Are 90 % Indians fools? Time to Think!
Are 90 percent Indians fools?
Are 90 % Indians fools?
The statement was made by former Supreme Court Chief Justice and present Press Council Chairman Markandey Katju. There are a few legal notices against his statement, but what he said was a bold remark straight at the face of Indians – who wear the pseudo mask of intelligentsia.
If you take the remark as an insult to Indians, nothing could be far from truth. This former SC Judge as a man of values and impeccable integrity has never shied away from speaking truth and taking bold actions. As a champion of human rights and freedom he has always taken independent stand in many social issues including the Aseem Trivedi Case and recent arrests over Facebook comments related to hartals over Bal Thackeray’s demise.
What Justice Markandey Katju meant by his remark that 90% of Indians are fools?
It was clearly a call to awaken people. It was meant to awaken people to the realities of social evils like casteism, communalism, superstitions and other backward traits widespread in the country.
He explains in his blog that the figure 90% is not a mathematical figure, it simply meant that in his opinion a large proportion of Indians (not all) are fools. He does not regard Indians as inherently stupid or foolish. It was on the mental backwardness of a majority section of people who remain stupid and foolish by being in the influence of social evils like casteism, communalism and superstitions that he lashed out.
Quoting from Markandey Katju’s blog – SATYAM BRUYAT – Justice Katju
I made this comment not to humiliate or harm anyone but because I love the Indian people, they are my people, and I wish them to prosper and have decent lives, which is only possible if the Indian masses develop the scientific outlook and scientific temper and give up casteism, communalism, superstitions and other mental attitudes which a large part (not all) of them presently suffer from. I wish to see India in the front ranks of the advanced industrialized nations of the world, with our people having a high standard of living, instead of suffering from the present evils of massive poverty, unemployment, price rise, corruption, farmer’s suicides, child malnutrition, absence of health care and good education, casteism etc. So you see I made that statement not to harm the Indian people, whom I love, but to benefit them. The truth is sometimes bitter, but sometimes bitter medicine has to be given to an ailing person.
Time To Change for India?
India is a country marked by people of diverse cultures, languages and intellectual traits. But it’s time to analyze our behavior. Our daily life needs introspection. The examples cited by Katju are very valid and they are given below.
- Caste/ Religion Politics. Vote Banks. Criminals in politics.
- The barbaric practice of ‘Honour’ killings.
- Dowry deaths.
- Attack on dalits.
- Female foeticide.
- Communalism. Muslims are often falsely implicated.
- Superstitions.
- People religiously following media, which highlights Bollywood and cricket as the only two issues of India.
Markandey Katju is absolutely right in portraying the accurate picture of Indians and their state of mind. Those who open their eyes can see the extend of mental backwardness in our thinking. Being educated is not getting degrees, it is the all round development of an individual and attainment of the right pattern of thinking.
Quoting Katju’s words:
The worst thing in life is poverty, and 80% of our people are poor, which is largely because of the mental backwardness of most (not all) of us. To abolish poverty we need to spread the scientific outlook to every nook and corner of our country. It is only then that India will shine. And until that happens the vast majority of our people will continue to be taken for a ride.