India will complete its 75 years of independence from British colonial rule this Monday. After centuries of oppression from the Brits and through a struggle that lasted for decades, our ancestors achieved independence in 1947.

People from all communities played a part in the freedom struggle, from Gandhi, Nehru & Bhagat Singh to prominent Muslim leaders like Allama Iqbal, Muhammad Ali & Shauqat, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

The first freedom struggle was by Mysorean rulers Hyder Ali and his son the tiger of Mysore 'Tipu Sultan'. The last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar's rebellion against the foreign invaders ignited the flame for the 1857 independence struggle.

K.M. Ameer Hamza donated his multi-million fortune to Indian National Army (INA). Shah Nawaz Khan was a soldier, a politician, and a Chief Officer and Commander in the Indian National Army (INA). Netaji’s ministry had nineteen ministers, out of these, five were Muslims.

Abul Kalam Azad, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, and Nawab of Bihar were the three who made the plans for total independence. Suraiya Taiyabji (a Muslim lady) designed the current Indian National Flag.

Muslims used Masjids for the freedom struggle. When an Imam was addressing the freedom struggle in a Holy Masjid in Uttar Pradesh, British Army shot all the Muslims in that Masjid.

Muslims ruled India for over 800 years but they didn’t steal anything from India as the British, the Dutch and the French did. It was their home, their motherland, their actions were for its prosperity, not robbery.

But in today's India, a Muslim's patriotism is questioned, and the community is asked to prove it or else leave for our Muslim majority neighbor. For a sect of Indian society, Muslims are not Indians, we are foreign invaders. It is so heartbreaking to encounter these vile & hateful allegations. Our history is now being rewritten of invaders & murderers and our struggles & sufferings for our home are being erased.

We did get free from the British raj 75 years ago, but we aren't free from the hate, discrimination, and prejudices within and once we are free from these, we will achieve Independence in its sum.