Unravelling the Mechanics: Indians’ Perspective on International Indicies

 In 2014, when Annikki and I last visited India, Delhi was reported as the most polluted city in the world. In one chapter of our book “The Titanic Called India”, we covered the report published in the international media.

Here is the relevant text two pages from our 2015 book:

Vapi, in Gujarat , was reported in 2013 as being the most polluted location in India!

These are the indicies of various human issues comparing India with Finland in 2022/2014 prepared by reputed institutes and organisations. (See our blog entry about Finland and indicies.)

The cover of our Titanic book was also a reflection of the grave situation facing India. We tried, in an apolitical way, to highlight the enormous problems facing Indians and also how these were all being ignored.

The table below shows the change in some indicies between the period 2014 and 2022. (The Modi period of Indian history.)

Does anyone care?

Annikki and I have no intention to visit India again as it would result in sure death by either one cause or another. 

Even crossing a road in Bngalore is testing fate,

Our children and grandchildren are all over the world  and none are likely to stay in India to risk their lives. They may visit the country to visit relatives and friends, but each visit will be short.

We pray daily for all those trapped in this cycle of self destruction!

No one has any intention of doing anything about this. Their personal politics are more important than the country.

Sardar Patel Statue (The Statue of Unity - Rs. 3000 crores)

The Ayodah Temple (Rs. 18000 crores)

Narendra Modi Stadium (Cost Rs. 800 crores)

New Indian Parliament (Rs. 839 Crores)

And take the cost of Modi's international trips over his first 5 years which was Rs. 254 crores. (Former Prime Minister spent Rs. 642 crores between 2004 and 2013, 9 years.)

And when India was the chair of the G20, Rs. 4100 crores was spent by the country for self-aggradisation.

What appears is important is spending huge amounts of taxpayers money on building statues, temples, stadiums, changing names of parks and cities, foreign trips and hosting conferences. 

The next priority is changing the  name of the country which will cost well over Rs. 12000 crores.

These are all more important than the well being of the Indian people.

And what is said about the tragedies that are plaguing India, taking with it the lives of innocent Indians.

Odisha train tragedy

Manipur burns

Utrakhand tunnel tragedy

Death in Gujarat hooch tragedy

Gujarat Morbi Bridge tragedy

All these tragedies are conveniently quickly forgotten as well as the major issues faced by India, so beautifully captured by my friend cartoonist, agricultural scientist from Bangalore, Bala, (Professor J. Balakrishnan).

Let us remember that 26th November is Constitution Day.

But who cares about the Indian Constitution and the “western” conspiracy against India with all these "false indicies"!

Let us, as Indians, truly believe that India is the 

most secular, educated, free, democratic, healthiest, non-misogynistic, happiest country 

in the world! 

Isn't it?

Am I disappointed?

(Also posted on the Kooler Talk Blog.)

Being Sunday night, I watched the Fareed Zakaria GPS programme on CNN.

Shashi Tharoor, fellow Stephanian, was on.

Was greatly disappointed to hear that Shashi is standing for the Indian Parliament and that too, as a member of the Indian Congress Party.

Shashi should be an independent Rajya Sabha Member as he is a man of immense international standing and should not stoop to the level of Indian general politics.

On his politics web site he gives his vision as the following:

My Vision
An India where everyone is able to have enough food, clothing and shelter;
An India where everyone is able to receive a decent education;
An India where everyone can have access to health care, sanitation and clean drinking water;
An India that is committed to economic growth but also attentive to the needs of its poorest and most vulnerable people;
An India which is strong enough to protect its borders and ensure the safety, security and well-being of all its citizens;

Even more interestingly he gives his Credo as:

My Credo
I enter political life in the firm belief that:
Politics is an opportunity for public service, not for self-advancement;
Government exists to serve the citizen and not the other way around;
Honesty and integrity are fundamental in public life;
The principles and values I have upheld all my life should not be altered to suit the political convenience of the moment; and
My only purpose is to work for the well-being of the people of my country, my state and my constituency
I have great pride in India and believe I can work to make it an even better land for all its citizens.

Interestingly, he is standing from Kerala. That is wherein lies the rub.

Keralites with 99% literacy will not normally elect an "outsider" to represent them.

However, we will know the result in a few days.