Offence is the best form of defence goes the adage. That precisely was how the central government fielded its Women and Child Development Ministry a day ago to “trash” the annual Global Hunger Index released jointly by two tracking agencies — Irish and a German- about the state of the nations around the globe. It put India at the lowest 101th rank in a list of 116 nations, and showed the hunger situation in neighbouring Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal as being much better and China being among the best performers in eradicating hunger. Stunningly, most of those bracketed with India at the bottom level were nondescript nations, like Sierra Leone and Chad; and two ‘worst’ nations with some size were Afghanistan and Somalia. Somalia has remained as the ‘best example’ of poverty in the world and India has now joined hands with such African nations. Notably, most nations in Africa are way above India in poverty alleviation and in tracking the problem of malnutrition among children.
The poor in India are fed voluminously with “treats” from politicians, such as the Mann Ki Baat series by Prime Minister Modi, which praises the greatness of India, past and present. The poor in India are becoming poorer. Last year, India’s ranking on this global poverty index was 94; this time, it went further down. Pakistan, Nepal etc on the other hand improved their rankings. Truth must be accepted and the best way for a government is to introspect and change things for the better. That means a loss of face but that’s the price one pays for complacency. When Prime Minister Modi goes on another foreign jaunt he might be looked at askance. Unfortunately, poor Indians continue to be fed a diet of bombasts.
India has to think anew. Every growth index shows even Bangladesh growing at a faster pace. White-collared Indians are now going to Bangladesh to work for higher salaries than they are paid in India. Ten per cent of Indians have appropriated 90 per cent of the national wealth with backing from successive governments. The trickle-down theory propounded by Dr Manmohan Singh’s UPA era had also proven to be a farce. What fat, elitist Indians seek is more freedom to “indulge” while the plight of India’s disadvantaged sections is worsening. China works in the reverse and the results are there for all to see and fathom.
