'Independence and Republic days have now become more of 'picnic festivals', the Shiv Sena today said, wondering if the nation has 'truly' achieved freedom in last 70 years. The challenge in 1947 was to attain freedom for our nation. The challenge in 2017 is to 'safeguard' the nation's Independence, Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP, said. "There are various questions, like, what is the use of achieving independence, how far has this independence reached to the common man, have people been freed of poverty, illiteracy, economic and social evils.