Army-jawan-in-Kokrajhar/articleshow/48428540.cms
[8] Sahu Manisha (2015) `Raped by father’: Doctor says no to 16 year old rape victim’s abortion plea, The Indian Express dated August 4 http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/raped-by-father-doc-says-no-to-16-yr-old-rape-victims-abortion-plea/
[9] National Crime Record Bureau (2013) Crime in India, Crime Against Women, http://ncrb.gov.in/CD-CII2013/Chapters/5-Crime%20against%20Women.pdf
[10] Nigam Shalu (2005) Understanding Justice Delivery System in India from the perspective of women litigants as victims of domestic Violence 2005, CWDS, New Delhi http://www.cwds.ac.in/OCPaper/UnderstandingJustice.pdf
[11] Tomar Shruti (2014) Dalit Woman Sarpanch Not Allowed to Hoist Flag, The Hindustan Times, Bhopal dated July 23 http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dalit-woman-sarpanch-not-allowed-to-hoist-flag/article1-1243841.aspx
[12] Nigam Shalu (2015) Everyday Survival, Everyday Struggle: Fighting Against Hunger in South Asia published in the countercurrents dated January 26, http://www.countercurrents.org/nigam260115.htm
[13] The Times of India (2015) 25,000 Mathura Farmers seek Prez Permission to hang Themselves, dated August 10, Lucknow Edition http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/25000-Mathura-farmers-seek-Prez-permission-to-hang-themselves/articleshow/48416801.cms
[14] Visvanathan Shiv (2015) Chronicles of Struggles Retold, The Hindu dated August 6, http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/chronicle-of-a-struggle-retold/article7504666.ece
[15] The Hindu (2015) Protest in Kodaikanal dated March 7 http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/protest-in-kodaikanal/article6968263.ece
[16] Mander Harsh (2015) Surging Tides of Inequalities, The Hindu dated July 12 http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/columns/Harsh_Mander/harsh-mander-on-the-rising-economic-inequality-in-india/article7407472.ece
[17] Nigam Shalu (2014) Violence, Protest and Change: A Socio-Legal Analysis of Extraordinary Mobilization after the 2012 Delhi Gang Rape Case, International Journal of Gender and Women’s Studies, June 2014, Vol. 2 No. 2 pp 197-221 http://aripd.org/journals/ijgws/Vol_2_No_2_June_2014/11.pdf
[18] Socioeconomic and Caste Census (2011) Government of India http://secc.gov.in/reportlistContent
[19] Punyani Ram (2015) What did Colonialism do to India, Kafila, dated 13th August http://kafila.org/2015/08/13/what-did-colonialism-do-to-india-ram-puniyani/
[20] Prime Minister Speech on 15th August 2015
[21] As exhibited in curtailing the provisions of the RTI Act, or as seen in the case of denial of visa to the Greenpeace worker, or in Teesta Stelevad’s case and there are numerous examples like killing of whistle blowers in the Vyapam scam
Comments are moderated