By Jaskaran Singh, Class x, SSIS, 28-B Chandigarh
September 20th, 2009: The poor have virtually no rights in society. They are looked down upon and being abused at every opportunity by the so-called
rich and high class people. All the ills of society are laid at their door and they are blamed for whatever
plagues our country. Wherever they turn, they face a NO-Entry sign whether its an instituition of learning, hospitals, housing complexes or places of rereation. In such a scenario, there is no way in which
they can escape the clutches of illiteracy, poverty, ill-health and misery. This forms a vicious circle because they have no access to better facilities, they remain impoverished and because they are deprived they are effectively barred from benefitting from better facilities.
It is sad commentary on our society that after hundreds of years of civilisation and culture, there are still people dying of starvation, not allowed to drink water from community taps or live in unhygienic conditions only because they happen to be poor. The rich and upper classes would like to insulate themselves from this
large group of human beings and willfully shut their eyes to their wretched experience.
Socities and NGOs must create opportunities for the poor to make a better life for them through access to adequate shelter, education, health care and clean basics of life. This is their fundamental right and we must safeguard it.
