To celebrate the 73rd Republic Day of India as a democratic nation, we are to introspect our duties more than rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution came into existence on January 26, 1950. We became a sovereign, secular, socialist, democratic republic on this day.

26th January was chosen as the day to announce India becoming a republic as in 1929 on the same day the Indian National Congress denounced colonial rule and proclaimed Purna Swaraj, “complete freedom from the British”. 

This day reminds us of our freedom struggle and how the great freedom fighters of our nation sacrificed their lives. It is because of their struggle that today we are living in a democratic India where every citizen has the right to equality, the right to freedom, the right against exploitation, the right to freedom of religion, cultural and educational rights, and the right to constitutional remedies.

To maintain and strengthen the democratic values of our republic, we need to learn to balance between our rights and duties without blame game and war of words. Our youth have to be alert, aware and awake of the people with a negative mindset and use logic and rationale (vivek) to be an argumentative Indian with a full sense of responsibility.

To live in the spirit of freedom, we need to win over the prevailing vices and make Bharat fit to be the knowledge economy where Sarswati is equally worshipped as Lakshmi. Let us take a vow to fight the formidable foes this Republic day.

We need to learn from the feathered friends –the messengers of freedom who are free to fly over the lands that we have divided into regions, caste and creed.

To be truly democratic Bharat, we should encourage, motivate and empower youth to accept politics as a career capable of bringing healthy, ethical participation in politics. Indian youth have to imbibe the lessons of wisdom in the Gita and Anu-Gita for real empowerment with spiritual awakening and controlling anger.

Happy 73rd Republic day!

(Prof M M Goel is Vice-Chancellor Starex University, Gurugram   www.starexuniversity.com and Founder Needonomics School of Thought www.needonomics.com)

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