SHREYA CHHABRA:@SHEFALI ARORA-INTERJECTION

I would like to tackle the issues you have pointed one by one.

 

CWG 2010 as you say is going to please the foreign delegates. Tell me, my friend, do you feel the need of doing so? You say that the Games are a means to achieve international integration when everyday you hear reports of officials and sportspersons of various countries using swear words and racist comments at one another…I don’t think that such things are in the spirit of international harmony. In fact, they are a sign of colonialism. The next thing you write in the context of the Games is that they are not a waste of money. Do you realize the fact that there are millions of Indians who are not getting food to eat, who don’t even know what the Games are?

 

Then the second issue you have raised is the female infanticide…how it has declined and so on. But you need to get your facts right. It has been noted that overall sex ratio has fallen from 927 to 880 per 1000 boys. Even in areas like Punjab, etc it is now close to 900 per 1000 boys. So, you can yourself judge the present scenario.

 

However, I certainly agree with you on the next issue which is the increased life expectancy. But it is not the only parameter with which we can judge the health facilities and infrastructure of a country. Other factors like sex ratio, infant mortality rate, the number of patients per doctor, etc should also be taken into account.

 

Schemes such has the 'JAWAHAR GRAM SAMRIDHI YOJANA','INDIRA AWAS YOJANA','INTEGRATED CHILD DEVELOPMENT SCHEME','MID-DAY MEALS AT SCHOOL’ are  good only in concept and not in implementation. Most of the funds and facilities that should reach the needy are reduced to nothing because of corrupt officials and middle-men.

 

And surely, your country gives you all the opportunities you need….Why so? Because, my friend, you are one of those rare lucky ones who has access to all the amenities in life.

You were blessed to be born in a place which provides you with all that your heart desires. But the reality is that they are several unlike you who do not even get a day’s meal or clean drinking water.

 

Over the last 60 years, whatever the achievements of India have been are commendable. But there are certain aspects which cannot be ignored. So, after reading all the above answers, I hope you will agree with me on the point that there is a long way ahead of us.

And unless and until, each Indian citizen gets the most basic amenities, we cannot rest upon our past laurels and glorify the  present which is non-existant.