Indian defence expenditure vs health expenditure

May 26, 2002

Dear Maitreyi,

Your concern about non avilability of medicines for AIDS patients in India is

understandable and I have similar feelings about it. You seem to suggest that

defence expenditure and HIV expenditure are mutually exclusive.

I sincerely feel the comment about Indian defence expenditure was unwarrented.

Vijaybhaskar Reddy Kandula MD MPH

E-mail: emailreddy@...

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Dear Vijay,

Any occasion to remind people about the uselessness of war and preparation

for it is warranted and that is my firm opinion. I am not an Indian when

this country goes to war, my patriotism is in-built in loving one's neighbor

All types of hating your neighbor in the name of patriotism is the product

of the bygone era of kings. And as a democratic country we should unlearn

the sense and the need for all type of fighting for any reason. The duty of

the Prime Ministers is not to declare war but abate from it at any cost. All

wars end after talks over tables, which they very well can do now.

When we waste precious resources for war how can it be unwarranted, my

criticism? The borders we protect were created one fine morning and it can

all end in another fine morning also. Then what is use of lives lost

protecting the old one? The line we hold was created in 1947 and it just

another mirage. There were umpteenth borders in the same country fifty years

before where millions lost life protecting them.

So you must know any defense of any country is an illusion. Do you think the

needy and poor got any freedom in their life in 1947? 80% of the country's

population remain poor till this day and what this army of ours protect us

from? Do you think they have a better life under the Indian Government?

Pakistan, Britain or America treat their poor just the same. So all talk of

patriotism is for the ruling class. They live on the poor and the poor has

to die for them in the borders. If it is so wanted, this war, why not a bout

between Vajpay and Musharaff?

Money for medicine is wasted for arms and my criticism is highly appropriate

and point blank. What is use of you being a doctor trying to save the sick

while healthy is being killed and trained to kill? Your life is useless in

the frame work of patriotism. And you say my criticism is unwarranted?!

Think.

Love

Maitreya

E-mail: <maitreya@...>

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