<p>As India is set to celebrate its 78th Independence Day tomorrow, writers and thinkers tell Metrolife what they want freedom from.</p>.<p><strong>Corrupt and biased system</strong></p>.<p>Arundhati Ghosh, writer and cultural practitioner</p>.<p>“I want freedom from an environment of contempt, hate, and violence against those who are different; a corrupt and biased system that actively breeds inequality and seeds injustice, especially against communities marginalised by caste, class, religion, gender, and sexuality; the tentacles of neoliberal capitalism where the blind race of development is poisoning the water we drink and polluting the air we breathe.”</p>.<p><strong>Patriarchal practices</strong></p><p>Priya Varadarajan, gender rights activist, founder of Durga India</p>.<p>“I want freedom from patriarchal practices that condition women to behave in a certain way. These limit my agency, my decision-making, and my ability to confidently occupy spaces that are considered only for men. I want to freely say that I belong in all spaces and that all spaces belong to me too.”</p>.<p><strong>No more negative news</strong></p><p>Vasudhendra, Kannada author</p>.<p>“I want freedom from corruption by the government, atrocities on minorities, honour killings, farmer and student suicides, people being arrested for expressing their opinions, rape and murder, natural disasters, and death by hunger. Even after 78 years of independence, access to basic facilities like health and education is a problem. A conscious effort to bridge the gap between the rich and poor is the need of the hour.”</p>.<p><strong>Violence and oppression</strong></p><p>Du Saraswathi, Dalit activist, theatre artiste and writer</p>.<p>“I want freedom from all kinds of violence and oppression in the name of gender, caste, class, sexuality, religion, and from dictatorship, fear, and insecurities. I would like to remember and pass on the legacy of all the unknown, unheard, and unseen women who fought for the country’s freedom. This includes illiterate, poor, and Dalit women. I have been talking about such heroes since the 75th Independence Day. ‘We the people’ in the Preamble also includes these women.”</p>.<p><strong>Back to basics</strong></p><p>S Japhet, former vice-chancellor of Bengaluru Central University</p>.<p>“I want freedom from unemployment, hunger, poverty, inequality, caste, gender and discrimination based on ethnicity, and unequal access to education. I wish for freedom from misuse of public institutions, and disparities between regions and states. Intolerance, majoritarian politics, and the dominance of one culture, religion or language, all need to go.”</p>
<p>As India is set to celebrate its 78th Independence Day tomorrow, writers and thinkers tell Metrolife what they want freedom from.</p>.<p><strong>Corrupt and biased system</strong></p>.<p>Arundhati Ghosh, writer and cultural practitioner</p>.<p>“I want freedom from an environment of contempt, hate, and violence against those who are different; a corrupt and biased system that actively breeds inequality and seeds injustice, especially against communities marginalised by caste, class, religion, gender, and sexuality; the tentacles of neoliberal capitalism where the blind race of development is poisoning the water we drink and polluting the air we breathe.”</p>.<p><strong>Patriarchal practices</strong></p><p>Priya Varadarajan, gender rights activist, founder of Durga India</p>.<p>“I want freedom from patriarchal practices that condition women to behave in a certain way. These limit my agency, my decision-making, and my ability to confidently occupy spaces that are considered only for men. I want to freely say that I belong in all spaces and that all spaces belong to me too.”</p>.<p><strong>No more negative news</strong></p><p>Vasudhendra, Kannada author</p>.<p>“I want freedom from corruption by the government, atrocities on minorities, honour killings, farmer and student suicides, people being arrested for expressing their opinions, rape and murder, natural disasters, and death by hunger. Even after 78 years of independence, access to basic facilities like health and education is a problem. A conscious effort to bridge the gap between the rich and poor is the need of the hour.”</p>.<p><strong>Violence and oppression</strong></p><p>Du Saraswathi, Dalit activist, theatre artiste and writer</p>.<p>“I want freedom from all kinds of violence and oppression in the name of gender, caste, class, sexuality, religion, and from dictatorship, fear, and insecurities. I would like to remember and pass on the legacy of all the unknown, unheard, and unseen women who fought for the country’s freedom. This includes illiterate, poor, and Dalit women. I have been talking about such heroes since the 75th Independence Day. ‘We the people’ in the Preamble also includes these women.”</p>.<p><strong>Back to basics</strong></p><p>S Japhet, former vice-chancellor of Bengaluru Central University</p>.<p>“I want freedom from unemployment, hunger, poverty, inequality, caste, gender and discrimination based on ethnicity, and unequal access to education. I wish for freedom from misuse of public institutions, and disparities between regions and states. Intolerance, majoritarian politics, and the dominance of one culture, religion or language, all need to go.”</p>