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| Khudiram Bose just before his hanging. Khudiram Bose -- a freedom fighter of Bengal who laid down his life just to say his country free. |
There
was a time when freedom fighters went against the odds and gave their lives for
freedom of our country. Peaceful protesters boasting of the spirit of
non-violence paraded on the streets while the people looked up to them as
saviors and their leaders. The phalanx of people held to each other with the
common aim of freedom resurrected our nation from the clutches of the British
Raj. After so many years, we see the same peaceful march of people to attain
freedom not of the country but to reclaim the roads for our women. We were not
safe then, we are not safe now either. We were killed by the foreigners then;
we are killed and mutilated by our own men now. Our women feared the pierced
gaze of the British then; our women fear the penetrative gaze of our men now.
Our women feared sexual harassment from our invaders; our women fear offensive
behavior and tormenting stare and intentions of our men. All these force us to
think as to whether we are really free. As Guruji had dreamed of:
Where the mind is without fear
And the head is held high.
May be we have to still wait for that day to come, that
day to arrive, and that day to give us peace and freedom of our soul.
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