Independent...Are we really?

My Mom was the only person who said 'Jai Hind' when the flag was hoisted in the Gurgaon society that we exist in. While some looked at her, probably finding it over the top, dramatic, comical or even...below standard, some of them repeated with my mother, feebly.
Even today, the main topic of debate after the flag has been unfurled and respects have been paid, is whose husband works where?how much does he earn? what is whose latest extravagant possession? what happened to the tender that the company thought to buy? who is younger than whom? why does Mrs. Chawla stay indoors?etc etc. I am sure if it were not for the free food, no body would have disturbed their bonus slumber and come down to witness the event, once a spectacle.
62 years...are we at all independent?
No, I think. The newly married, who has to, even today, face the rebukes by her in laws. is she independent? the girl who has to do whatever her father decides. is she independent? the boy who wants to go to the states for further studies but doesnt have enough funds. is he independent? A local electrician who has to do duty at odd hours to feed his family...just to feed. is he independent? the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha people who wants a seperate state for themselves. are they independent? Is India free from its foreign big brothers?
The common people or the UPA's mascot-the Aam Aadmi (or mango people as saif ali khan says in LAK) is still shackled by the chains of poverty, unemployment, inflation, poluution, crime, personal insecurity etc. Culturally, our blind aping of the western culture doesnt make us feel that we were once colonized by the British and we were slaves to them.
There are others who dont want to be independent. Largely dependent on the society and its functions, a government employee would never think of starting up his own business. I still wait for my Mom to serve me food on the dinner table. Why?
I am not being cynical but being pragmatic. Independence is a weighty word. what we achieved 62 years ago is a portion of it. We are yet to be free.
But still and always, no matter what...Jai Hind!