India's Mars Mission: Justified??

Recently, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) achieved a major landmark when they successfully launched the "Mangalayan"- India's spacecraft for the Mars. Of course it has not yet reached its destination, but it is in orbit, and so far things have gone according to plan. This is a project funded by the Government of India, and it is worth INR 450 crores.

Immediately after the launch conflicting opinions have started proliferating the main media as well as social media. People with a leftward tilt have criticized the project to varying degrees, the general argument being that a Mars voyage with Government funding is not justified in a country where a shocking number of people are unable to lead a life of minimum dignity and comfort due to poverty. The western media has criticized the mission on the same ground. The jingoist brigade has taken offence at this, and declared that India's Mars mission is a "tight slap on the face of the jealous Western media". They want India to "teach the westerners a lesson"- namely that Indians are in no way inferior to them in technology, especially in space technology. 

Some feel that if "India" can spend thousands of crores of money over cricket and Diwali crackers, then why not over a spacecraft also? 

The scientific community has generally pointed out that 1) The project is quite low-cost 2) Every good research ultimately benefits mankind as a whole 3) This project is a morale-booster for science and technology research in India, and will make westward-bound Indian science/engineering students consider studying and working in India.

First of all, there is no doubt about the shocking levels of poverty in India. I don't see how any sane person can talk about "teaching the Western world a lesson" when so many of India's own people are living in miserable conditions. It is probably true that the Western media is jealous, but unfortunately the points they are raising are irrefutably true. I do not want to debate the scientific community's claim that this will ultimately benefit humanity including these poor people. However even if it were true, it would seem a greater priority to me to channelize government spending in a way that is more tangible in terms of improving the minimum living conditions of the people as soon as possible. The reason why I am not opposing the Mars mission strongly is that it is actually quite low-cost, compared to most government projects. Even some of the smaller railway projects consume several thousands of crores. And of course, the points being made about Diwali crackers or cricket are irrelevant. "Spending money" is not the point, we need to see who is spending the money, and to whom the money is going! The spendings over Diwali crackers or cricket are not by the government! It would have been best if instead of the Government, the project had been funded by profit-making yet well-meaning Indian companies and entrepreneurs (if any such companies or entrepreneurs exist), or by voluntary donations by the people, especially the scientific community. 

I have heard some very optimistic thoughts by idealists. Thoughts on the lines of "the poorest people will look up at the sky- towards the Mars- and think that if their poor country could get there, then they can also rise out of their poverty". Or that the bright Indian student who is fed up with the quality of research in India will have a morale boost. Well, I highly doubt if these- especially the former- will ever happen. Well, if it happens, then it is good!