Children Of Lesser God

Children Of Lesser God

During school days assembly was never complete without taking a pledge which all of us used recite with lot of sincerity and commitment. Though it took me a long time to understand the meaning and real essence of the pledge, I felt connected to our motherland. But today I feel so embittered and  betrayed, about 20 children lost their lives  and  fifty more are in a critical condition after consuming the mid day meals at the government school in Bihar and Maharashtra. Suddenly the whole concept of the pledge appeared fake and meaningless. We are now forced to believe if this country is for the rich, by the rich, of the rich.

 We try to emulate the west in several aspects. Then why are we lagging behind in extending similar empathy to the hapless that lost their innocent children. When the Sandy Hook Elementary school firing at Newtown happened, the manner in which the U.S. government and the head of the state handled the issue is worth praising. The parents of the children who lost lives in the firing are extended all the help and sympathy. Official condolences were conveyed in person by the President and local agencies helped them to recover from the shock. On the contrary the reaction of the Indian government and the help extended at the crucial hour of crisis is abysmal and pathetic. Even the parents of the severely poisoned children had to run pillar to post for medical help. Some to them who could have been otherwise saved with proper medical intervention at right time also lost lives due to the callous attitude of the officials. We try to ape west, but why don’t we imbibe their true spirit in face of tragedies like these.

In the face of this severe personal tragedy, the bereaved parents are protesting against the agencies for justice. Instead of offering apologies and condolences to them officials are hiding behind the iron curtains of the polity. Still there isn’t any emphatic action against the culprits. Again the regular blame-game is up in action and the politicians are trying to milk this opportunity for better leverage against their opponents. When will our country wake up? Is there no place for humanity in this politically-challenged nation?

Intellectuals proclaim that India is ushering into a new realm and dream about a vibrant and shining India. Whereas the people living in utter poverty die of hunger and utter callousness of the officials who turn a deaf ear to their wails. The growing disparities in the income is widening the gap further and state is now divided into two major groups-privileged/haves and underprivileged/have-nots. The privileged category is untouched by any of the casualties and is given a royal state treatment at the expense of the taxpayer and the underprivileged are utterly cheated, exploited as their woes are hardly taken care off.

We claim ourselves to be a soft state. Is this softness solely reserved for our belligerent and bewitching   neighbouring nations? On one hand government is making large-scale arrangements for the launch of its most ambitious Food Security Bill within a fortnight. So does it mean that the beneficiaries should gear up for rotten, substandard and adulterated food supplies in offing????

 

 

 

 

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