By IANS
New Delhi : Another Independence Day, another sweltering August morning, and more stories of thousands of schoolchildren being made to wait for hours at the Red Fort here without a drop of water.
“We were here at 4 in the morning and were not given a single drop of water. We were very thirsty. But when we asked uncle (a security personnel), he scolded us. They said no water will be supplied till the function is over,” complained Sachin Kumar, a Class 10 student of Sarvodya Bal Vidyalaya.
Some girl students complained of a stomach ache due to sheer hunger.
“We didn’t have any food after we arrived here and also could not eat at home as they called us too early to school. We had a severe stomach ache but had to attend the function with other students,” said Priya Malhotra, a class 9 student of a private school.
The respite came only after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh finished his 35-minute speech that began at 7.35 a.m. – three-and-a-half hours after the children arrived at the venue – with fruits, water and chips.
Notwithstanding the discomfort, the schoolchildren, who provide all the colour and gaiety that goes with the event, lustily shouted ‘Jai Hind’ and added to the patriotic mood.
Over 3,000 children of different schools and energetic NCC cadets had arrived at the historic Red Fort early morning, dressed in saffron, white and green, and performed for an hour before the audience that included ministers, MPs and diplomats.
“We have been preparing for the Independence Day for the past 15 days and feel proud to be a part of the function,” said 12-year-old Surbhai Mittal, a Class 6 student of Francis School.
“We arrived in our school vans at around 4 a.m. and collectively performed at least 10 patriotic numbers with other schoolchildren for an hour,” eight-year-old Komal Verma told IANS.
Old favourites like “Mera Rang De Basanti Chola” and “Sarforshi Ki Tamanna Ab Hamare Dil Mai Hai” were among the various songs performed by the young guns of the country.
With the day starting to get warmer, there was some restlessness among the people seated in the open.
But once Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived at the fort and unfurled the Indian flag, the national anthem was played with cannon roaring the 21-fun salute.
Soon after, there was an overpowering silence in the audience.
The prime minister’s inspiring speech, delivered in crisp Hindi, invited loud and frequent applause.
“Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speech was very encouraging, he has asked us to respect the elders and help the underprivileged. We are very delighted and are going home with a beautiful lesson,” said Kanika Thakur, a Class 8 student of a nearby government school.
The celebration came to an end with the singing of the national anthem. Hundreds of tricolour balloons, tied with the national flag, soared in the sky, reminding one of the free spirit that India is.