Last 6-8 months have been eventful for Indians.
We saw India conquering the world in our beloved sports, We saw some justice made after sending few VVIPs to tihar jail, We participated and showed our anger against corruption on the street.
I felt there are few signs that shows we are heading in right direction. Well, though we have not achieved fruitful results, there are lot many things to cheer about. We are economically developing nation and these signs should encourage and push us more!
Few moments after these encouraging thoughts, My mind posed few more questions with which we are not very comfortable. These questions raised by less interesting news than the news stated above. It asked the question "Are we really heading in right direction?" if yes, "Are we really running together?"
First let us look at the less interesting news:
- Four Indians among 50 richest people on the Planet
- India does not have an entry in 'Most Liveable' cities yet
- Our proposed Anti corruption laws are regressive
- We have all the potential , We have capacity to make many more riches.
We have more billionaires than Australia and Germany put together in top 50. - We are growing, but we are yet to create a 'Liveable' atmosphere!.
We donot have a single Liveable city in top 100, but Australia and Germany have more than 6 cities in top 25 liveable cities!.
It is sad but it worries even more when you consider the criterias (Stability,Healthcare ,Culture and environment ,Education ,Infrastructure) on which Liveability of cities are rated. - When you read the full interview of Arundhati Roy, Irrespective of whether you agree with the concern she raises or not , what we need to agree upon is 'Economical inequality'.
As she says "The real issue is what is it that has created a society in which 830 million people live on less than Rs 20 a day and you have more people and all of the poor countries of Africa put together"
We are all running very fast for grabbing thousands of opportunities offered in the world today and rightly so. But maybe this is also the time for taking a little pause and asking the question to ourselves "Are we running together?".
Because One thing is sure, We are very proud of milestones achieved by Tendulkar,Dravid. But we are more happy about 'Team India's Win!' .
Hope we will not wait until another 'Anna' to make us run together :-).
WoW!!!! Good to see you blogging :)
ReplyDeleteAnd about this article: Provides Links to wide ranging information - I admit I do not have enough basic knowledge to comment on. Still I feel Report on "TOP 50 richest people" shows wealth in world has unequally distributed across (not only in India) or In other viewpoint, you can say "Four Indians" competing from the countries front line and trying their best create employment in the most crowded country...
Arundranti Roy's concerns are truly valid but completely messed up with "Anti Corruption Law" and am really totally confused!!! According to me this bill makes enormous improvement in coming years. It may get regressive mode after 65 years from now. Considering JanLoakpal is being implemented after 65 years of our true independence, at worst in another 65 years, we may need "Anti JanLokpal Corruption Law"!!! but that is not at all a stakeholder to bring in current Law into practice.
Lastly on "Most Livable City", I simply started dreaming of Melbourne – nothing else :-D
@Yogesh: Thanks for the first comment :-)
ReplyDeleteYes I agree with you about richest people achievement and their service. Defintely we need more people like them!.
Regarding Arundhati Roy article, Even I do not agree with her 80% and it is messed with ACL. but one point she is making is the way we need to look at corruption. If I can take example known to me, We all get angry on bus conductor when we see him accepting half charge without giving ticket and we call him corrupt. but when you know he gets only Rs. 6000 salary in a city like bangalore,We may have to change opinion. I feel System needs to be developed in a way that it gives many more opportunities to lead a good life. (But ofcourse Anti Corruption Law is very much required. Because we have lot of rich and corrupt bus conductors :-))
Good Blog Manju ! ;-)
ReplyDeleteMy answer to your question is Yes, we are running togather. I feel we cannot compare our cities Australian or German cities. I dont think these cities will remain in top position if we add 10 more crore people to those cities keeping other resources constant. Same situation is in India.
About economic inequality, i feel only people have to help themselves to come up. May be getting educated is the best way. If we see the latest street fight in london, mainly bcas of economic instability. There is separate group of people who are unemployed and unemployable condition. Even though they are blessed with facilities from govt. they dont want to work. As compared to that ppl in India are atleast struggling to grow.
To be frank i really dont understand what these Anti-JanLokpal groups are trying to prove. Nighter they are happy with JanLokpal nor they have a better solution. Watch this interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_UQ0iR61v4 .
And Conductor example is a good one. Very often i faced situtaion that i was not issued ticket. I'm OK with that bcas, if he isssue the ticket, however that money is looted by his higher officers in very large amount. Instead let him enjoy with that Rs. 5 ;)