Development and apathy are ruining India. This was what Medha Patkar said during her talk yesterday in the campus, to an auditorium filled to overflowing. But how can something like Development be bad for a country! After all, the government does claim that we have moved away from the 'food-clothing-shelter' priorities and it is time now to concentrate on international trade and globalization. We have come a long way and now have infinite choice in almost all products from soaps to cars - it is very easy to forget that 'food-clothing-shelter' is still a major cause of concern for a vast majority of people, sorry like Medha Patkar asked us to remember, to the citizens of of this country. For as she said, we do sometimes forget to consider the homeless and destitute as citizens who have the same rights and privileges as per the constitution of India as the rest of us.
The second half of the lecture was on the government's policy of creating Special Economic Zones (SEZs), special regions allocated to multi-nationals with almost complete autonomy and special privileges like electricity and water at very low cost. The creation of these special zones require land, and she said that whatever be the price, selling land is a tremendous loss. For with the land we are selling all the natural resources and bio-diversity which is often overlooked or as most often happens swept under a carpet of red-tape. This explains her stand and that of Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) on the 'land for land' policy.
But sadly after a captivating lecture of over one hour and half, the first question that was asked was about the involvement of the famous film star, Amir Khan in the activities of NBA. It really proved her point on the apathy of the general public, which is more interested in the sensational than the relevant. Like she said we are indifferent to any disaster unless we are directly touched by it.
Living in a campus, almost completely removed from the real world, it was important for all of us to have listened to this lecture.
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Development, uncontrolled, without making sure that the widening gap between the 5% who have and the rest who dont, isn't fine.
You see, if all policies are tailored towards the development of globalaisation and increaed fdi are to be taken on board, whats the point of being a welfare state.
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