It is an insult to the nation and our heroes who sacrificed their lives, that our children are peddling on the streets trying to raise money for their families in front of foreigners in the 21st century.
With the country in shambles and a large swathe of population living hand to mouth, some amongst us are behaving like modern day Neros playing the fiddle and engaging in decadence while Rome burned.
As long as a 9 year old girl has to sell goods on the street to make money for her family, we cannot hold our head high. Building statues is the last thing we need today.
Trying to invoke feelings of patriotism by spending INR 3,600 crores on a statue is not the best way to honour memory of one of India’s greatest fighters.
N4M presents a pictorial of 5 Golden Nationalist Ideas to honour the memory of our heroes by investing money where it is badly needed.
1How about making a goal of clean drinking water for all by end of 2017? Do we really need more statues?
2In combination with clean drinking water, investing in running water for all so people do not have to walk for hours everyday to access it. Would be money well spent.
3Provide a way for millions of families to get out of the cycle of endless poverty. Which country can hold its head high and build statues worth 3600 crores, while millions starve and its children walk barefoot with torn clothes
4Create a social safety net for the elderly. A 77 year old woman who can barely see due to an eye disease should not be forced to sweep floors to get a meal.
5Improve schools. Ramshackle schools in countryside with no electricity or internet. What good would building a statue or memorial do unless our kids get a decent, if not world class education?
Let us take a pledge – No more statues and No more memorials until our 9 year old girls can go to a school and a 77 year old woman can live with dignity. That would be real nationalism and patriotism and would make Chhatrapati Shivaji and all of our other heroes who made the supreme sacrifices, proud of our India.
