Aarja

The Prime Minister will hoist the flag.

We will celebrate how independent India is. How democratic India is. How far we have come. How rapidly we are developing.

And somewhere in the same country...

One of India's greatest scientists is sitting on the road. On a hunger strike.

Fighting to be heard. Fighting for accountability. Fighting for the rights of the people he is representing.

His health is deteriorating. And we don't even know if he will be alive to see Independence Day.

And today, in Delhi, as people gathered to protest, videos and reports showed police using lathi-charge to disperse demonstrators.

Whether one agrees with the protest or not, the images have left many asking difficult questions about how dissent is being heard.

But yes... Happy Independence Day in advance.

I am so proud of the democracy we have built.

A democracy where a man can be on the verge of dying... and still not receive a response.

A democracy where people can be beaten while protesting, and where demanding answers can leave people feeling powerless.

A democracy where we celebrate freedom... while so many feel unheard.

And to everyone watching this, who knows what is happening, who sees what is happening, and still chooses not to take a stand:

Happy Independence Day to you too.