We celebrated India’s first Independence Day in 1947. India’s ever ballooning population is set to overtake China by 2028 according to U.N. estimate. At present Indian population stands at 1.36 billion.
We celebrate our independence every year hoping that out hard won freedom becomes a reality for everyone, even the last man and woman in this world’s largest democracy.
But this hope is becoming more and more a pipe dream. Because, India is growing richer and richer for a handful few. This ‘rising economic powerhouse’ is housing that one percent of Indians who own 73% India’s wealth. Not a very consoling situation when one thinks of those 67% poor people in India whose wealth increase was 1%.
India is a rising economic powerhouse and nuclear-armed state, and has emerged as an important regional power. According to Reserve bank of India Report 2012, India’s population below poverty line showed: rural 25.70 and urban 13.70. The combined strength stood at 21.92.
Is India serious about poverty eradication? The way India is going the welfare state mode, there won’t be any poverty eradication but there is and will be eternal poverty alleviation. Soothe the nerves of the poor by doling out lollipops as welfare measure. Otherwise, how will you justify India’s wealth getting accumulated in a fistful of people. The rich getting richer and the poor wailing and struggling!
The nation’s leaders make umpteen promises to win votes but, when it comes to their ground level action, their performance is on a sticky wicket. No party is ever serious about poverty eradication. Otherwise, how they can the politicians claim to be the saviours of the poor who are just vote banks?
So, feed people with promises and dole out survival kits so that the poor may remain floating and breathing in an ICU condition.
Not that India is resource poor. It is resource rich. The wealthy politicians, the rich corporate families and a few wealthy individuals, and the business class – these make a class of their own to milk India for their benefit.
So India’s welfare for all is nothing but a pipe dream!
But India needs to rise above this situation. People need to become aware of their rights and freedoms. To question, to speak up, to demand, to engage in dialogue and discussion, to organise and to govern!
Into that freedom my Father, let my country arise!
Oxfam Report: in 2017, 58% India’s wealth was in hands of 1% richest people. In 2018, 73% wealth in the hands of 1%.