A way out for India

“India is marching towards super power status and it is already an economic power. It is the most advancing emerging economy.  We are technologically so very advanced (our rockets have even circled the moon) and our industry is skyrocketing. “ The media controlled by the ruling  parties constantly pump these concepts into the minds of those who care to watch and listen. Ironically there are quite a few who absorb every word and believe them.     

And the reality?  India is one of the most corrupt nations in the world. The above middle class thinks Anna Hazare (an impeccable, absolutely poor crusader against corruption) is at also corrupt like the leaders of the ruling parties who have sucked the wealth of this country, and many of whom have stashed away loads of wealth in foreign banks. Following the lead and example of the ruling family their sycophants are sucking away the wealth of this nation as kickbacks (like in the Bofors Gun Deal by Rajiv Gandhi) from the billions and billions worth of arms/equipment purchase for the defense forces and others (India is the biggest arms purchaser in the world) and from the welfare schemes initiated by the government for the poor.

Nobody questions why a poor country like India earmarks so much for defense or for space. There is no real threat from any nation except a fear psychosis of a threat of war from Pakistan and China (probably a conscious creation to justify the large scale arms purchase . What has India learnt from sending rockets (a majority of which have nosedived as soon as they were sent) which the world does not know? The most recent census show that one out of 2 houses does not have a toilet! Not even half of our women are literate!  650 million (60% of the Indian population) are poor. Most of them earning between Rs20 to Rs30 per day.   125 million children do not attend school! More than half of our children are mal-nourished stunted many of whom die in early childhood out of starvation, diseases or both. Almost half the population lives in one room ramshackle huts or shacks without running water, toilet or anything else. In hunger, poverty, illiteracy, insanitation, malnutrition India tops the list in the comity of nations.   

This great nation can develop only when we have leaders who are not corrupt:  who have the nation’s interest in their minds. Interest in kickbacks will lead to big purchases whether needed or not. Interest in bribery will end up in the creation of more and more draconian laws, regulations and social welfare schemes. The political leadership should have the will to prioritize women’s and children’s development, implement family planning measures, educate and empower women, facilitate industries with less rules  and by the proper development of infrastructure.    

Shame on India!

A new study (a report on the Hunger and Malnutrition  by the Naandi Foundation) based on the height and weight of more than 100,000 Indian children across 6 states, show that 42% of the under-fives are severely underweight and 59% of them are stunted (their height is much lower than the median height).  Roughly about 50% of the Indian children are malnourished.  Or, almost one in two do not get enough to eat and they are sick and emaciated.  This is another feather on India’s cap!

The Prime Minster of India has said it is a national shame!

It is shame on the ruling political leaders who follow wrong priorities! It is shame on those who have hoarded tons of money in the secret accounts of foreign banks! Shame on those government employees who exploit the poor and fatten themselves! Shame on all those who accumulate thousands of millions each year by graft! Shame on those who send rockets up (of what use has it been so far? How many of them have gone up? What have they discovered which have not been already known?)Shame on those who get a share of the billions in the purchase of aircrafts, ships, submarines and other military equipment!  Shame on all those politicians who manipulate public funds for programs where a big graft is assured.

Many say India is an economic power.

Many say India is a nuclear power.

Many say India is world military power.

And of course India is a space power too.  

Now look at the ground reality!  What a sad sight! Our children are suffering.  A consioderable percentage of them  will be dying without food, medicine and care! Let those sitting in the ivory towers declare in the world summits, at the height of their voice, India is an economic  super power, India is a military and space power while our children suffer and die!  Let religions condemn birth control measures like Mother Teresa did! what a service to India!