Freedom is the soul of democracy. We need to keep it safe and strong to ensure that our democracy never falters or flounders, says OSWALD PEREIRA
Every New Year brings in cheer and good news. The first day of the year is celebrated the world over. India, that is Bharat, is not far behind, in joining the celebrations. But it is not just the first day. Every day for the rest of the year should be a celebration.
In the year 2024, let us all in our great nation celebrate freedom. By adopting freedom as the theme of our celebrations, we can give a boost to our democracy.
India, being the largest democracy of the world in terms of numbers, has the greatest responsibility in ensuring freedom ― and protecting the rights of citizens.
The people of India should play the lead role in invigorating and protecting her democracy.
It is absolutely necessary that every citizen has freedom of speech and expression. This is possible when we are free from fear ― that we may be penalised if we speak or write what is true, or express our understanding of the truth.
Our scriptures contain sound advice on conquering fear. Swami Vivekananda said, “We have a place for struggle in the Vedanta, but not for fear.”
He added: “All fears will vanish when you begin to assert your own nature. If you think that you are bound, bound you will remain. If you think you are free, free you will be.”
In a true democracy, it is the people who are the torchbearers of freedom and democracy. As citizens, we cannot compromise on our freedom, and leave it to the ruling class to decide what is right or wrong for us.
This seems so basic ― but it is in such simple and basic issues that we often flounder, making us vulnerable to assaults on our freedom.
“Man has freedom, but every moment forgets it,” remarked Vivekananda. Therefore, it is necessary that we are conscious of our freedom and assert it, at all times.
We can never be free, if we feel weak and fearful. In order to be free, we need to be strong. Only when every citizen is strong, will we be free and the nation as a whole will be strong and capable of making its democracy robust and vibrant.
People who live in fear of the powers-that-be are afraid to speak their mind. George Washington, the first President of the USA, said, “If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” Strong words by Washington, but so very true.
“Freedom, O Freedom! Freedom, O Freedom! is the song of the soul,” said Vivekananda.
Freedom, indeed, is the soul of democracy.
We need to fight to keep it safe and strong in our great nation to ensure that our democracy never ever falters or flounders, and stays strong forever.
Oswald Pereira, a senior journalist, has also written eight books, including The Newsroom Mafia, Chaddi Buddies, The Krishna-Christ Connexion, How to Create Miracles in Our Daily Life and Crime Patrol: The Most Thrilling Stories. Oswald is a disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, and practises Kriya Yoga.
More Stories by Oswald Pereira
Images Courtesy: Pexels
True Oswald ji, Democracy is the highest ideal and yet, it carries with it the highest responsibility. Telling about equality of all remains a lofty ideal unless human rights is guarded, protected and fostered at every cost with the same amount of zeal.
This reminds me of a beautiful book by Erich Fromm on the anatomy of human destructiveness in which he emphatically says that rooted in man’s “fear of freedom” lies the seed of his greatest destructivity.
Intrinsic in this fear of freedom lies man’s tendency to escape from freedom and thereby he kills himself first and thereafter he murders the society.
He says:
“Man represses the irrational passions of destructiveness, hate, envy, revenge; he worships power, money, the sovereign state, the nation; while he pays lip service to the teachings of the great spiritual leaders of the human race, those of Buddha, the prophets, Socrates, Jesus, Mohammed—he has transformed these teachings into a jungle of superstition and idol-worship.
How can mankind save itself from destroying itself by this discrepancy between intellectual-technical overmaturity and emotional backwardness?
…
The hallmark of our great Nation, India or Bharat has indeed been Democracy where in spite of all the dichotomies in respect of caste, creed and religions people have lived in peace and amity. But it is the vested interests only, be they in the helm of power or without it, who have time and again fomented the fire of discords to tear the social fabric to foster their parochial objectives. The need is to muster strength enough, and moral enough to raise the voice of sanity against all forces to the contrary to safeguard the value of freedom of man without which democracy can never survive. This can happen only if the authentic ones from every section of the society are not fearful of freedom to raise their voice of concern as and when time asks for it.
However, as Fromm reminds us, “the discrepancy between intellectual-technical overmaturity and emotional backwardness”, which happens to be the order of the day, is the greatest threat to actualise it.
May our society evolve to this order so that the tree of our enviable democratic structure flower, flourish and eternally survive.
Thank you Oswald ji, for this strong reminder at the herald of the new year.
Happy New Year.
Dear Baturam Ji,
Thank you for sharing the writings of Erich Fromm and your insights on the subject.
Always great to read your articles Oswald. Freedom starts withing us for sure! Free your mind n you will be free.
Agree, freedom starts within us and we ought to free our mind to be free.
Great post! A powerful reminder of that freedom is the hallmark of every progressive society: both within and without.