The recent outbursts by the US president George W Bush on the world food shortage, have been commented upon widely in the Indian press. Just as their reaction to anything western,especially American, our Left parties came out with a scathing attack on Bush for his comments that the food price hike and food shortage experienced the world over is because the Indian middle class, numbering more than the American population, have started eating more than what they used to. This was followed by another remark by the outgoing President that the Oil price rise was also on account of higher consumption by India. A not so widely reported remark by the president earlier to these two remarks, was that India was primarily responsible for the green house emissions. Being in his last term, knowing his words will carry lesser and lesser credibility, one can understand Bush coming out so openly with the ever-increasing fear psychosis in the western world against a resurgent India. Whether he believes in what he said is another matter. Men and women of authority in his regime also have been mouthing these crirticisms against India and Indians, of late. Being a Nation with pride, it was necessary for our rulers to openly refute these remarks and counter them with statistics, which would prove that the greatest Ozone layer pollutatnt is US itself, the biggest culprit in oil price increase is US because of its stockpiling oil from  all available sources and the biggest contributer to food shortage and price hike again was Bush’s own America because of its syphoning off of food grains for bio fuel generation. It is unfortunate that when the Parliament was in session, our MPs and Government did not think it fit to pass a resolution condemning the US insinuation with facts and figures. It was finally left to our soft-spoken defence minister, Sri A.K.Antony to rebutt Bush’s tirade.

But sentiments apart, if you closely analyse the comments of GWB, it can be seen that partially they were all true, except for the green house emissions. It is true that the Indian common man is able to afford and is having at least two square meals a day now. This has put pressure on our food grain stocks. So also our energy and hence the petroleum consumption has gone up by leaps and bounds. Both these have had an impact on the prices of food grains and oil. To contain the food prices, the government has banned export of many food articles resulting in a shortage in the consumer countries, which again has added to the price of oil. With the high level of control on Carbon emissions and the increasing levelof carbon credits our country has been notching up is clear prrof that Bush was way off the mark in blaming us for the green house emissions. On a closer analysis,it can be seen that it is the growing propserity of the country that allows our citizens in increasing numbers to have more square meals a day than before. Same is the story with the increased consumption of oil. Thus GWB’s comments only confirms India’s growth story and we should be happy about the acknowledgement. The growing fear and resentment in the western world agaisnt our growth is also a matter of pride for us. But whileon the smae topic,one should not forget that we cannot isolate ourselves from the world around us, when we tread on the growth path. We cannot earn the tag of a nation which has sought to grow in isolation or inesnsitive to the sensibilities of the world around us. While gracefully acknowledging such grudges and criticisms, it is our duty to tighten our belts to help the smaller nations who face much worse shortage and inflation than us.This will endear us to them and will make us more acceptable in the times to come. The natural catstrphe in neighbouring Myanmar is one oppertunity for us toprove to the world that we are a nation with a mighty will and even a mightier heart. Let’s hope we raise up to that repsonsibility.

Popularity: 5%