Daily life in India grows more surreal for the ordinary man, says writer Pritish Nandy:

“You can’t afford food? No worries, we will give you a stunning cricket extravaganza with lots of movie stars and pretty cheerleaders.

You feel insecure because Maoists are now in 20 states and have killed more people than the jihadis? Don’t bother, we will buy you a $2.35 billion refurbished old Russian warship.

Your cities are crumbling under the pressure of migration because agriculture’s no longer a sustainable profession? No stress, we will build you fancy bridges and flyovers and walkways where no one will ever walk.

You can’t find a job despite all your education? No sweat, we promise 30% reservations for women in the Lok Sabha.

Increasing terrorist strikes are scaring you? Chill yaar, we will give you the perfect Indo-US nuclear deal.

Public transportation in the cities is on the verge of collapsing? Not an issue, we are building helipads at prominent locations.”

—  Pritish Nandy, “The Wonderland That’s India,”  Times of India, March 15, 2010