While remembering Savita, spare a thought for our millions of other sisters

Last few days, the newspapers and the internet is buzzing with how archaic & barbaric the abortion laws in Ireland is. The middle-class Indian is aghast at how one of their own can die due like this. How can Irish have the audacity to follow their own laws. TV commentators are demanding that Indian government step in and demand justice from Ireland. Not going into this circus, I hope that Ireland should be able to modernize this law which their own citizens also are demanding.

I turned back my attention to some facts and figures which are missing from this whole discussion. And that's maternal healthcare in Ireland & India. Though my exposure is telling me that situation is abysmal in India, I wanted to get some hard data to provide to my readers. Searching the web, I came across an unlikely source  … CIA. According their website, India has 200 maternal deaths per 100,000 Live births. Now hold your breath, Ireland has only 6 deaths.. Yes, you read it right. Its six maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Hmm, these imperialist folks, they must be fudging the data. So, I went to WHO website. It took some minutes to download. And that also had same data. Next, I started for some reports from Health organization, and its startling. Check these links

http://www.unicef.org/india/health.html

http://zeenews.india.com/exclusive/a-maternal-death-every-10-mins-in-india-un_5613.html
So, there you are. India is 33 times worse than Ireland in terms of maternal deaths. For each Savita in Ireland, we have 33 Sitas, Gitas and Shazias in India. I did not see any commentator making noise about them. Oops sorry they do not matter.. as they are not "middle class" but some "poor folks" who are dragging our GDP down.

There is a saying in Hindi, when you point a finger at someone, four fingers point back at you. So, if Ireland needs to just change their law, we need to do much more. We need to build infrastructure, we need educate doctors and nurses, we need to reach every nook and corner of our country. Rome was not build in a day, but if we do not realize that we have a problem, we will never even work towards it.

So, my English-educated middle class friends, do hold a candle-light vigil for Savita but also spare a thought for our not-so fortunate sisters who are dying during birthing as they do not have access to even basic facilities. I think they deserve atleast that from you .. at last they are your compatriots.

Lessons from America

Recently concluded election in US holds an important lesson to opposition parties in India. Obama was able to sail thru in both electoral votes as well as popular votes by pulling together a rainbow coalition ranging from women rights group, immigrant lobbies, African-americans, Socialists and middle class voters. He was always careful to appeal to middle class in every speech. He let his party & supporters appeal to fringe elements but did not associate directly with them. MoveOn & OWS are perfect examples of the same. In the eyes of voters, that put him towards the centre of the political spectrum. He steered clear of controversies and spoke of pulling American economy back on track. He attacked the top 1% rich americans. He know perfectly well that they will not be able defend themselves.

Taking this point into indian context, we begin to see why indian voters still go for Congress even though they are mired in corruption. Congress puts aam admi in every forum. Through NREGA, they have rural poor in their pockets. Their appeal ranges from fiscal conservatives to social liberals. They level baseless allegations against opposition to keep them at back foot.

If you look at principal opposition coalition NDA, you will begin to see why they are destined to sit in opposition benches if they do not change their way. Lets take corruption issue. It took BJP months to take care of Reddy Brothers and Yeddy. Now this Gadkari controversy is raging on. They should have asked folks to stand down till allegations are proved/disproved. But not doing that, they lost the moral high ground to UPA/Congress. On various policies, do we know where does NDA stands. What is the alternative they have. Nope, we don't because NDA does not have any policy. It has become a coalition of cry-babies.

So, what is the lesson here. If NDA has to win, it has to put together policies which they will put into action if elected. I dare suggest that they should propose to convert NREGA into either a skill building program or a infrastructure development program. They need to keep repeating aam admi and poor people in every speech and program. Also, they need to retire few expired politicians like Advani who have outlived their utility and now a days only add to nuisance value. NDA need to realize the muslims are as much Indian as they are. It needs to come up with clear policy on upliftment of backward Muslims. They need to break the party-caste associations. Mayawati's victory in 2007 is a perfect example that it can be done. NDA has to have something for each target segment.

Some experts had suggested that NDA come up with a shadow cabinet. In my view, this would show voters that they mean good for the country rather pure politicking.

Oh yes. Its high time that NDA sponsers a media outlet to get their point across. The way CNN-IBN conducted itself in vote for cash scam is disgusting. Practically all commentators both in print media and in electronic media bow to the family. They might do some posturing but ultimately they fall in line. The need of the hour is to have an independent media.

In the end, we need to understand that dance of democracy involves all the people and you need to show value to them to earn their trust and vote. Had lecturing or ideology been the criteria, scientific socialism would have been ruling the world.