Happy Diwali 2023
Happy Diwali to all my fellow Indians.
Today, I extend my greetings on this festival of lights to the hundreds of millions of malnourished children in our nation, many of whom are suffering from severe wasting and stunting. This distressing situation is reflected in India’s ranking of 111th among 125 countries in the Global Hunger Index, as reported by The Wire.
I also wish a Happy Diwali to the 57% of Indian women who are anaemic, a condition that is becoming increasingly prevalent across our country, as highlighted by The Print.
A special Diwali greeting goes to the tens of millions of unemployed youths in India. Our unemployment rate has been distressingly high, as The Wire has noted.
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I think of the thousands of individuals languishing in our jails for years on end on fabricated charges. Many of these individuals do not even understand the charges against them, a situation that even President Murmu has spoken about. This is a grave concern for our justice system.
On this Diwali, I remember the families of over 400,000 Indian farmers who have tragically ended their lives. This reflects a deep agricultural and rural crisis in our country, as documented by PubMed.
I also think of the thousands of sick individuals who are waiting for long hours or even days at medical institutions like the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi and other hospitals across India, which are struggling with patient overload and often provide only perfunctory care.
My Diwali greetings also go out to the Muslims and Christians in India who face persecution and hardship. Muslims are often targeted for not saying ‘Jai Shri Ram’, and Christians have seen their churches vandalized, particularly in Delhi and Odisha.
This Diwali, I reflect on the construction of the ‘bhavya’ Ram Mandir at Ayodhya and the potential reconversion of historic mosques into Hindu temples. These developments occur against a backdrop of widespread poverty and unemployment in our country.
Finally, on this Diwali, I think of the great people of India, who, despite the skyrocketing prices of foodstuffs, record unemployment, lack of proper healthcare, and a steep rise in air pollution, often base their votes on caste or religion.
I end my message with ‘Jai Shri Ram’, a phrase that has become a symbol of religious and social divides in our country. Happy Diwali, and may we all find a way towards more unity and understanding.
