59 years of Independence, are we really free?

This is something i'd written for elocution in the 9th std.:

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59 years of independence, are we really free?

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Decades ago, we made a tryst with destiny. As we started off… “At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will wake to life and freedom.”
But, thinking over, the most vexed question still remains whether through all these years, have we really awoken?
We seem highly affluent when it comes to define freedom- “ the ability of doing whatever we please as long as it does not encroach upon another’s freedom” we say. Freedom from misery, poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, huh! a hollow dream. Our so-called democracy, of the people, for the people and by the people is drastically morphing into a ‘mobocracy’.
What makes me think like this you ask? The oblivious state of affairs with corrupt, illegitimate officials eating away into the system and still we can do nothing. If we really had this ‘freedom of speech’ then why would so many whistleblowers be put to a silent death? For standing against injustice?
The bureaucratic stranglehold and procedural red tape still undermine autonomy and enterprise. The rich get richer and the poor, poorer. Even today 25% -30% of the population stakes its life for a day’s meal.
Even the basic right to vote is being inflicted upon, the recent Bihar election tragedy is one such staring-into-the-face example, of how bigwigs get away with all the wrongdoings.
Moreover, even today there are instances of Sati, child marriages, female feticide, dowry et.al. ricocheting in society. 29% of the people are unemployed, and loitering in misery.
If you still think we are free, then ask all those children who have been ruthlessly caged in hell, having to work for their matters day in and day out.
Ask the abandoned families of all those martyrs who are left lamenting in pain and agony.
So wake up; wake up before it is too late, before this country becomes a stalemate..