After decades of colonial rule, India declared its independence on 15^th August 1947. I feel dejected for not being able to see that first rising sun, those twittering of birds and flowing of fragrant air of freedom.

I sometimes feel more unlucky for not seeing how my ancestors fought for freedom to make India a free and democratic nation.

Democracy, a word we all know and will know and remember especially every time, we do anything outside our home. Be it a walking on street, driving a car, in our day- to-day job, being part of a religious procession or the biggest of all, while voting. Democracy gives us some extra power and enhances this feeling of being free.

I am sure you agree to my thoughts. But will you continue to feel the same once you read further I can’t tell.

We were free as a nation and our constitution came into existence, another reason to rejoice and celebrate with the extended family called India. However, something that supplemented the making of the constitution was the rise in the power and control of three categories of people. I call them the Three Powerful Ps, namely the Politicians, the Police Force and the Press (the Media).

21^st century of India is Governed by Politicians, Powered by Police and Presented by Press. While the Politicians have a direct role in making of the laws, the Police Force is responsible for people abiding by these laws and the media voices the public opinion. Their responsibilities are big so are their powers.

One small example of a democratic power which was disturbing my free thoughts from quiet some time is a vehicle identification plate which we simply call “number plate”. It had no numbers, only alphabets, which read – POLICE. I wonder when that simple metal plate of a vehicle became a power demonstrating plate of a position or an organization the vehicle owner represents.

The only conclusion I could draw after reading this was that the Great Powerful P’s have a secured right to not only take laws in their hands but to also put them on their number plates.

Not all but some and sometimes not some but many of these greater P’s have powerful number plates. Their vehicle numbers are less visible than their powers and sometimes they don’t have numbers on their vehicles at all.

I remember when my dad used to tell me that in any emergency situation on road like a fatal accident they used to look for a scooter with a red-cross sign on its number plate which represent a doctor’s vehicle.

Nice, that’s really helpful in such situation but what if a long related nephew of a police officer who is just 18 year old had put POLICE on his number plate? What if a gate security guard working in a national newspaper has carved PRESS on his bike?

Do these people help for being useful in any emergency situation? Are they capable even? Do we really need a grandson of a politician driving a 20lakhs saloon car with “Maha Mantri” written on the number plate? Leave the need aside; is it under the law of India?

Some months ago I saw 3 young guys near Fatehsagar having beer while riding a bike. Unfortunately I was not carrying my camera with me and so I am not writing what I have seen on their number plate. But I will disclose that it was one of the P of the three greatest powerful Ps.

Many such examples we have came across but we never dared to ask them their rights or the limits to their rights.

Well, I am just another ordinary Indian, with my limited knowledge of democracy and the state of affairs of our country. However, what I know for sure is that the owners of such vehicles and such number plates are far too ignorant of the responsibilities that go along with the positions of their uncle’s or aunt’s, which they openly use to demonstrate their superiority over me, you and any ‘Ordinary Indian’.

This being the case of the Powerful P’s, we ordinary Indians too are not free from blame. Not at all!

Few example of public freedom include digging a newly constructed road to decorate it for a cultural procession, spitting freely anywhere while riding a bike, parking vehicle and forgetting that others are getting annoyed by it etc.

Those like me who have never seen an enslaved India and have never witnessed, forget about being a part of, a long fight and bloodshed to attain freedom will define Democracy with such acts. For me a democracy is not only freedom of expression but of all those unconventional actions which I think are too light to be objected.

Scams and frauds are gripping our country – CWG, 2G Spectrum, Land and Housing Societies and the list is endless. Not just the people the Sea and Sky of India are filled with corruption. The air you breathe has been corrupted some time or the other. What I wrote on today is way too little in comparison.

I don’t know when and how this will end but I have to end this article somewhere. Even though I am clueless and confused but I keep something for you to share. What your mind says, what is boiling in your heart and what is it that you can do?

It’s just a matter of my immature writing skills that I am leaving this article incomplete….but certainly this story never ends here, I just hope it starts from here…and reaches somewhere…