Gandhi, Mao, and Grassroots yearnings for change
It might appear paradoxical to many that while China abandoned the path shown by Mao Tse Tung in 1978 and turned towards a mixed economic model, violence is ruling the method of articulating local aspirations in many parts of the country.
There are many insurgents/activists in economically depressed regions who are using violence based Maoist path as a way to show their anger against the persistent neglect of the tribal and other economically poor people. There is an understandable widespread anger at the sacrifice of scores of soldiers who were trapped and killed recently in Bastar region. There can be no defense of violence as a way of resolving problems by any one, be it local activists or state organs. And yet one hears war cries from media and many other sections of society. As if death of thousands of children and old people in these regions because of hunger, disease, lack of potable water, employment opportunities , persistent exploitation of their habitats, almost complete indifference of state and markets institutions is not a reason for us to get angry about.
Why do societies perceive problems of protest against injustice and unfair treatment by state so differently? I would not be surprised if one looks at the data of employment guarantee programes, the expenditure in the regions where insurgency problem is most serious might be least while the more developed regions might have received much more allocation ( Burdwan has double the expenditure than Puruliya for instance).
Can we not initiate a dialogue with the local communities and the insurgents so that a peaceful way can be found out for balanced regional and social development? We have had last six shodh yatras in regions in which insurgency has been quite serious and/or poverty has been persistent, be it Anantnag in J and Kashmir, Arku valley in Vishakhapatnam, Koraput in Orrisa, Puruliya and bankura in West Bengal, Chmaparan in Bihar, Dehmaji and Arunchal Pradesh in Assam. Our 25 th Shodh Yatra in Narayanpur District, Chhatisgarh will be pursued 30 Km away from May 15-21 near the region where the recent violence took place. We planed our Yatra several months ago but what shall we do there. We will understand the agony first hand and identify signs of hope. Those who believe Gandhi has become irrelevant, must come and walk with us. We just learned that several school buildings have been blown away on our path lest soldiers make their camp there. But the children will also not be able to study there now. Lesser education, still lesser opportunities for jobs or entrepreneurship and still higher frustration and anger. We have to break this cycle. Mao and Gandhi have to meet in the heartland of insurgency and we think it is possible.
Anil K Gupta
