Toilets First, Temples Later !!

Words are events when spoken by politicians who are in permanent argument with history. 

"Toilets first, Temples later" – A couple of days ago we heard this new mantra, quoted by some as 'modi mantra'. Narendra Modi invoked this comment during one of his campaigns in the national capital, visibly flaring the masses. This man, sometimes coined as Gujarat's gold digger, is more known as a man who gave a new dimension and redefined politics and development in the name of Gujarat and less as the BJP's prime ministerial candidate, the godhra riots being his weak wicket. His remark bubbled to heights, ending with lesser appreciation and more criticism. But the important question still lies in front of us. Did we get to the actual depth of that remark ? Are we really concerned about our Sanitation and Hygiene ? We are heading towards a sanitation crisis in india, Can we just ignore that ? Or Do we really want to see a different india, an india that at least deserves to have proper sanitation facilities, after settling for more than six decades post independence.

When the issues like 'sanitation' or 'toilets' are debated, believe me, any kind of comment from any person is far more tolerant than it can be conceived of. Atleast the statistics refuse to disagree with my statement. The bigger question is rather more painful, excrutiatingly dismal i will say.

Nobody likes the smell of truth. Surveys and statistics continue to raise a stink suggesting that less than one-third of our rural population have toilets. Lack of public toilets lead the multitude to defecate in the open, thereby degrading the lives of the already impoverished villages. I agree that the urban masses are equipped with considerably more public toilets but nevertheless they are still crippled with poor sanitation and disposal facilities. As much as 65% of the indian population is suffering from scarcity of toilets while more than half of the population is equipped with mobiles, indicates a latest 2011 census. Ironically, this is the truth behind the curtain. More people in India have mobile phones than toilets.

It is an unargueable fact that in india you can't find a single village devoid of temples. Meanwhile, toilets have been far left off. History illustrates that religion has always been used in our country as a weapon to deceive people. Now, it depends on us to decide whether to prioritize temples ahead of toilets or vice versa. Whether to remark this as insulting or awakening, is an individual's personal freedom of choice or opinion.

I will try not to justify any statement here. The Aam aadmi, perhaps, knows much better than me. I, personally, believe that india desperately needs far more toilets than it needs temples. I just wonder and hope that before we finish another decade, 1.23 billion souls should persist with better lives towards a brighter future, even if it costs them a fortune.