I have an increasing sense of discomfort and anguish as I go through this season in my life. I come across a new phenomenon in India, the type of which I have not experienced even since I have been a keen observer of social events in this country for forty years!
Farmers are in distress, with no stable income! We have news everyday of farmers ending their lives as they are no more able to pay the loans they took for agricultural purpose or because of repeated failure of crops or low price for their produce!
Women are in distress and children are abused in proportions that I am shocked to discover. The work place harassment of women is leaking out into the press and the names of men associated with it are people who occupy high responsible positions in India. The news of number of children abused physically and killed after that shock all of us!
The photo of the senior citizen walking along the road with his hand in the back tells us the 'resignation' with which many similar in age live in this country with no pension or meagre pension, no health care support or a caring family to belong to! This number is about 20 percent of the population!
I wonder who hears the cry or see the tears of these people! I had thought that politicians were people who felt and responded! Now I have a sense that they live to rule for their personal benefit!
As against this, I remember, the first prime minster of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru visiting our village, on his road travel passing through the village! About three hundred people from the village, that was the population of the village at that time, and five hundred students form my school had gathered at the main road to greet him. I was perhaps ten by then. When the Prime Minister stopped to greet us, he cared to shake hands with people, receive rose flowers from children and stroke the students on their shoulders...! On elderly craftsman had placed a plough with two bullocks in a neatly cut egg shell and presented to the Prime Minister. He was moved and surprised at this magnificent art work. He took down his address and three weeks later, he received a message from the Prime Minister's office of being granted a monthly pension of two hundred rupees, equivalent to what a retired teacher would get as pension at that time. That senior citizen was overwhelmed and moved by this, that he shared his pension with two others who too were without a regular income!
Yes, there are more wealthy people in India. But those who care for others are only small group!
Till the least and last person also has food to eat, shelter to live and an occupation to live form, we are not a welfare nation!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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