MP: Britain should not stop sending aid to India
An MP on a trip to India has called for British taxpayers to keep supporting people in need in the country.
The Government has announced aid to India will be halted in 2015, but Leicester South MP Jon Ashworth said the decision was wrong.
He flew to India on Sunday as part of a project organised by Save the Children.
Speaking from Delhi yesterday after visits to health and education projects in some of the city's worst slums, Mr Ashworth said: "It has been extraordinary.
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"There's this huge contrast of big Honda showrooms next to slums where people live four to a shanty and children run around next to open sewers. It's heartbreaking to see.
"Our hotel in Delhi is next to a flyover and people living underneath it were on the streets begging.
"There were mothers with children in their arms, holding empty milk bottles up to the windows of our minibus.
"As the father of a 21-month-old child, I found myself getting very emotional. No child should be living like this.
"The Government has to look at its decision over aid funding again because we can't turn our backs on these children."
Mr Ashworth said it was clear tackling poverty in the country of 1.2 billion people was a huge job, but money from the Department for International Development and the work of Save the Children were having an impact.
During the trip, which ends on Saturday, Mr Ashworth will also be visiting Calcutta.
Save the Children said a third of the world's poorest people lived in India. More than 1.5 million Indians die every year before they reach their fifth birthday.
Public opinion in Britain is divided on using taxpayers' cash to help the country, which has a fast-growing economy.
Mr Ashworth said: "This is a country that's booming and you see the pace it's moving at, but at the same time so many young children are dying and others have stunted growth.
"The Indian government should obviously do more but that's a political debate.
"Something has to be done for these children and the help from charities and the Department for International Development is vital.
"We've got to look at what contribution we can make."
Flora Alexander, Government relations adviser at Save the Children, said: "We're really pleased Jon is visiting Save the Children's work in India.
"It's vital MPs see the challenges faced by children in India."
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by disident3
Thursday, February 28 2013, 7:34PM
“Bob491
You mean to tell me that Labour never gave aid to India? Well blow me down with a feather, talk about tunnel vision.”
by LewisC109
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 11:22PM
“why send them aid when they can aford to buy war planes using the money they are sent in aid surely the millions they cost would feed them without us giveing them money at a time when we are suppose to be hard up”
by llamalamb
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 7:57PM
“Why do we send them aid? So that they can bombard me with phone calls.”
by buschka
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 7:50PM
“Has this idiot not seen the poverty in THIS country. I have seen people in Leicester city centre foraging through bins for half eaten burgers ect to eat.These MP's have NO idea, no idea at all whats happening in Britain today. They remind me of the idiot down the pub generously buying people drinks while his wife and kids at home starve. DISGRACEFUL”
by jimbob6163
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 7:08PM
“I have to ask why we are waiting until next year, stop the money now any country that can afford to put Rockets in to Space and build nuclear weapons does not need our help in anyway.”
by C_G_Lee
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 3:11PM
“"This is a country that's booming", says Labour MP Jon Ashworth. I do hope he's taken the trouble to congratulate the present government for doing such a good job!”
by Bob491
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 12:41PM
“The way things are going under this Con government, it won't be long before India starts its own overseas aid programme to help feed the staving in this country.”
by wilsonparrot
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 12:34PM
“How about helping the poor of this country. I am 55, worked in the building trade all my life, do not smoke or drink. I have a lung disease and can only work a few hours a week, My council tax this year was £1116. but I cannot get any help anywhere. Charity starts at home.”
by Patrick4939
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 10:45AM
“Of course he has no ethnic Indian voters in his constituency.”
by NickDiPerna1
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 10:40AM
“Foreign Aid:
Powerful bureaucrats squander money from the poor tax-payer to give more power to foreign bureaucrats over their own poor tax-payers.”