As Adani becomes the richest man in Asia, India slips to the 107th position out of 121 countries in the Global Hunger Index
India slipped six places and ranked 107 out of 121 countries in the 2022 Global Hunger Index (GHI) report, released on Saturday. It is estimated that a child does die approximately every 10 seconds from hunger across the globe.
The Narendra Modi-led government, in an official statement, reacted sharply to the statistics of India’s fall in the hunger index and called the report “misinformation” and part of a “consistent effort’’ to “taint India’s image”.
They went on to say that the index “suffers from serious methodological issues”. Calling the report “disconnected from reality”, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it chooses to “deliberately ignore efforts made by the government to ensure food security” during the pandemic. It claimed the Centre was running the “largest food security program in the world”.
The reality is seen on the streets. Walking down my road, very often, I see starving beggars and famished children begging for a morsel of food or money. I can advise them harshly that they need to work but looking at their emaciated pathetic conditions, I feel it is cruel to voice that out to them, and I end up buying them food or giving them money. Should we even have beggars on the streets in the 21st century?
While India recorded its highest cereal growth in the year 2016-17, why is it still that 20 million people in India go to bed hungry on a daily basis?
With the highest fuel price in the world, privatization of agriculture which throws millions out of jobs, the lowest GDP -8, the Indian rupee weakening in value, and highest levels of unemployment, food inflation hitting an all-time high, interest on deposits at a 17 year low, bank credit growth at a 50 year low, the failure of GST and the MSME (Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) destroyed while the finance minister through it all merrily declares that nothing is the matter and we are all good, seems insensitive to say the least. Our Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is not even acknowledging that the nation is facing an economic crisis and she keeps chirping happily, “All is well!”
Why do we bring Gautam Adani into the picture?
Why do we bring Gautam Adani into the picture? Has he got anything to do with it? Are we jealous of Gautam Adani? Certainly not! The fact is simple, it simply portrays a huge unequal distribution of wealth in India and the sharp rift between The Haves and the Have Nots!
Of course, we should be proud of Gautam Adani. He is the red shining cherry on the iced cake, the greatest billionaire turning out to be the richest man in Asia, and we Indians, of course, should celebrate and venerate him. I mean, an Indian has topped the charts in prosperity. Gautam Adani would soon be shifting to be the richest man in the world if luck would have it.
While most world billionaires lost wealth during the pandemic, Gautam Adani’s wealth surged far ahead. In fact, during the pandemic, Indian billionaires became richer while poor people became more impoverished.
With Rs 1.18 trillion, Gautam Adani’s wealth has grown the most in the world in 2021 making him the 26th richest person in the world, with a net worth of Rs 36.39 lakh crore. Industrialist Gautam Adani’s wealth has increased the most in the world so far in 2021. In 2022, he is insidiously creeping up the ladders of fortune. Congress says a lot is attributed to BJP’s “Suit Boot Sarkar” that helps Gautam Adani and the likes of him.
Another disturbing factor is a huge drug smuggling racket is going on at the Adani Mundra Port and nothing much is being done to stop it. In September 2021, there was the largest seizure of narcotic substances in India reported at Mundra Port where 3,000 kg of drugs were seized at Mundra Port in Gujarat and tracked to Aashi Trading Company, which is registered at an address in a middle-class locality in Vijayawada. Appaji Reddem reports on the ongoing investigation of one of the biggest drug hauls in the country.
In February 2022, 750 kg of drugs worth over Rs 2,000 crore were seized from a ship off the Gujarat coast. From 2019-2021, contraband weighing 437 kg, worth Rs 2,100 crore, was recovered.
Due to the constant massive drug smuggling in Adani Port, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said:
Sep 21 3000 Kg ₹21000 करोड़
May 22 56 Kg ₹500 करोड़
July 22 75 Kg ₹375 करोड़
He asked, “How are the drugs landing at the same port continuously, despite the seizure of drugs 3 times at the same port? and also went on to say, “Is there law and order in Gujarat? Does Mafia have no fear of the law? Or is this a mafia government?”.
The inequality between the rich and poor is digging deeper chasms. Cooperates are increasing their little kingdoms while the laboring and middle classes grapple each day to live with increasing taxes and heightened costs of living.
The discontent of Indians is growing and the latest farmers’ revolution was the last straw, and the government eventually had to back down but still, the farmers are struggling.
It is also said that in one year Gautam Adani increased his wealth by $16.2 billion and on the other hand 10,113 companies voluntarily had to close down their business due to an ill-planned lockdown and thousands lost their jobs.
There may come a time when poverty-stricken Indians will not have roti, rice, kapra, and maakan and the ruling 10% will say smugly, “If they don’t have roti, give them cakes!” India will then head toward a revolution in a fight against “survival of the fittest”.