Acharya Prashant highlights the stark economic disparity in India, noting that in cities like Gurgaon or parts of Bangalore, an ordinary person cannot afford a house. He contrasts the overflowing wealth of a few with the plight of children who lack food, calling this the reality of India's progress. He asserts that certain things—power, wealth, and religion—should never be concentrated in a few hands. Responding to a question about the paradox of malnutrition and obesity coexisting in India, Acharya Prashant explains that the questioner's surprise stems from a lack of understanding of the country's true situation. People are fed a narrative of progress which they accept without applying their own minds. He states, "For me, the surprising thing is not that this is happening, but that you are surprised by it." This surprise, he suggests, indicates a failure to grasp the underlying issues. To debunk the illusion of progress, he critiques the use of average income as a metric. He explains that an average can rise even if only a few people's incomes increase significantly while the majority's stagnates. This does not signify national progress but rather that a few are tightening their grip on the nation. He describes this phenomenon mathematically, where the rate of income growth is proportional to the income itself, leading to an exponential increase for the wealthy and a worsening situation for the poor, who are then ruled by the rich. He further illustrates this with an analogy: if one person has 2 rupees and another has 10, the difference is 8. If their wealth is squared, one has 4 and the other has 100, widening the gap to 96. This, he says, is what is happening in the economy, particularly in the stock market, where the common person typically loses money or sees minimal returns, while large investors profit immensely. He tells a story of a poor man who is told "money makes money" and throws his single coin into a rich man's bag, only for the rich man to claim his own money grew. This, he says, is the mechanism of the economy. Acharya Prashant identifies the root cause as a lack of inquiry among the common people, who are conditioned by a culture of blind acceptance and obedience. He argues that the antidote is true religion, which he defines as a flame, a rebellion, and a spirit of questioning. A truly religious person, he says, does not bow their head easily. He concludes by reiterating that power, wealth, and religion must be decentralized, citing the example of the medieval Pope, against whom Europe had to revolt. He quotes Mahatma Gandhi's talisman: to judge any action, one should consider its impact on the poorest and weakest person. This, not average statistics, should be the true measure of progress. He questions the pride taken in providing free food to 80 crore people, urging people to instead ask why such a situation exists at all.