Re: shocking?

[Npsingh123@aol.com]

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Agree whole heartedly. Our country has suffered enough because of wrong
priorities.


In a message dated 10/25/00 11:02:57 AM Central Daylight Time,
gvvs@nird.ap.nic.in writes:

<< I think there is a need to contemplate dispassionately about several
 viewpoints expressed on this subject so far. Let the auspicious
 occassion of Dipawali drive darkness away and usher in light.
 I am a Hindu and have an inherent right to criticize whatever goes on
in
 the name of Hinduism. Now, can I think of abolition of Sati by the then

 British Government without a Raja Ram Mohan Roy taking up internal
 reforms within the faith? Presence of firm government resolve no doubt
 helped, but could it possibly substitute an internal reform movement?
 Exactly in the same fashion, if there is some problem with Seventh Day
 Adventists, the best course of action for Ram Narayan or his christian
 friend who felt aggrieved, would have been to take up officially with
 the authorities or heads of the said organization and get their
official
 response. If Ram Narayan has attempted such straight action, I shall be

 grateful if he can share it in this forum.
 2. Many children die in India due to diseases which can be avoided.
 Number of children who cannot live to see their first birthday is even
 now 80 out of every 1000 born in rural areas. This figure of  infant
 mortality rate was 136 in 1978,which was to come down to below 60 by
now
 as per target and we have failed to achieve it. As we have a birth rate

 of 2.8% over a population of 100 crore, it means that 2.8 crore
children
 are born in India every year and 22 lakh and forty thousand of them die

 before their first birth day. There are all several causes. But the
most
 important is water-born diseases.The diseases are due to impure water
 and bad sanitation. Why not have a public debate on why people do not
 use sanitary latrines in rural areas? Is it healthy for their children?

 Is it fit for peoples' dignity to defecate openly? What are the
hardware
 problems in terms of availability of soak pits, commodes, water seal
and
 the whole paraphernilia of a proper latrine? What are its software
 problems linked with 'people not feeling good about the new practice'
or
 'people liking free open environment' and the inadequacy of our
training
 efforts which can, if need be, supplemented with audio-visuals, other
 interesting behaviour-changing strategies, or a real solid campaign
 approach? What are the interventions needed in terms of nutritional
 support?  Is it not a priority item for public debate and positive work

 when lives of over 22 lakh indian children are involved? How is it
 logically a bigger priority to spend so much energy on religious
 conversions? Why does it not shock  when you think of such large number

 of children dying in these days of 21st century technology world?
 3. If somebody is luring people away by charity, why not spend 'our'
 energies on sincere charity? If somebody is killing cows for beef, why
 not jack up all cows' prices by buying all the bovine animals and
 tendering proper care for them? If somebody is offering one square meal

 a day and a pair of new clothes for the festival, why not take
 constructive steps to ensure two square meals and two pairs of clothes?

 If somebody gives basic health care facilties every 50 km radius, why
 not you offer better and more reliable hosipitals every 10 km radius?
 4. We have to decide what is a Nation. Is it mere land or is it its
 people? If we want a strong India, there is no alternative to putting
in
 hard constructive work so that we have healthy indians with proper
 incomes enjoying liberty and better lives. As the Telugu poet Gurajada
 Appa Rao said long back,
 " Nation is not mitti; Nation is its people"

  >>



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