India needs an immediate healing touch

India has seen a period of nearly two months of demonetisation. Not one VIP stood in a queue in front of banks. Strangely, it is the poor that suffered inexplicably.

This is inevitable in a country where the power structures blatantly exhibit bias against the have-nots.

Vice President Hamid Ansari rightly alerted us all. He pointed out at a recent lawyers’ national convention that India ranks 188 on the Human Development Index.

The nation's entire wealth is pocketed by 1% super rich, whereas 37% of Dalits are below poverty line. 39% of schools in India still promote untouchability, 28% of Dalit families do not enjoy postal door delivery and 24% of Dalits cannot independently approach a police station.

A crime for every 10 minutes is committed against Dalits. Demonetisation has turned to be a nightmare for them.

As a nation, India cannot afford any more Modi-brand surgical strikes and it needs an immediate healing touch.

Let us hope that all the victims regroup and fight for a change. Let the ruling elite redesign its policy frame work. Let the New Year 2017 be a step in that right direction!
A Raghunatha Reddy, Kadapa