India Shining?

Harsh Mander has a column in the magazine section of Sunday's 'Hindu' His last week's column upset me.
Just like any other Indian, I gloat over the frequent statements of our politicians and businessmen and also by the greedy foreign tycoons about the opportunities offered by the emerging India and its surging economy.I'm, one of those several thousands of Indians who dream about being one of the citizens of an economic super power.Every timeI thought about it I loved it, till I read that article.

I can't say I was totally blind at the lurking poverty of this country;but having been in Kerala the most literate state flush with Gulf money, I haven't seen much of agonising poverty except while visiting other states. I haven't seen many Malayalees begging for alms as much as the beggars from other states on the streets of our cities and towns.But in the remote villages of Orissa, Rajastan, Jharkund,UP,Bihar and Andhra Pradesh the anguish of the parents for not procuring enough food for their childdren let alone schooling them is palpable.One Sahariya tribal in Rajastan says most of the time when the children cry for food, he feels so desperate that he wishes to take out his own liver and offer them.His wife begs for rice water left over after cooking rice from her neighbours and feed them. More often than not, the parents go hungry to feed their kids. Harsh narrates how Sheik Gaffar confided about his granddaughter takeing a fancy to something and demands it. Shamim, her mother, gives her a slap painfully raising her paralysed hand and the child sobs to sleep.Manee a young widow forcefully breast feeds her daughter and leaves her for the whole day in the care of her older daughter barely one year older.They wait desperately for their mother to return with some food. On many occasions, Manee goes to bed without any food.Those who go to the forest in search of food gather green edible leaves, 'kardi' (tender shoots of bamboo)grind them to a paste and drink with some water and some rice floating in it.

I've reproduced a few cases from the article. They were sufficient for me to feel ashamed of my indulgence be it food or life style.We bury our heads in every new Forbes list of billionaires to check how many Indian names have been added.We scan daily newspapers to see newer models of Bentleys, Mercedes, Audi and all other expensive cars introduced in this country.We go in raptures when we read about Ambanis building a 27 storied house just for 4 or 5 people to live in.

Where is our conscience? Are we to keep these wretched souls always illiterate and keep them away from such outrageous display of wealth? Are we to condemn these hapless children to their dismal future? In the hot pursuit of material comforts are we careening to a catastrophe? The article had a telling effect on me and forced me to think the disaster is just around the corner. When it strikes it will be merciless as we saw in great revolutions.We can still prevent it. Only if we consider these poor people as human beings; only if the politicians become less corrupt and engage in nation building; only if education is for all and compulsory; only if the government provide them jobs to improve their standard of life; only ifinexpensive medical help is made available for all and.Yes, the best technocrats can put their heads together to find a solution to this disgraceful problem-the extreme poverty.

Give it a thought, my friends; perhaps I may not live to see the end of poverty in our country. But you can. And you can be proud of it.

God bless you.