KAHIHI

Five more in Vidharba recently, the saga continues. There are many across the country going through a similar tyranny. However, let me restrict to Maharashtra, as that is the region that has witnessed most number of farmer suicides, and also it is the first state whom where the suicides were reported. Gandhiji’s dream of Gram Swaraj (India’s development plan to be based on progress & growth of villages and farmers) has been rotting at a much deteriorating rate than Pawar wasting 67,000 tonnes of grain.

Ever since “Do Biga Zameen”, money lender’s maltreatment towards farmers is not a fancy for us.

However, that money lender slowly transformed into a local goon and then eventually into a politician who worsened things further with the reigns of governance in his hands. Other reasons like weather conditions (though significant), socioeconomic reforms, debt loads, use of advanced farming techniques, urbanization, market instability, etc are accessorial in nature. The main culprit is the neglect of our political leaders towards these issues. The decision makers on the policy matters of India turned a blind eye to a sector that acts as a source of livelihood to more than 60% of the Indian population. Imagine a family owning 5-10 acres of land earning a meager Rs. 3500 per year! There is a lot that can be done to improve the state of these states; that of course is at the mercy of our obese leaders.

(a) Improve the infrastructure – construct roads, water irrigation systems so that dependency on rainfall is reduced. (b) Reduce the load shedding so that water pumps and other equipment can function smoothly. (c) To the extent possible free the farmer from the burden of debts; private lenders and banks must support this causes. Manmohan Singh had announced Rs. 11,000 crores for farmers in Vidharba, I wonder where all this money vanished. Private money lenders charge up to 28-30%, by the way, almost the rate at which we pay our credit card bills. (d) Set-up some parallel employment schemes. (e) Strengthen the political will to propagate welfare & development.

The very same political will, which recently demanded increase in salaries. This was met by a similar uproar from the care takers of our motherland; the army officers’ request for increase in pension to take care of the mounting expenses. Their demand wasn’t baseless if considered on the ground that our politicians get illogical hikes.

The deserving are always neglected and suppressed; just because they aren’t powerful. If the frustration and might of such restrained unite, we may certainly see a revolution, a tumult.

Else, we may just have another Nattha sitting at some construction site inside of a farm or country’s border.

The motto given to us by one of the great prophetic, Lal Bahadur Shashtri, “Jai Jawaan, Jai Kisaan” has lost its luster and prominence. Sadly, we have shamed it today as, “Hi Jawaan, Hi Kisaan”