15th August apart from being the Independence Day of our country, is also the ‘Foundation Day’ of Durgapur-based social organization Durgapur Adda Young Association (DAYA). On 15th August 2017, DAYA took an initiative to get an understanding of what the young generations, who have just reached the age of 18 have to say on, “how independent we are after 70 years of independence”.
The event was organized at the Children’s Academy Hall in Durgapur Steel Township. Open invitation was given to students who are in Class XI and above. The aim of this initiative was to get some new thoughts and views from our future generation.
A total of 11 students participated in the elocution contest. Needless to say, that all the participants are good students but surprisingly most of the speeches lack the much needed insight. Most skipped the main point and move on to out of context through mere emotional speeches; It seemed as if everyone was memorizing. Only the two spoke about Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the fight for the protection of the natural resources of the Bastar tribes.
In addition to rewarding everyone, an attempt was made to highlight various aspects of the issue to the people present during the Q&A session on India’s independence.
The 2 judges were Basudev Hazra, former Principal of Maichael Madhusudan Memorial College and Sudipa Chowdhury, lecturer at Khandra College.
It was indeed an absorbing session of discussion which raised many questions and doubt as to how much independent we are.