The News Minute | August 15, 2014 | 5.02 pm ISTIt would be a good time to ask ourselves right around Independence Day, what it means to be free and independent. Also, what it means to be a country. Does it mean knowing all the right facts about the Independence? Who was the first President, Prime Minister etc? Or, does it mean to care for a fellow human being, not limited to just your compatriots. Here is an account of the experience of a Delhi-based journalist on Friday, August 15, the day India’s political freedom is celebrated. On his way to the office, this is what Shiv Sunny stumbled upon, and posted on his Facebook page. It has been reproduced with permission: “Till now I believed that media reports on hundreds of commuters looking away from men injured in accidents on roads were a little exaggerated. An incident today left me emotionally traumatised and my faith in people shattered.I was headed to office on motorcycle. Near Delhi Cantonment I saw a small crowd around a man who was injured in a motorcycle accident. The unconscious man's limbs were broken and his head and face bleeding profusely. I guess there is little chance of his survival.Shockingly, no three or four-wheelers stopped to help him. I requested a few car drivers and auto-rickshaws to transport him to a hospital. I am not exaggerating when I say that none of the 30-odd car drivers I requested chose to stop. One of them even rolled up his car windows.There was this uncle who appeared to be from an economically good background who chose to get off his car and take a look. I made the same request, but he returned to his car saying there were people seated in his vehicle.Finally, about 7-8 minutes later, an auto-rickshaw driver stopped his vehicle and offered to take the man to hospital. There was no one else to accompany him and I offered to get into the auto-rickshaw in case the man needed blood or any help.I told him I would park my motorcycle away from the middle of the road. By the time I parked and turned around, he had driven away. Either he knew the value of time in such situations or believed me also to be one among those who look away.For the remaining of my journey, I rode my motorcycle a little slower. Perhaps no one would give a damn about me either if I ever happened to be in a similar position.â€Speaking to The News Minute by email later, Shiv Sunny said that even though he had offered Rs 100 to the autodriver to take the injured man to the hospital, the man refused. He said he was waiting to find out what happened to the man.So, some food for thought? What’s more important, getting all the details about Independence right, or getting your heart and mind in the right place?