Indian economy is booming. The world envies India’s IT strength. And it gives a superior quality of life for almost a million of the younger generation. Why should we keep on looking down upon everything that India achieves with a big ‘but’?

India will prosper under these odd contrasting beliefs and faiths. Last week Mahim creek’s water near the Baba Maqdoom Dargah started tasting sweet. And the crowd became unmanageable and tasting of the water was expected to cause some serious health problems. As we are too many with too little work to do, it results in crowding and its problems including that of law and order. And then after 11 years all our Hindu gods and goddesses in north India became thirsty for milk again. Is it the same country that because of its scientific manpower wishes to be the global leader in knowledge sector?

And 300 million Indians may be among the poorest in the world, but the huge collection of offerings at the temples says some different story. The Shirdi Sai Baba temple trust plans to install an Rs 22-crore golden throne for the saint. Is Sai Baba feeling uncomfortable on the silver throne? What a waste of resources of a poor country for a man who would never have allowed his disciples to do that? Sai Baba will be more than satisfied if the trust uses the money for setting up coaching centers for the poor students and trade schools for empowering them to a better life.

And I read Respected Bukhari giving a ‘fatwa’ that ‘Vande Mataram anti-Islamic’. And then the community in Kerala is boycotting a Muslim family as the daughter of the family has interest in classical dancing that is again anti-islamic. Is it the same country of Akbar the Great or Ustad Vismillah Khan and Ustad Alladin? Where is religious in the divine art of dance and music? Why can’t the community denounce such fatwas more vehemently so that they dare not do it? And it is the same country where the people of both communities have helped building shrines of each other.

And I keep on getting some more interesting news. Laluji after failing as CM and husband of the CM for three decades suddenly becomes the Management Guru. IIMs invite him for lecture instead of researching in depth into the reasons of the breakthrough in railway’s performance. And then we read another news of sycophancy or misuse of authority. The railway ministry proposes to connect the native villages of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and his wife, former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi soon by train. Does the democracy mean only this? Can’t there be some checks on this sort of misappropriation of taxpayer’s money?

India lives in many centuries simultaneously. It doesn’t matter till it doesn’t affect the national interest. But it also says clearly that the quality of education that the system is providing is not creating an intelligent society. The education must provide the ability to reason out for rational behaviour.