Jawan (Soldier) and Kisan (Farmer): A wake up call for India

Canada has only 60 million people, and Australia has only 23 million. People below India's poverty line (BPL) are more than a hundred and fifty million. And after repeated revision of the benchmark to make us look "developing" on the paper. Ten years ago, a BPL person in India needed around one dollar. Now, they need only half a dollar to live. The prices have tripled, and the rupee has halved, but we say, "It is well for the poor of India." 

 

The authorities have revised the poverty line such that they will need to help fewer poor people with daily rations. The income disparity is so high that we have more millionaires and billionaires than other SEAN countries. Also, we have a record number of poor people, as always. Even after the revised poverty line, India still has more poor people than other countries. 

 

However, our government is busy making people poorer. Prices of essential commodities have tripled, and the dollar value has doubled in the last ten years. But the poverty line has barely changed. It was thirty rupees then, and now it is forty plus two. Then, the thirty rupee was worth around one dollar. Now, forty rupees are half a dollar. Even Argentina considers ten to eleven dollars as the benchmark for poverty. It seems Indian poor people are the smartest in living a frugal life without questioning the government policies. According to world agencies like the UN, we need only a little more than half a dollar to escape poverty. 

 

Money can solve many problems for poor people: food, medicines, clothes, and shelter. But we do not need any help. We are inventing a capsule worth 5 rupees so the poorest will not need to eat. The pill, if taken thrice daily, will fill their empty stomachs. Wind and water are still FREE, though filter water would cost 10 rs per liter; oops, rs 20 now. Ten rupees was ten years ago. We have learned the secret of happiness. I hope scientists and psychologists from across the wealthy West will study our poor people's lifestyles soon. We are waiting for Israel, Canada, the USA, and Japan to send their students to learn how we live so frugally.

 

Many years ago, we made five-year plans every five years. The motive was to address concerns like poverty. Farmer poverty was our first issue. We have done it so successfully that today, debt-ridden farmers commit suicide. Still, no one complains. The soldier dies at the border for the farmer who dies by suicide inside this beautiful nation. Meanwhile, the politician eats a fifty rupee dosa for five rupees and explains how his policies have helped the farmer and the soldier.