Mission Possible: a New India
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https://telegram.me/TheHindu_Zone https://telegram.me/PDF4EXAMS THE TIMES OF INDIA, AHMEDABAD 12 AN EPIPHANY OF IDEAS MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2017 A thought for today Is this what 70 years of freedom Mission Possible: A New India means for our children? KAILASH SATYARTHI PM is using India’s high-quality, low-cost technology to lift 400 million out of poverty by 2022 MJ Akbar architect of our Constitution, Dr Babasa- heb Ambedkar, included this as a guiding On 15 February this tenet of our Constitution. Beef was banned Starved Of Oxygen? year, Isro placed 104 in most states by Congress governments. satellites into orbit Of late, cow vigilantes have attacked using only a single Muslims and Dalits on suspicion of eating Gorakhpur tragedy shockingly underlines launch of one vehicle, or transporting beef. Two incidents shabby state of UP’s public healthcare PSLV-C37. The video of attracted wide, and understandable, the event, available easily enough on the media coverage: of Pehlu Khan in he stark reality of UP’s failing public healthcare system has net, shows the familiar zoom of a rocket Rajasthan and Junaid in Haryana. been highlighted by the Gorakhpur tragedy, where over 60 entering space, and then little flicks No government can prevent crime. A T chase one another into the deep distance government’s bona fides are tested by children died at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College last until the mission is completed. Only what it does in pursuit of the criminal. In week. Significantly, the tragedy unfolded in chief minister Yogi three satellites were Indian; 96 were Rajasthan, seven suspects have been Adityanath’s home turf – Gorakhpur is a constituency he had repre- commissioned by two American compa- charged with murder. The state’s chief sented in Parliament since 1998, until March this year. His government nies, Planet Laks and Spire Global. minister Vasundhara Raje has dismissed has marshalled statistics to suggest that the fatalities are not unusual The acceleration in space, impressive as malicious the allegation that her given the high patient intake at the hospital. But on the most as it is, might be less spectacular than administration was biased and argued the disturbing charge that children died in the neonatal and encephalitis the change taking place on the ground. same in this newspaper, in an oped piece Prime Minister Narendra Modi has headlined ‘Mob violence is unacceptable’ wards because their oxygen supply was cut off, government’s denials initiated a transformation towards a (27 July). Comparisons are not an answer, remain unconvincing. If this charge is proved, it would be a case of new India in which historic burdens but she pointed out that murders and mob criminal negligence or worse. such as poverty and corruption have violence took a higher tally in Rajasthan Gorakhpur and its adjoining been eliminated, and inheritance ills in 2012, when Congress was in power. In districts have borne the major brunt like communalism and casteism are only Haryana, five were arrested but the main of the dreaded Japanese encephalitis. bad memory. His mission has a calendar; suspect escaped. Police traced him to the deadline is 2022, when India celebrates Sakri, in Maharashtra, where he thought It’s reported that with fatality rates its 75th year of independence. he had found safety in obscurity. He has for severe infections ranging between Transformative change needs radical now confessed to stabbing Junaid. 20-30%, the disease has been claiming thinking. The economic empowerment PM is using India’s proven capability in On 29 June, PM Modi expressed his the lives of over 500 infants in this of women is being used as a principal high-quality, low-cost technology to create anguish during the centenary event of area every year. Uninterrupted oxygen cure for poverty. Under Mudra, the PM’s efficient, sustainable and corruption-free Jan Dhan was an essential Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram supply is actually the only lifeline signature project for those at the base of delivery systems for direct benefits to the first step. Critics sneered that in Gujarat, wondering how much pain the economic pyramid, loans worth poor on an unprecedented scale. Gandhi himself would have felt. Gandhi for critically infected children. Rs 3,55,590 crore have been disbursed. Jan Dhan was an essential first step. In these bank accounts were had offered to die for the cow, but never Adityanath should know this well – Remarkably, 78% of those taking these 2015, within three months, banks opened “cashless”. Unsurprisingly, advocated violence in its name. Finance in two decades serving as a parliamentarian he asked as many as 89 loans are women. 300 million accounts for those who had they had missed the point: minister Arun Jaitley has described the never crossed the doors of a bank before. incidents as barbaric. questions related to the health and family welfare ministry. The PM’s housing plan, for the banks were now serving those The broader problem is that no matter which governments come impoverished, is an equally big story in Critics sneered that these were “cash- Both voters and politicians are and go, lack of sanitation, open drains and waterlogged streets remain, gender emancipation. A woman can less”. Unsurprisingly, they had missed the without money, rather than increasingly dismissive of the motivated take this home loan as sole owner; but a point: banks were now serving those those with and fraying narrative of extended guilt. and during monsoons they spike Japanese encephalitis cases in man needs a woman as co-owner unless without money, rather than those with. Nitish Kumar, for instance, refused to eastern UP. What is needed is an extensive door-to-door immunisa- he is a widower or bachelor. This is a Use of technology for transparency the most popular PM in memory need buy this false propaganda of Congress, tion programme, where health officers reach out to people rather fundamental shift in the balance of power has also become mandatory in the bidding look no further than his comprehensive whose only electoral crutch now is the than the public scrambling to hospitals for basic treatment. Also within a family. Over 25 million women process for government contracts. In a co- assault on poverty and corruption. alleged insecurity of minorities. required is a massive upgrade of healthcare facilities especially at who thought that a gas cylinder was a untry where, particularly during the long It surely cannot be anyone’s case that In 2013, there was an assassination the district and village levels, where the needs of a burgeoning privilege of the middle class or rich, are decade between 2004 and 2014, contracts through some twirl of a magic wand, attempt on Narendra Modi during a rally now in smokeless kitchens. Swachh became synonymous with corruption, the India should suddenly become free of all in Patna. At that critical, volatile moment, population are dangerously underserved by a shortage of doctors Bharat is a means to dignity and better change is a virtual revolution, leaving ills. Among our difficult legacies is the he said that Hindus and Muslims had a and public hospitals. Here Niti Aayog’s proposal of synergising health for women. The list is long. sections of the old political-industrial politics of Hindu-Muslim differences, a choice: they could either fight each other, public and private sectors under the PPP model would be helpful. The objective is to lift about 400 million complex frustrated, angry and desperate tragedy that has simmered and often or they could unite to fight the true enemy, The immediate need is to provide all possible medical support to out of harsh poverty in five years by ensu- to restore the previous order. bubbled into conflict. One long-standing poverty. Fraternity and prosperity of all Baba Raghav Das Medical College. But this does not mean brushing ring that the first fruits and largest share New India is being fashioned from dispute has been over the cow, held sacred Indians is the only creed of Narendra Modi. institutional shortfalls under the carpet. Government inquiry of economic growth go to those who need embers of the old. Sceptics who cannot in Hinduism. Mahatma Gandhi urged an The writer is Union Minister of State for it most. In a complementary initiative, the fathom why Narendra Modi has become end to cow slaughter; and the lead External Affairs into the Gorakhpur tragedy must not pre-judge the matter but find out the truth about whether the infants’ oxygen supply was indeed cut off for non-payment of dues to the supplier. Such a crime must not go unpunished. ‘When a woman uses law, she is accused of misuse; when an Good Riddance Indian woman uses law, she is labelled with bad character’ The Supreme Court’s recent direction subjected to violence, Section 498A was a fide. Your comments? The court should direct its anger Despotic Pahlaj Nihalani is sacked, now stopping arrests or coercive action great respite. In the majority of Indian The judiciary cannot go by numbers against the police and law enforcement against accused husbands or their families, a newly-wed couple lives in a alone. It has to treat every individual agencies. Here the court has found a cure Prasoon Joshi must reform the Censor Board relatives charged in anti-dowry joint family, where the bahu is living case as per its merit. ‘Misuse of law’ worse than the disease. Police powers etter late than never. Government has finally heeded repeated complaints under Section 498A of the with her in-laws. If such a woman is is a sweeping generalisation, which then have been given to welfare committees, calls for sacking CBFC chairperson Pahlaj Nihalani.