Shouldn’t farmers speak English?
When Dr B.R. Ambedkar met Gandhi for the first time, Gandhi apparently was not aware that Ambedkar belonged to the Dalit community. Going by his attire and his speech, Gandhi had assumed that Ambedkar belonged to the upper caste. When Ambedkar’s caste became known later, Gandhi was taken aback.
Perhaps, that’s the reason why Ambedkar changed his attire, language, and way of life that reflected his caste. In this country, the reason why manual scavenging is still on is because we have created a caste only for the purpose of manual scavenging. Even now, we unconsciously believe that they exist only for that purpose.
To go beyond the identities emanating from his caste, Ambedkar projected a suit-clad identity. Similarly, to get over his upper caste-identity, Gandhi shed his suit and started wearing loin cloth. Even today, upper castes consider as an affront to them if Dalits lead a life of respect and dignity. Such attitudes lead to attacks on Dalits if they use a horse during a wedding or even move around in bikes before upper caste people. Narayana Guru wrote in Sanskrit not because of his love for the language but to prove to upper castes that Shudras can also learn Sanskrit. Kuvempu wrote his epic book as an act to spite the attitude of superiority among upper caste poets.
All the above incidents relate to caste and community. The ongoing farmers’ protest around Delhi have revealed that such attitudes also exist towards farmers in this country. The Centre and Sangh Parivar are using different methods to suppress farmers’ protests.
The government used police force; it also spread the fear of the Coronavirus. It went to the extent of digging roads and trenches to stop the farmers. But when the farmers fought all odds and reached Delhi, it alleged that the protestors were not farmers at all.
First, it said the protestors were ‘Congress representatives.’ When that allegation did not hold true, it alleged that the protestors were ‘Khalistani extremists’ pointing to the Sikhs’ beard and turban. At the same time, a few media organizations also tried hard to prove that the protestors were not farmers citing that many of the protestors were speaking English and wearing jeans.
A few of them owned vehicles. Revealing his stupidity, a journalist was seen asking the protestors ‘if you are farmers, how can you speak English’? But that begs a few fundamental questions - why can’t a farmer in this country wear Jeans? Or own a vehicle? Or speak English? Is this because all these rights are owned only by those in the IT, BT sector or corporate honchos and their followers and no one else? As the government also holds the same attitude, it has come forward to implement laws that practically hand over the lives of farmers to corporates.
Four decades ago, primary school texts had a poem titled ‘annadaata’ which portrayed the pathetic life that that farmers lived. Even today, the word farmer brings to mind the sad, skeletal visual of a person, ploughing the field. We have a deep-rooted belief that farmers exist only to be exploited.
Similarly, middle-men, brokers in the market, and politicians believe that it is their right to exploit farmers. No wonder then while farmers grow crops, others reap dividends and become rich based on the farmers produce.
When those manufacturing liquor or cigarettes that are not essential for life can become billionaires, why can’t a farmer who works day in and out to grow essential food grains become so? Now is the opportune time to raise this question. Why is it not a matter of pride for us when a farmer owns vehicles, speaks English, or wears suits? Contempt towards farming and farmers is deep rooted.
Such contemptuous attitude towards farmers and the farming community are responsible for children of farmers who are fairly rich to stay away from farming and choose careers in engineering and medicine or be enamoured with city life. Young men who rely on agriculture do not get suitable brides.
If a youth is asked about his profession and his answer is ‘agriculture’, there is a perceptible change in the attitude of the one who is asking the question who becomes pale on hearing the response. If someone who has completed his higher education later chooses agriculture, he is labelled as ‘unemployed’ and repeatedly asked the following questions:
“Why are you doing this after studying so much” or “Did you have to study so much to do this”? At the same time, we have amidst us many who have quit their engineering or medical jobs and surrendered themselves to agriculture and have become role models.
Newspapers publish stories of people who have grown different crops and have made crores of rupees owing to agriculture. Despite this, our prejudice against agriculture has not gone away. The contribution of Punjab towards the first Green Revolution is very significant.
Traditionally, they rely on agriculture and educated youth also do not hesitate to take up agriculture. Besides agriculture, they prioritise the army and have imbibed the motto of ‘Jai Jawan-Jai Kissan’ in their lives. As Punjab farmers are independent financially, educated, and are fluent in English, they are able to revolt against the government’s agriculture policy and question the government.
They are able to convey to the government that they are not slaves of rulers, by barging into the capital. They have started to change the attitude of the country towards farmers. It is the bounden duty of each person who consumes food to stand with farmers. Humiliating farmers would amount to humiliating the food we eat.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
