India's economy has been in the news for the past few years. Here, in India, the papers are constantly comparing the development and growth of India to China. There are malls, perfect symbols of western (*cough*american) consumerism, popping up everywhere (seriously, there is one near the village where I work now).
Yet India has so far to go. The past two days there have been bombings in Bangaluroo - Bangalore and today, the state just to the north of us, in Gujarat.
I was chatting with someone, they said why is Pakistan doing this to us? In the papers they claim bombings are aimed to scare off foreign investors or it was the LTTE, group fighting for independent rule in Sri Lanka. It is unknown who did it.
Earlier this week, there was a vote in the central government to oust the ruling alliance. When politicians abstained from the vote, I saw on TV where their homes were being attacked, it showed angry men tearing off doors, breaking windows and defacing property in other forms. It looked barbaric. For a country who is becoming developed. Proof to me how far there is for it come.
The rich poor divide is huge in India and only seems to grow here. Now all the western delights are available, but the poor or just lower middle class still struggle with basics of clean water, power or food.
Maybe I sound a bit judgemental, not sure what is worse, when you have bombs on bicycles attacking people in your country or your own country is out attacking others. Actually it is all 'worse' to me, violence does not seem to solve anything.
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Ah Stacie,
Here I am again, granting some more attention to your "thoughts". First, personally I do not think America or the west is any better than India. Indians do it openly in the Parliament and Mr Bush does it using his veto power in the American Congress. Its got nothing to do with development, perhaps its culture. Its like saying that domestic (physical) violence against women is bad but mental violence in form of leaving a woman pregnant in the midst of a relationship is bad. It is NOT
Second, sure the divide between the "two Indias" is great but to lift a billion people out of poverty in not a days job. If you say poverty is all about money, I would disagree, lifting people out of poverty needs greater effort than just supplying them with money and cosumer goods. It also mean imbibing in them a sense of positivity, a sense of confidence and self belief. Unless that is done, you will keep on seeing the mess Indian cities are with so many vehicles but no driving sense. Ciao
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