66
YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE: PLUSES
AND MINUSES
Even if we accept the
popular conception that 15 August 1947 is the real independence day, and not a black
day to mark and mourn the largest ever communal massacres in history due to the
horrible mess of partition made by the British imperialists and their native
lackeys, the sixty-six years of freedom ‘enjoyed’ by us does not present that
happy scenario for the people of this country. Not that we haven’t made any
progress nor that we have met with failures only and no significant
achievements. No, we don’t take that stark negative view but yet are
constrained to comment that whatever considerable growth we achieved since
independence has not been commensurate with the needs and expectations of the
people, nor is that much remarkable in comparative assessments in Asia or the
world over, though much euphoria is now being made that we have become an Asian
superpower next to our bigger neighbor China. Though we could reduce the share
of the poor, as per official figures, from a high of 50% in 1951 to a low of
22% in 2012, the absolute number of the poor has steadily increased and as per
World Bank reports, India is the abode for about one-third of the world poor.
Likewise in literacy and health spheres, our growths are much below the world
averages and India has the world’s largest illiterate population as also the
highest rates of child and rural malnutrition, not to speak of the rampant
diseases and child mortality figures staring us in all their fury. Even today
we don’t spend even up to 2% of the GDP on public health and rank at level 136
in the world human development index [2013], steadily declining from 119 in
2010 and 134 in 2011 – now standing much below Singapore [at 19], Sri Lanka [92]
and China [101]. Obviously, all this due to the rising inequalities and
inequities in the developmental processes and the nasty corruption indulged in
and cruel exploitation/oppression perpetrated by the ruling classes, political parties,
businessmen, bureaucrats, so-called public servants, et al, with dirty
corruption, grisly greed and other divisive tendencies spreading in all
sections of the society too. And we feel that nothing but a revolutionary
upsurge of the people for radical systemic changes to establish a socialist welfare
state can achieve just, equitable and sustainable growth to bring real relief
to the downtrodden millions. §§§
