We are a Republic so….

A day before yesterday I was watching the Republic Day parade on the National television. Different Regiments of the armed forces marching past the podium with the President taking the salute. An occasion that has been seen year over year and still it doesn’t grow old at all. A time that fills every Indian’s heart with a sense of pride. An occasion to celebrate the “Right to Freedom” as a human being of an independent country.
But wait a second…….. Do we really follow the real meaning of a Republic always? Can anyone remember what was beamed across all the major news channels just that night preceding the Republic day??? A large mob of goons belonging to the so called “Sri Ram Sene” (read upholders of our rich cultural heritage) attacked a local pub in Mangalore, tore apart the clothes of ladies and even tried to molest them. If that was not enough calling those prostitutes or whores would have surely done the trick for them to infuse among the people a sense of being an ardent follower of our great cultural values. It just goes on to show how republic we are!!!
Where has this thing being written that drinking or dancing is banned until you are not breaking the law of the land. Incidents like these cannot be called less than an act of blatant Indian Talibanization. In plain words a diktat good or bad imposed by a few people that must be followed or you are at your own peril. But still we call ourselves a Republic!!
One should remember that our strength lies in our freedom to live the way we want and not through a doctrine of someone else. Until and unless we uphold this principle no matter how many more Republic Days we celebrate it would just be a yearly ritual rather than something we really walk the talk.