Today marks the 63rd anniversary of India's independence. It inevitably involves fine speeches from the prime minister and other officials about the many challenges that India still faces despite its myriad accomplishments since 1947. Sadly, a small but significant experience this week underscored the hollowness of the very notion of independence for a disproportionate segment of India's population--its urban poor.
I have the privilege this autumn of working in New Delhi as a researcher at a major national think tank while on sabbatical from my university. Before starting work each morning, I drop off my daughter at her school. Earlier this week, our Indian-made, air-conditioned, chauffer-driven Maruti Esteem stopped at a major crossing. A small, unkempt child with dishevelled hair showed up near my window and pathetically proffered two plastic Indian tricolour flags for purchase. I had no particular need or use for the flags. However, I went ahead and purchased them at the asking price.
As the light changed and we entered the crawl of New Delhi's justly notorious traffic I was forced to think of the irony of the situation. The child who sold me the two flags couldn’t have been much more than the age of my 7-year-old daughter. While she, thanks to an accident of birth, gets to attend what is probably the finest school in New Delhi, innumerable children of a comparable age are reduced to selling replicas of India's national flag in anticipation of Independence Day.
What will this day with its high-minded speeches, its pomp and ceremony and its nationalist fervour mean for those who are left selling flags for a living on New Delhi's mean and traffic clogged streets? When will independent India finally address the most crying needs of its poor and dispossessed?
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footloose
Mr. Ganguly…I really appreciate the time you took to write your emotionally charged story. Its the truth of every Indian metropolitan. Well, but I am sorry to say that you kinda wasted your Independence day column on something that every one already knows. So, what you really did was add some more drops to the sea of despair and proved yourself and (unfortunately)’the-diplomat’ to be yet another element of journalistic world who sees only the pessimistic side of the story(‘cos that sells easy). Let me give you some stories…
1. India is planning to launch its own satellite based navigation system.
2. Our economy is on the correct path and we have apparently steered clear of the crisis that hit the world in 2008-2009.
3. I visited my home state a couple of months back and my father(retired govt. official) emphatically showed me the new road building projects that are being undertaken by the govt because it lost some key intermediate elections. Dad’s point was that democracy and economy are working.
What I really want from a seasoned Professor like you to some times(atleast occasionally) portray the positive side as well. You teach at Indiana Univ and I study at Chicago, so being the so-called educated elite from that country we shall be able to appreciate that the country would really take some good 25 or so years to grow into a middle income society only (and yes Professor, both of us do not contribute to the Indian Taxes)
Sir, I wish you a Happy Independence Day
slimbob
The reason this is the case is Indians just dont give a damn about the poor. They would much rather spend billions on showy weapons and nukes against Pakistan than tend to their extremely malnourished, homeless and begging children. And no this is not “normal”. I wish that India could someday be less callous and more caring.
Santosh
Hey SlimBob,You should know the facts before you write anything.Pakistan attacked India 4 times and it was soundly beaten to pulp.Yet,the Paki Generals have not yet learned the lesson and they take the help of china to build missiles and nuclear weapons with idiotic dream of someday defeating India and grab Kashmir. You tell me,What India should do then? Play Rummy with Pakistan. Remember British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain showing letter written by Hitler that he would not attack any country and what happened? The Germans overran the whole of Western Europe and the Germans could have defeated Britain had it not been the “anti-tank ditch” – English Channel.So Better be prepared and rather lament after everything happened
Nirmal Raj
The weakest link in the economic recovery is ‘that child who has no opportunity or hope’. Mr. Ganguly is right. Yes we Indians do not care a damn about the poor that live on our streets. But until we do, we as a nation cannot rise together, as one people. Our neighbors to the Northeast, are a homogenous ‘Han’ Chinese whereas we are many culturally, ethnically and religiously diverse and therefore interesting people. If we can also focus on the betterment of poorest of the poor and slap the hands of our selfish rich, we have hope.
CHANDRASEKHAR.NAGAMOTHU
I LOVE INDIA