India of My Dreams Mahatma Gandhi
"I shall work for an India, in which the poorest shall feel that it is their country in whose making they have an effective voice; an India in which there shall be no high class and low class of people; an India in which all communities shall live in perfect harmony. There can be no room in such an India for the curse of untouchability or the curse of the intoxicating drinks and drugs. Women will enjoy the same rights as men. Since we shall be at peace with all the rest of the world, neither exploiting, nor being exploited, we should have the smallest army imaginable. This is the India of my dreams."
The reality:
India has a huge growing divide between rich and poor: economic growth is 8.1% and is projected to rise as high as 10% next year and The collective wealth of India's 311 billionaires jumped 71% in the last year YET the “average” income in some states is considerably below the national rural poverty line of $650 a year...
According to a UN Development Report, inequality in India has grown faster in the last 15 years than in the last 50 years.
The 'untouchables' still very much exist even thought it is a taboo subject, people from the lowest caste in the system will be rejected and will find it hard to improve their socio-economic conditions.
There are 50 million women missing (eliminated) in India through practices like female feticide, infanticide, intentional starvation of girls, and dowry related murders.
There are ongoing and worsening tensions between the different religions in India, particularly between Hindus and Muslims.
The Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army.
This is India's reality.
I would like to point out that even though this blog post has put a negative spin on India's situation India also has so much to offer including exciting business opportunities so watch this space.. a more positive post shall follow.
S
"I shall work for an India, in which the poorest shall feel that it is their country in whose making they have an effective voice; an India in which there shall be no high class and low class of people; an India in which all communities shall live in perfect harmony. There can be no room in such an India for the curse of untouchability or the curse of the intoxicating drinks and drugs. Women will enjoy the same rights as men. Since we shall be at peace with all the rest of the world, neither exploiting, nor being exploited, we should have the smallest army imaginable. This is the India of my dreams."
India has a huge growing divide between rich and poor: economic growth is 8.1% and is projected to rise as high as 10% next year and The collective wealth of India's 311 billionaires jumped 71% in the last year YET the “average” income in some states is considerably below the national rural poverty line of $650 a year...
According to a UN Development Report, inequality in India has grown faster in the last 15 years than in the last 50 years.
The 'untouchables' still very much exist even thought it is a taboo subject, people from the lowest caste in the system will be rejected and will find it hard to improve their socio-economic conditions.
There are 50 million women missing (eliminated) in India through practices like female feticide, infanticide, intentional starvation of girls, and dowry related murders.
There are ongoing and worsening tensions between the different religions in India, particularly between Hindus and Muslims.
The Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army.
This is India's reality.
I would like to point out that even though this blog post has put a negative spin on India's situation India also has so much to offer including exciting business opportunities so watch this space.. a more positive post shall follow.
S
I recommend that the readers of this blog go and see the French film called les Intouchables although it does not deal with those in India, yet it talks with humour and sensitivity about discrimination. To the author of the blog, I say please continue to enlighten us.
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