India Lockdown

[Gin96]

I wonder how many people will die in India from starvation from 21 day lockdown, it make my problems insignificant in comparison. We’re so lucky go live in the UK

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-52086274

Oh I missed it, they were talking about South Africa when I tuned in

Yes that was good too. It also backed up what we were saying about timing. They are finding early lock down incredibly difficult. Was v moving.

I was thinking about India a while ago - I hadn't really heard much about what was happening there.

I did some travelling there - just 6 weeks in Northern India. It is crowded. So so many people.

It's got massive issues anyway - so this is unfathomable. And seeing the police whip people...

I thought the comments on Radio 4 were interesting - it's like the Government didn't know they existed.

Yes very, my heart goes out to these countries.

Are there any agencies on the ground we can donate to?

I would think the Red Cross or Red Crescent would be the safest bet. There will be all sorts springing up, I'm sure but they will be difficult to audit properly in the chaos. I'd stick to the tried and trusted right now. I imagine there will be a formal appeal before too much longer.

I had an email out of the blue last night from someone I know in India. Usually we exchange Xmas greetings, that's all, so not really a friend I would expect to hear from.

She was asking how it is in the UK and her upbeat email said that in India it's all being very well managed by the government and they are all being well looked after. I genuinely don't know what to think as it's so at odds with the pictures I've seen and how I imagine it to be for so many people. She lives in Delhi and is a professional.

I think there will be a few people viewing the crisis from their ivory tower and deciding it's all under control.

I think there is not one India, but many Indias. Probably more than any other country, you experience it entirely differently depending where on the economic ladder you sit. I have a relative in India who I would happily trade lives with. She is a middle class professional, a status which comes with a housekeeper, cook and driver. I'm sure she will get through this just fine. I have stayed in a lot of homestays, etc. owned by middle and upper class Indians and my impression is that many of them don't really see poor people as human beings. One happily told me (while giving me a tour of his vast coffee estate) that there was no need for the state to waste money educating poor children, they should just be sent to work.

1.2 billion people, i’m sure you will here many sides but 800 million poor live on £2 a day, they won’t be emailing or calling people to say how awful they have it, they will be trying to survive another day.

I remember going to see Slumdog Millionnaire with my mum. She was outraged at the portrayal of Mumbai (she was born there) because she said they had cleared the slums and they shouldn't have shown them. I had to point out to her that just because they cleared the slums from one place doesnt mean the people disappear they just go to some other slum somewhere else! I agree middle class Indians dont seem to see the poor. I dont know whether it's because there are so many people they are disposable or because that's basically what the caste system is. The ones at the bottom are less than human.