Opinion - What Would Be The Real Success Of India?

Opinion - What Would Be The Real Success Of India?

Rama Sriram
02/24/2007

What would be the real success of India?

The success of India today is that our government is busy investing in infrastructure -- connecting major cities through sophisticated national highways, building new flyovers and so on. We have become an important factor in the IT revolution. The commitment of the Telecom and IT to deliver the four dimensions - e-governance, e-commerce, e-education and social transformation is incredible. India is the only country in the world with a satellite dedicated for educational purpose -- the EDUSAT revolution in the Indian education. India is the cradle of culture and civilization. Statistics confirm that India will be number two economy in the world by 2050 due to its increased openness to trade. We have started recognizing women's rights to an extent. Some of the richest people in the world are Indians. There are a lot more things which as an Indian I take pride in my country. But, are these sufficient to mark the glory of a nation? To say or not to say?

The government talks about the abolition of child abuse. Irony is, the most gruesome killing of the children which took place in Noida recently. According to the reports, when the children went missing everyday in that area, the policemen being so lethargic, didn't even want to register the complaints from the parents, assuming that the children must have wandered off, but not kidnapped. One fine day, the police found the decomposed remains and the bones of the children from the back of their houses. The murderer confesses in a channel that he raped the kids because he had a "high sex drive!!" What a callous attitude towards the suffering of others!! The government should detest against such cruel act by giving the highest of the punishments so much it never happens again. What is more upsetting is that some police officials have a hand in these encouraging such evil forces. We need safe and secure India..

The government talks about providing good education to the citizens. But caste-based reservation quotas still prevail in the educational institutions. According to the reports, about 25 million primary school-age children are not in school due to poverty. There is a large gap between the rich and the poor in access to quality education. The meritorious candidates are still denied of education due to economic discriminations.

There is a growing need for clean water, medicines and vaccines in many parts of India obtaining which is becoming a mirage to the poor. In India, rich always remain rich and poor the poor. A "national bribe index" of the magazine Outlook, reveals that bribes have to be paid for birth certificates, admissions to schools and colleges, for getting passports, ration cards, driving licenses, electricity, water and telephone connections and even to get the doctor's appointment. Even the most fundamental survival levels are fraught with corruption. The other day, as I was watching a Tamil news channel, I was terrified by the news that in some of the hospitals the doctors steal the kidneys from the patients and sell it for monetary benefit. Making money at the cost of people's lives is what our religion has taught us? Having taken up the noblest of all professions aren't they supposed to follow the medical ethics? People's mind should change. We need honest politicians, IAS and IPS officers, professors, doctors, judges and people at all possible levels to make India a corruption free nation.

All of us know that India is a land of Gods. But we are not aware that some of them are alive and walking around -- the so-called holy men and women whom we find in every nook and corner of many places in India today. These "holy men" have been very successful in establishing their hypocritical Vedas among people, brainwashing them -- have generated vast fortunes through their preaching. It's so puzzling that in the 21st century our people still believe that a person who has had a normal birth could have the holy spirits to change their entire lifestyle!!

I believe India cannot rejoice in the glory of its many successes as long as these issues are rectified. We do not just want our Indian history to have the reminiscences of poverty, social injustice and terrorism for generations.

Rama Sriram, a graduate of English literature.Mother of a 7 year old and homemaking is her forte.

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