What does freedom mean to you?

Freedom is to look out of the bars of narrow thinking while keeping your eyes open. If we try to protect our goodness in our own way and do not try to deprive others from protecting their goodness or do not create obstacles in it, then this is true freedom. The desire for freedom is common to all living beings. The caged cuckoo may be seen singing, but it wants to chirp on trees only, the caged chick wants to break the strong walls of the egg and come out, the little sparrow waits for its wings to become strong so that it can fly freely from branch to branch and see the world with its own eyes. The desire for freedom is present in humans from birth. A small child expresses this desire by crying or by being stubborn, many times he wants to walk leaving the fingers of his parents, even if he falls while trying to walk! This is freedom. To live with respect, self-respect and equality. Even if one has to face obstacles in living like this.

The meaning of freedom is different for every citizen. Some people consider freedom to be a liberty for themselves, in which they can do whatever they want, whether it is right or wrong. But freedom is only for good things. Freedom becomes a curse for bad things. Therefore, freedom has meaning only when there is a sense of dignity, character and dedication in freedom. If there is no dignity, character and dedication in freedom, then it is not freedom but a kind of openness. On which there is no control. This openness is responsible for the occurrence of incidents like rape, molestation, murder in the country and society. In India, on Independence Day, the youth of the country celebrate freedom by flying kites. The kites fluttering in the air give the message that we are residents of a free country. But does one feel freedom by hoisting the tricolor or flying kites? Has everyone in India got the right to live freely? People are cutting trees. Girl foetuses are being killed. Women are tortured on the streets. Elderly people living alone are murdered.  People consume alcohol and cause road accidents in the country and kill other innocent people. What kind of freedom is this, where one person is violating the rights of another person.

Humanity is the greatest religion. Hurting someone’s feelings cannot be freedom of expression. Freedom of expression does not mean that you do whatever you want. Protesting is your right but the question is what should be the method of protest? Can we prove it right by killing or abusing someone? Along with freedom of expression, there are some responsibilities too. We should learn to respect the feelings of others.