Worthless Esteem

Today, while reading Maharashtra Times 2 news caught my  attention.

One was this..Maharashtra has secured highest of JNNURM scheme!

And another was this..Maharashtra of Death Necklaces!

Reading these news numbed my senses.

I have always been a proud Maharashtriyan. Proud of the Maharashtrian cultural, Maharashtrian traditions and rituals, Marathi language, Marathi cuisine and what not! But this proud feeling was breached for the first time during one of my visit to Dadar Chowpaty. I was standing near the Chaitya Bhoomi looking at the sea when I noticed so many broken idols of Ganapati, Durgamaa in parts. They were brought back by the sea waves. They were lying on the beach with other thrown away bhel-puri wrappers, plastic bottles and other garbage. I could not believe my eyes. I was thoroughly shocked! The idols, I had always worshiped and seen decorated with flower garlands and tilak, were lying down in the sand. The Ganeshostav & Navaratri was over long back. Now the worshiped idols were of no use, they did not churn huge amount of money, the wishes were already asked and the returns were already promised for the next festivals. In the meantime, who cared??

Today when I look at Maharashtra, I feel even more overwhelmed with grief. Maharashtra can be one of the perfect examples of biggest problem in India..no no, it's not corruption or poverty..it's the unending, ever increasing and well maintained Inequality. Invest huge amounts in the urban development(?) and completely ignore the real needy areas..completely ignore the environmental issues like this...don't even think about all inclusive development..let me fill my pockets first, let them overflow like anything...let people go to hell!!!!

Divide & Rule! Let there be some areas who will demonstrate how India is shining, but obviously there should be some people, some areas, some issues on which next election promises will be preyed. Meanwhile, there is a lot to engage the public...there are daily soaps..reality shows..celebrity marriages and just so many things!

When there was a terror attack on Mumbai or Pune, it caught the attention of all media & public. But what about the never-ending problems of farmers. The farmer suicides have become a routine??? Routine??? What can be more horrifying than this? What about the constant terror under which they are living(?)? The terror threat is not only from the terrorists, but there is a bigger one from those.. whom we have elected to make the right decisions.. on our behalf.. off our hard earned money..who spend all their intelligence & energy either in filling their pockets or licking the shoes of big fishes! And we, the city people, staying under a shell of 'feel good' factor, have no time and energy to think about other fellow countrymen!

I perfectly agree with Mr. Sarang Darshane..when the people in a state cannot be kept alive, all the progress, the celebrations and ultimately the proud feeling is worthless!!