Strength in numbers
When we got Independence, I was a preschool boy but remember those heady days. Nehru was our super hero and could do no wrong.We couldn't follow why Gandhi was in mourning and was fasting. Now most of us know why. The woolly headed prime minster was the first disaster the country had to suffer.It is still fresh in my memory, when in the early fifties, the late J.R.D Tata told him to implement family planning, our PM'S response was,'our strength is in our numbers'.At that time immaterial of what caste, community or religion one belonged,he or she would obey the diktat of Nehru.Such was his influence and power on the Indian people. But he failed to implement family planning in earnest and our numbers grew and grew.To feed the growing population, more and more land was cleared, to house them more wood was cut more minerals were extracted and the net result, we are facing and ecological disaster.
Is there any worry among the politicians and the bureaucrats of this country? They seem to believe that Young India[more than 70% of the population is below 30] is the ageing world's salvation. One technocrat, who became a software billionaire and later even became the head of huge central project of giving an unique ID for all Indians, wrote in his book that Young India is the future of the world or words to that extent. He ended up getting defeated in the general elections is a different matter.
What doe our new and popular PM Mr Narendra Modi think? He too is harping on our young India to be the future of this world and makes repeated mention of this in his speeches to the resounding cheers of his mostly young audience.
Now let us see what is the reality. This 70% below 30 years population to be of any use, should be fed, clothed,housed,schooled and trained.Even then it is not possible to employ all of them in our country.In reality we cannot even provide basic required nutrition to most of this population. Malnutrition is so rampant that in many states the men and women appear like pygmies.Our primary health facilities are virtually non existent and money is spent in building swank tertiary care facilities. Large part of our rural debt burden is due to money spent on health care provided by private health care workers as people prefer a private quack to the PHC[Primary health center],if there is one with in easy access. Our basic education,let alone professional [any profession] education and training is in shambles. Government,instead of playing a key role in the fields of education and health seem to be withdrawing in favor of private players leading to this disastrous situation
So, we are stuck with a young population of illiterate or semilterate, ill or not trained,malnourished young population.What is going to happen to this population? How long this ill and hungry population keep quiet?
Our present PM reminds me of Nehru.He too was well dressed and liked to to talk to his people. People fell over each other to touch him.I see the same phenomenon now.
Now you know why I didn't write for these two years. I only end up writing like this.
3 comments:
Hello Doctor! .. very happy to see you are back. No worries regarding some of the challenges you mentioned regarding the population .. I mean, please continue to write. After being abroad for many years, I feel no place is perfect. Here in the US we have legalized bribery (also known as campaign contributions) .. and many other serious issues starting back roughly from Saint Reagan's time.
-- Ali
Wonderful. So long public memory is short this exploitation will continue. The learned suffer the illiterates rejoy. God bless the people. So are the people as is the King.
Excellent doctor!
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