Most of tropical Asia and Africa was in the same shape wasnt it?
What about it? Are we discussing India or Indonesia or the rest of tropical Asia and Africa? Are we discussing those that have struggled against their own odds, and failed to surmount them, from whatever evidence is on display? Have you failed to read the triumphant, self=acclamatory post #150, that tells its own sorry story?
Fair enough, but that is where the development model led to. A society where 10% would benefit and the rest would be more or less be left out.
No, that is false. The development model that was initially tried, and proved to have grave limitations, and was ripped apart under that Prime Minister-Finance Minister later to be Prime Minister combination, laid the foundations for today's prosperity.
You also know, none better than you, that what followed was an inefficient, incompetent, and bungling system that has failed in almost every respect except UPI.
We have been through this countless times elsewhere. Do you really think you will win the applause of the gallery by trotting out these tired arguments once more?
The govts (Central + State) barring a few exceptions like TN and Kerala more or less neglected investment in human resources compared to rest of Southeast Asia and China (let alone Japan and Korea, which were possibly ahead of us even in 1947). Can they be absolved of all blame for that?
Let me turn around your own favourite gambit against you. What did the states do to improve education earlier? Earlier the central government established precisely those institutions in whose reputation current apologists wallow. Save the Indian Institute of Science, what was due to the States? Why is their role now suddenly of such great interest to those who had nothing to do with the IITs, the IIMs - the original stronger ones, you will forgive me for noting - and the AIIMS?
Yes, the centre could have done more. You are well aware of my hobby-horse of the neglect of primary education resulting in abject superstition and a resultant regressive mentality - should we enumerate the states where this is worst, and where political parties seek their continued survival?
I really think it would be fair to come out with new arguments, instead of parading the rags and tags of what remains from elsewhere. That break would be, putting it mildly, honest.