Independence Day 2026: Bhopal Youth Seek Freedom From Casteism, Gender Bias and Orthodoxy

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Youths in the city want freedom from casteism, gender bias and orthodoxy. They want one-way communication to be replaced with dialogues and a clean and fair education system. 

For them, Independence Day is about patriotism and paying tribute to those who are keeping the country safe and free. On the eve of Independence Day, Free Press spoke with some youths in the city about the freedom India needs today and what I-Day means to them. Excerpts:

Freedom from orthodoxy

For me, Independence Day symbolises patriotism. Republic Day is more about the law and the Constitution, while Independence Day is more about the nation.

On this day, I would like to pay tribute to the members of our armed forces, who stand guard at the borders to keep us safe and secure. I would like the country to gain freedom from orthodoxy.

Also, I think we need to redefine concepts like gender equality and positive discrimination.

None should involve giving one section more privileges than the other. We should only strive to ensure that all get equal opportunities to grow and realise their potential.

-Aman Shukla (26) Data Privacy Consultant

Freedom from gender bias

Independence Day for me, signifies the freedom to say what I feel or think. I think that we should free ourselves from the tendency of demanding changes without changing ourselves.

As Mahatma Gandhi had said, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.” I also want freedom from gender bias and casteism. I want the freedom to move freely in my city after dark - a freedom that boys enjoy.

I want theory to become practice. If we say that we believe in gender equality, then it should reflect on the ground.

Nishi Pande (21) student

Freedom from monologue

Independence Day is a reminder to me that freedom comes with responsibility. As they say, my right to swing my fist ends where your nose begins.

We must ensure that while exercising our freedom, we do not encroach upon the freedom of others. Our country, I feel, needs freedom from monologue.

We need to promote dialogue. While we are and we should be eternally indebted to freedom fighters, we should also respect the people who are protecting and preserving our freedom.

-Satish Raj Acharya, (30), social activist

Freedom from compromised examination system

For me, Independence Day means that we should get our fundamental rights, especially the right to freedom of expression. I think we need freedom from unemployment.

More importantly, we need freedom from the assaults on our right to education. Every child has the right to qualitative and accessible basic education.

But we find that 94,000 schools have been closed in the country. We find that our examination system is compromised. You can get a job or a seat in a professional college if you are ready to shell out money. This is not the country our freedom fighters had fought for.

-Bhagwati Kadwe (26) social activist