Saturday, September 06, 2008

India, a super power?

This is the message that is getting touted a lot by the media in India. "India Rising", "India a future super power" etc etc. is some of the favorite quotes that you get to hear a lot.

Yes, It is true that India has consistently grown fairly well after the economic liberalization of the late nineties. Yes, this growth has massively benefited millions of enterprising Indians to a better class of living. Yes, the cities in India has grown, albeit without control causing all types of infrastructural problems that the country is grappling with at present.

What do I think being a super power is? Is it military strength that defines it? Is it economic might that defines it?

There are millions of poor people in this country who cannot feed themselves or their family, who cannot provide clothing or house to live, millions of farmers who commit suicide because they cannot give back their debts, where their crops are destroyed by natural causes and there is no one to bail them out (the govt. giving Rs 3, i.e. less than a cent, as support), millions of people who are betrayed in courts by spending years of their life in court cases (Recently a person was in jail for 18 years only to be declared as non guilty...18 years!!! prime of one's life), millions who find it difficult to go to work because infrastructure cannot support their travel, millions who lost their life for this country and no one to take care of, Industrialists who want to build something new facing truck load of opposition due to political interests, political parties and politicians openly taking money and no one to act on them because they are people elected, a bureaucracy that is no way accountable for the people for this country

On what notion can we be even thought about as a even close to being called a power, let alone super power?

I do not mean to be dis respectful. I understand the foundations are being laid. but we are a long way off from being called a "Super Power". Again that is just my thought.

What do you guys think? Let me know

2 comments:

RK said...

I would like to comment on that with a my perspective..may be whole new one from yours..but give me some time...will get back by this week end..

Anonymous said...

yes india is super power but government has to do some thing to improve the city council,s first