Independence means freedom from the control of another. Antonym of independence is dependence. British came to India to do business in the bank of Ganga River but after a few years it took control over India. They established East India Company in India so that they can control India better.
After around 200 years of staying under the control of the British people, India finally freed herself from the control. Many great leaders fought for India’s freedom and finally after years of fighting, on 15th August 1947, India finally achieved independence.
It was a joyous day for all the Indians as they finally after almost two hundred years of living under the control of British, achieved freedom. India each year celebrates the Independence Day on 15th August and it is declared as national holiday for all the Indians.
On 15th August, national tricolour flag is hosted throughout India and after that people sing India’s national anthem to show respect for everyone who helped to achieve the freedom.
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Why Independence was necessary for India
When the British took control of India, they started ruling India ruthlessly. They showed no mercy to the Indians. They used Indians like slaves. Whatever money they earned from the taxes that they imposed on the Indians were sent back to their country.
They even looted India’s treasures and send them back to their own country. The Kohinoor diamond, was taken from India by the British. India was always a rich country. It was full of treasures but the British took whatever they could with them.
While doing all these, they never showed any mercy to the Indians. Whoever opposed their rule; they killed them or send them in prison and tortured them. Indian had enough of British rule so they started to fight back and after years of fighting, India finally got its freedom back. By that time it was necessary for India to get her freedom back.
What happened to India after the Independence
Immediately after the independence, India paid a huge price by getting separated. During the midnight of 14-15th August 1947, India separated into two countries – India and Pakistan. It happened because British before leaving India, to separate its large force, started the Divide and Rule policy in which they created riot between the Hindus and the Muslims and as a result of this, immediately after the independence, India separated into two individual countries.
The people of India also got divided as many Muslims left India for Pakistan which leads to a lot of bloodshed. Even though many families left the country, many families remained in India also whose family members left for another country.
These families were distraught and heartbroken because they knew that they won’t be able to see their relatives anytime soon or ever. India had to pay a high price for getting its freedom back, which was taken from her.
India after independence recognised all the leaders that fought against the British for her freedom including those that died while trying to get India’s freedom back for her. Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister of India. India like the British, followed the system of administration, created an army to defend the country and established a Democratic form of government.
However, the country wasn’t what people thought it will be before independence. The separation left a mark along with the bloodshed. India was hurting from inside and even bleeding. It was not easy for India to move on after the change even though the change was both good and bad.
Before independence, the leaders who helped in achieving the independence, dreamt of a control free nation where people can live without fear and as a big unity but that did not happen. Even though people did not live in fear, they however did not unite like the leaders thought they will.
The Muslims that remained in India after the partition of India lived together separately as the rift between the Hindus and Muslims that British created, remained in the mind of the people. Hindus and Muslims stopped living together and even started to hate each other.
There was no trust left between the two most important religious groups in India which caused riots here and there continuously. Even after 70 years of India’s independence, the Hindus and Muslims still don’t trust each other and occasionally even fight with each other and riots between these two communities became quite common.
The individual groups based on religions formed political parties and instead of working together, went against each other. They did many great works for the Indians, but they also fought against the other parties and which in turn caused a rift between every religions of the country.
Every religion wanted their representative to be a part of the Indian Government. However, the government wanted a secular nation, so it tried to unite the groups and it worked up to certain extents and the frequent riots between religions stopped.
India today has become a strong country on its own and if any war breaks in the future, Indians can stand firmly in the war. It is competing with the foreign nations in every aspect and firmly keeping its place on the ground. India after independence has bloomed into a beautiful flower that everyone once dreamt of.
From outside, it looks as though India is steadily rising from its position and becoming even strong. But on the inside, the rifts between the religions are still there and are still causing problems.
The upper caste people frown upon the lower class people. The government made special arrangements for the lower caste people so that they can also rise in the ladder of the society and gain the acceptance that they deserve.
India has had both positive and negative effects on it because of the independence. On one hand, it got free from reign of control because of which the people stopped living in fear and India’s wealth remained in India and on the other hand, India suffered from the partition of a portion of her and the rift between the religions remained.
One effect cannot get an upper hand on the other. Both are equally good and bad. In the long run just as the independence turned out to be the best thing for India, the partition turned out to be the worst thing also. After the partition, the relationship between India and Pakistan never improved and it still is the same between the two countries.
Economically India has developed a lot and is still developing which is why India is considered as a developing country. After being suffered from the torture and control, India has risen and is continuing to rise no matter what.
India can be compared with a chained bird whose wings were chained for around 200 years but after it achieved its freedom, it continued to fly even though it stumbled and fell down a few times, it stood up and again started to fly and it will continue to fly high like the other birds.
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