Article inspired by “We The People” show on NDTV where the motion debated was “Are hospitals becoming hotels in India?”

Do the middle and upper classes represent the majority of the people of India? That would be a crafted statistic. One-third of the country’s population still live in abject poverty, barely surviving on less than a dollar a day. And yet, it is a ‘democratic’ society, where everyone has a voice. You would think therefore, that the government would address this issue, even if its only incentive was the fear of losing support of a large portion of the electorate. But it doesn’t work that way.

These millions of people, the real people, are not provided for by the government. They do not have social security, and though they are the ones who most need access to hospitals and medical care, they are denied it. Private hospitals are built like hotels and are subsidized (yes, subsidized) by the government. If you have the money, you have the service.

Thus we see the unequal distribution, the iron grip of the rich. The situation is in such dire straits that the poor have lost the will to act. And if they do not unite in action, they cannot express themselves with force.

But do not think that this is true only of India. One need not look further than America to observe this phenomenon in action, even in so-called ‘developed countries’. These societies were founded or have evolved into class obsessed systems and until this is obliterated, destroyed, revolutionized, a society cannot begin to consider itself democratic or civilized.

Not until the voice of every man and woman is heard. Not until the colour of your skin or the cost of your clothes is rendered insignificant in terms of your basic human rights. Not until your government bows to you, and not you to it, will the world begin a progressive step forward and initiate the negation of the backward process that began with imperialism.

This negation starts here, with us. If we respect each other, if we listen to what everyone has to say, we can set an example for others to follow.

So friends, let’s begin.

R*A*P