Slumdog kid on sale! What can be more shameful? All that Danny Boyle portrayed about the dirty India seems to be true. This act of Rubina’s fathers makes the world believe it. The criticism of the film’s portrayal of India suddenly seems to have fallen flat.

Even I was one of those who said how could Boyle show some one swimming through the shit for an autograph? Of course, I still feel that Indians are not so unhygienic and so very film crazy.

How do I rate Rafiq Qureshi’s act? This seems worse than anything portrayed in the film. Even in the maiming of children for begging, there is fortunately no parent selling their child. Moreover, in India we believe that family values were the highest and families are close knit even in times of poverty.

With Rubina bring success and fame; they should ideally have been never ready to part with her. It was the same girl who brought T-shirts for America for the family. Well, I cannot help but blame the father and condemn him for his act.

Its not only him, we too are to be blamed for the plight. I may sound preachy, but can’t help it. We remember slum kids only when a movie made on them wins and Oscar. Other wise, all that we are bothered about is simply our own welfare.

The urban poor are the most neglected. They are remembered by the netas during elections where votes can be bought and by us the well off citizens during movies. The rest of the time no body thinks of them.

The election campaign promises no longer talk of ‘roti, kapda aur makaan.’ It has moved over to infrastructure in cities, wider roads and flyovers. We too complain about the government on these parameters only. The basic necessities are never an issue, because those who need it never get a voice.