Glimpses of

Treachery

with

illage

India
Dr. B.D. Sharma

National campaign for Eradication of Inequality

About the Book

The Book presents the worst crisis that Village-India has ever faced including under the British. Kisani is redundant in the new era of free market and versatile machine. A handful of slaves can operate the agricultureindustry of Mohalla Hindustanava in the Global Village. The elimination of kisani-associates is being done with a finis in the Grinding Mill (US Patent 1930s) fitted with two stones-High Cost and Low Price. The rulers are beating their breasts about effects- mounting debts and unrelenting suicides. But the root cause, contrived non-viability of agriculture, has been subsumed in the Conspiracy of Silence. The book begins with the nature of betrayal. Agriculture has been forced to provide capital for national development but insidiously through depressed entitlements. Yet the ravaged farmer is portrayed as sarkari jamai who demands every thing free. A dualistic economic order is on the cards with the Top 10 in full command over national resources and its fabulous wealth and the Ravaged Rest doomed to subsist at sub-subsistence level. The book proceeds to present an out line of peoples democratic assertion. An interim agenda of Attack on Inequality & 4 Denials (Denials of Honour, Family Wage, Protection against Usury and Right to Liberty) is presented. Here is a challenge before entire Political Establishment to place their position about indefensible 4Ds before the people with a warning of NO ENTRY block in Village Republics, albeit as members of political establishment. Finally, a tentative frame of alternative paradigm for Development with Equity is presented. It is amenable to modification and enrichment in the light of struggle experience. A non-centralised political economy with VR and small farmer at its center alone can save Village India from imminent catastrophe.

Glimpses
of

Treachery with Village India

Dr. B.D. Sharma

 Sahyog Pustak Kuteer First Printing : June- 2008

Also contact address of the author : Sahyog Pustak Kuteer, 11A Naughirajapur Nizamuddin East, New Delhi-110013 Tel: 011-24353997 email:bharatjanandolan@gmail.com

Sahyog

Rs. 40/- (Institution) Rs. 20/- (Individuls)

Printed by: JK Offset Printer, Jama Masjid, Delhi-6

PREFACE
Village-India (VIND) is passing through the worst crisis ever faced including under the British. A reasonable state of well-being of victims is essential for loot in perpetuity that Raj had aimed. But the scene has changed in the era of free market and versatile machine with profit as the moving force. Kisani is redundant. A handful of slaves can operate agriculture-industry of Mohalla Hindustanava in the Global Village (GV). The elimination of kisaniassociates (farmer, agricultural workers and artisans) is being done with finis in a Grinding Mill (US Patent 1930s) fitted with two stones-High Cost and Low Price. The rulers are beating their breasts about effects- mounting debts and unrelenting suicides. Yet the root cause, contrived non-viability of agriculture, has been subsumed in Conspiracy of Silence (CoS). Here are some glimpses of this Great Betrayal and a clarion call to meet the Challenge. We begin with the nature of betrayal in Part 1. Agriculture, the primary productive sector of national economy, was naturally obliged to provide capital for industrial and urban development after independence. But this mobilisation has been kept insidious- depressed entitlement for work in agriculture and its classification as unskilled. The irony is that the ravaged farmer carrying the cross of development is portrayed as sarkari jamai (sonin-law) demanding every thing free. This shameful Operation Expropriation has been organised as Hanka (hunting expedition) of farmers who innocently believe their ignoble decimation as ordained. A dualistic economic order is on the cards with Top 10 in full command over national resources and its fabulous wealth and the Ravaged Rest doomed to subsist at sub-subsistence level. Part 2 presents an out line of peoples democratic assertion. An essential condition for success in counter-Hanka is unity of victims. The current internecine warfare based on caste, religion, region, language, is engineered by Capitalist-Imperialist Global Gang (CIGG or Gang) to keep victims divided during Operation Decimation. An interim agenda of Open Attack on accentuating Inequality, that remains even un-alluded, is presented with focus on 4Ds (Denials of Honour, Family Wage, Protection against Usury and Right to Liberty). The Political Establishment (PE) has the moral responsibility to place its position before the people about open violation of laws and Constitution implicit in 4Ds. Its members may face NO ENTRY block, albeit as members of PE in Village Republics (VR) challenging Inequality and 4Ds. It may graduate into new political processes such as unilateral VR Directions and virtual referendum on vital issues. As people appreciate and understand the subterfuges adopted by rulers, the agenda will grow and become universal.

A frame for Development with Equity (DwE) is presented in Part 3 with scope for modifications and enrichment in the light of struggle experience. A non-centralised political economy with VR and small farmer at its center alone can save VIND from imminent catastrophe. Here is the outline of a modest beginning. We will be happy to share experience and also views of all those concerned about fate of VIND implicit in current Paradigm of Development. Dissent is welcome but with an alternative lest it degenerates into meaningless debate in air-conditioned exclusion. The book is addressed to the common man. Therefore each theme is presented in the form of a self-contained capsule of not more than 125 words. In this frame some repetition is unavoidable. This English version is a trial edition for seeking reaction of concerned citizens. The regular Hindi and other language editions of varying sizes, possibly with suitable changes, will be profusely illustrated for conveying the message even to those who have had no opportunity of even school education.

Gwalior 5.6.2008

B.D.Sharma

Glimpses of Treachery with Village India-An Abstract

Here are some glimpses, not the Story, of treachery with Village India (VIND). It is now facing the most pernicious attack of Imperialist Capitalist Global Gang (ICGG), like Hanka by Tigers. The contrived collapse is portrayed as destiny, law of history, karm ka fal depending on faith of noble souls, turned predators. Raj plundered India by claiming eminent domain, negating community, abrogating self-governance, imposing soul less civil regime, levying land revenue in cash and civil jail for recovery. This plunder served as capital for industrial revolution at home. The fervour of independence eluded VIND, as laws of slavery remained unchanged. The capitalist development path undermined Constitutional values. Industry was anointed as leader of Sashya Shyamal Bharat. It flourished on insidious plunder of VIND. Socialist Public Sector has been used to cover risk of entering unchartered arena and bequeathing plunder to neo-Capitalists. Green Revolution was the biggest treachery with labour-surplus VIND. It lost opportunity of a greener revolution. Progressive Farmers in prime agricultural tracts supplanted labour for profit and eliminated draught cattle embracing treacherous duo of bank and machine. The great potential of labour-intensive agriculture got totally ignored. The Gangetic Plane (GP) is its worst victim. Its own national leaders at the top remained hapless observers of the Great Fall. The initial socialistic fervour petered off as inequality got accepted as essential condition of development first as Conspiracy of Silence (CoS) and now blatantly as a liberal value. The rulers indulged in biggest loot of VIND for mobilising capital for development. Agricultural pricing is jinxed cube. Firstly, work in agriculture is designated as unskilled. Secondly, family wage principle is ignored. Lastly, labour input assessment is abysmally low. Consequently terms of trade went against agriculture and allied activities by a factor of 10 during 1947-2007. Their share in GDP nose-dived from 65% to 17% even as production rose 3.5 times The differential in emoluments in the country now is 1:10,00,000. The farmer is being mercilessly crushed in the Grinding Mill of rising cost and falling income amidst stony silence all around The farmer engaged in game of chance with nature in this scenario has been turned into permanent loser belying dramatics of subsidy and insurance. His perpetual debt, coupled with crafty levy of compound interest, has been transformed into death trap. The fatal omissions of RBI and GOI by not regulating terms of agricultural credit after bank nationalisation and slamming doors of justice in farmers face (1984) remain subsumed in CoS. The credit institutions are gentlemen leaches of VIND. There is dubious unconcern about super-usury with interest rates up to 375 % per annum.

Liberalisation is an open war on VIND. The rulers, casting aside cloak of equity, have adopted capitalist-imperialist path of dualistic development. The virtual self-sufficient VIND is facing contrived dependence. The National Agricultural Policy (NAP) has discarded land to tiller premise with abject surrender before Corporates. Wanton legal land grab is on in frontier style. National sovereignty has been pawned and is now for sale via SEZ and SEZ. Now regal car like Thakur Sahibs horse has entered fields and fallows jeopardising even food security. The State has totally withdrawn leaving stage open for corporate plunder. Affluence at the top is contrived to create market for multinationals. Agricultural mandies are out. The farmer is hapless after notorious Securitisation Act before Company-Judge-Police Triumvirate. Even NREGA is a smoke screen for Corporate takeover. Farmers demise and VIND Collapse, both contrived, are taken stoically by PE as ordained. The treachery has remained subsumed in CoS with sterilised sensitivities all around even as tightening noose is forcing farmers to commit suicide. The game is virtually lost as rulers are celebrating double-digit growth. But there is a ray of hope in communitys inherent resilience that can meet the challenge of money, muscle and State. Moreover democratic consciousness is rising in VIND with reasonably fair regime of election and its long shadow. Unmasking CoS and exposure of CIGG game plan behind legitimising economic inequality can engender a new fervour. The duality of Top 10 versus Wretched Rest is unsustainable. Uttam Kheti is the only saviour of VIND especially GP. Let victims of expropriation understand the nature of contrived expropriation and realise that VIND is not poor but deprived and disinherited. The real challenge is to counter divisive forces of religion, region, caste and such like in VIND, contrived by CIG Gang. Unless VIND decides to stand united, it is bound to disintegrate and perish. The great potential of swayambhu community as GS, following tribal example, must be urgently harnessed in other areas. The people must assert their natural rights and resort to cleansing laws of slavery as preemptive action against CIGG assault. A crucial precondition for countering Hanka is a common agenda, howsoever small, around which entire VIND can stand. Inequality is hitting every eye but no one cares, or dares to speak against it. A direct attack on growing dualistic divide is possible by exposing the four universal Denials (4Ds). They are (i) denial of honour by treating agriculture as unskilled, (ii) denial of family wage, a human right so far conceded only for the organised, (iii) denial of protection of law through levy of compound interest, and (iv) denial of right to liberty in provision of civil jail for recovery. The crimes against democracy must be exposed. The 4Ds are so subtle that all concerned- victims, beneficiaries and Guardian- take them as natural. The deception is camouflaged in nefarious games of lies, white lies and statistics. The current national minimum wage

is Rs 66; but its computation is shrouded in mystery. The revolutionary NREGA describes agriculture as unskilled and mandates daily wage as not less than Rs 60. But this figure is doubly jinxed. A simple sorcery of family wage could have taken it to Rs 133 in 2005 and 160 in 2008. The implications of parity translated in cold figure are staggering. The expropriation due to depressed entitlements is unimaginable, viz., an average of Rs 1 Crore per annum per village. The support price calculation of food grains with equitous wage as base will go up by 50 to 100 %. It will cause furor. But with parity well ingrained, a new balance will emerge in national economy. The share of agriculture and allied activities in GDP will rise from 17 to 30%. The dramatics of doles, subsidies and subsidised food grains will end. As logic of parity unfolds, the Organised already under sever attack, should join the Unorganised as trusted allies Once people realise the nature of treachery implicit in 4Ds, dialogue on inequality can begin, say, at district level with teachers, lawyers, professionals and PE. Consensus on treachery, in glare of incontrovertible facts, is easy in open forums. A request for formal confirmation of their position can follow especially to PE. GSs can politely request defaulting members of PE not to enter their village as party-men without reply in writing, yes or no. Any dissent about 4Ds will be a black mark on credentials of PE about VIND. An open discussion about representatives accountability to people or party? can shake people. GSs can decide to send Our Dhangar (bonded labour) as MP/MLA instead of trusting Party Dhangar. The resurrection of community spirit in assertion against PE will recreate Village Republic (VR)-like ethos. VRs may start questioning many a premise of governance and political economy. The resurgent VRs cannot haplessly wait for results in national struggle against 4Ds. VRs can take direct action in individual cases of usury, humiliation and civil jail. They can simultaneously consider specific issues and directly address, or send messages through MPs/ MLAs to Parliament/Assembly. It may culminate in virtual referendum, challenging anti-people legal domain and usher in dawn of real independence for VIND. If PE does not behave, the Wretched Rest may reassess validity of their faith in democratic assertion and decide to use other methods to smash Iniquitous System. The peoples assertion will naturally lead to questioning basic premises of CIPD. We cannot afford to grope in dark or resort to rhetoric when faced with questions about What Next? A tentative alternative of Development with Equity (DeW) is, therefore, presented for open discussion. CIPD is rejected because it displaces man from center of stage. Any system discounting human concerns and relations is unacceptable. Capitalist system is recklessly commandeering elements of nature, mineral resources, natures gifts and even bonanza of science and technological advances that are all common heritage of mankind. This loot must be exposed for laying foundation of egalitarian social order. The non-sustainable use of livelihood resources is

the worst crime against toiling masses and future generations. The myths of poverty perpetrated to eulogise capitalism must be exposed. Poor is not poor but exploited, disinherited and victim of iniquitous system. The myths of development created by rulers to glamourise inequity and deceive people portraying vulgar inequality as real equity do not stand the scrutiny of reason and are badly exposed. We follow the epical precept of Neti-Neti (Not-This, Not-This) for exploring nature of reality about development. All outer manifestations of so-called development such as national splendor, wealth, national income, production for the sake of production, blind industrialisation, dualistic order, labourless economy, stand exposed as unreal. The simple formulations that are meaningful to common man alone can be real constituents of human development. The DwE should essentially comprise continuous quest for life with dignity for every citizen in sustainable, non-centralised, egalitarian frame of political economy. Many elements of current paradigm need drastic adaptation and even total rejection. Equality must be brought back to center of stage of economic development. State must function as trustee of communitys eminent domain. Kisani imbedded with egalitarian elements must become epicenter of national economy. In this frame, land is not property but a means of livelihood. A frame of collective command, individual holdings and common services alone can serve as foundation of egalitarian order in VIND. The noncentralised economy, which must be diversified, after providing in full for basic needs must use limitless potential of nonphysical goods and services. DwE cannot sustain without peoples firm resolve about Mother Earth not a commodity, labour intensive agriculture, dualistic technology, and no new lords, no more landless. One family, one means of livelihood and national wage policy with stringent ceilings are prerequisites of egalitarian order. The perpetrators must know that Day of Judgment cannot be very far. DwE rejects the very concept of displacement. Resource based industry must be in community sector ensuring a place of honour on terms of equality for every one in its zone of influence. The immediate measures for countering Capitalist avalanche include unequivocal resumption of States protective role through upright, sensitive and effective administration accountable to the people. Universal, in place of dualistic social services must be the first charge on public exchequer. Immunising money power and attack on consumerism are essential conditions for eradication of inequality. But return of loot (RoL) by beneficiaries of insidious expropriation is a must for creating right milieu for DwE. Restoration of dignity of already ravaged and credit at farmers door steps at zero cost must hit the top. Consumerism must be deemed as Crime against Democracy. Attack on consumerism can begin with no to conditioners until last irrigation well is energised .An efficient public transport with reasonable comfort coupled with cycles for smaller distances is the only viable alternative for India,

The long term measures must include ceiling on urban property, stringent estate duty, protection of housing-tenants, social use of savings. The ruralurban balance, rejecting VIND versus Top10 Divide, must be restored with firm resolve that share of agriculture and allied sector in GDP must not be less than 51. The despicable differential in incomes be reduced to 1:10 in the first phase and to 1:3 as the ultimate in an egalitarian order. Participatory democracy in non-centralised political economy alone can provide the firm foundation of DwE.

Contents
Preface Abstract iii iv

Part I The Farmers HankaAn Unpardonable Crime against Village India 1 The Hanka 2 A Peep in History 3 Transfer of Power Eludes VIND 4 Treachery with VIND 5 Unpardonable Deception with Kisani 6 The Untold Story of Liberalisation Fraud 7 The Tightening Noose 3 5 8 13 18 24 34

Part II Hanke ka HankaAn Outline of Peoples Democratic Assertion 1 Aspects of Mobilisation 2 Outlining Interim Agenda 3 On the Line, GO (i) First Stream Action Frame (ii) Second Stream Actions 47 55 57 62 41

Part III Development with Equity -A Tentative Frame 1 From Symptoms to Root Causes 2 What is Development? 3 Development with EquityA Perspective 4 Peoples Assertion (i) Immediate Tasks (ii) Long Term Measures 6 Community in Command Annexure Index 71 75 78 86 92 95 97

98

Abbreviations Used
4Ds: Four Denials (II/ ) AAS: Agriculture and Allied Sectors BJA: Bharat Jan Andolan CIPD: Capitalist Imperialist Paradigm of Development CIGG: Capitalist Imperialist Global Giroh (Gang) CoS: Conspiracy of Silence CREL: Capture of Resources and Enslavement of Labour DwE: Development with Equity DM: District Magistrate Dreaded Ds: Displacement, Disorganization, Destitution and Demise. GDP: Gross Domestic Product GOI: Government of India GR: Green Revolution GGR: Gaon Gana Rajya (Village Republic) GGP: Gaon Gana Rajya Parishad (Council of Village Republics) GP: Gangetic Plane GR: Green Revolution GS: Gram Sabha GV: Global Village NAP: National Agricultural Policy, 2000 NPF: National Policy for Farmers, 2007 NSSO: National Sample Survey Organisation NREGA: National Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 PE: Political Establishment PESA: Provisions of Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 PSU: Public Sector Undertakings RBI: Reserve Bank of India RGRP: Regional Council of GGPs SA: Scheduled Area Top 10: Top 10 % of Indian Population (Part I, Para 86) VB: Village Bank VIND: Village India VR: Village Republic WB: World Bank

Part - I
THE FARMERS HANKA
An Unpardonable Crime against Village India

Two Terms Explained

Hanka: Operation Shikar (hunting). The drumbeaters and others chase wild animals from three sides marching towards a machan from where hunting party may shoot, or towards a pit or trench covered with twigs, in which wild animals can be trapped and captured. Kisani: Kisan means farmer and kisani the occupation of farming. It covers all those engaged in farming in different capacities. There are two categories of kisans or farmers, firstly those who cultivate their own land and secondly those who cultivate land owned by others. Those who own land but do not cultivate it themselves are not farmers; they are bhupaties or landlords. Kisani also covers other supporting groups including artisans.

I The Hanka
1. The Hanka: The capitalist-imperialist attack on kisani in India that was insidious so far, is in the open now and in full bloom. It has assumed the form of unbridled Hanka. 2. Capitalist Dictat-Grind Down the Farmer: The Rulers in India knavishly adopted the insidious Capitalist Dictat issued by U S rulers in 1931 for eliminating the American farmers: Grind the Farmers between two Stones of the Mill High Cost and Low Price. The same grinding mill is working over time in India under the guidance of CIG Gang. It is preparing ground for mutational change over to corporate capitalist agriculture. 3. Psychological Warfare: A psychological warfare against kisani is in full swing. Its message is loud and clear. The ship is sinking. This crusade is supported by committed socioeconomic surveys. They irresistibly support the prophesy of ordained doom. The incontrovertible precursors are already there all around if some one cares to see (i) Contrived non-viability of kisani portrayed as natural, (ii) Large number of troubled souls, some 40% farmers keen to quit agriculture, (iii) Rebellious youth determined not to go in for halbail (bullock-plough) agriculture of their elders. 4. Credit Avalanche: Credit institutions and moneylenders of all descriptions have flooded the rural scene. They are behaving like gangsters out to trap farmers under one pretext or the other. They are taking advantage of farmers utter helplessness caused by distress, disease, casino-like risks of modernization and development, social responsibilities, ambitious youth, virtual deluge of intoxicants even in VIND to drown their distress in, unbridled consumerism with all sorts of allurements strewn around. The State is insidiously acquiescing with all sorts of credit-crimes, if not openly patronising the same. 5. Snapping Emotional Bonds: A strong psychological tirade is on for liberating the farmer from emotional bond of Mother-Earth. He should be pragmatic in the new world of money and market, move with time, encash great opportunity and Quote HIS Price. 6. Colonial Laws and Liberated Souls: The grinding mill of colonial laws is working ferociously in VIND. It is operated by liberated souls who are deemed to be beyond the reach of law. Even the simple caution that white man and his civil servant used to take, to ensure that there were no excesses that may create disaffection amongst the subject people, is not necessary now. The operation is under the command of peoples own nominees and the System is under their control.

7. Suzerainty of Market: The high tide of capitalism in the wake of liberalisation and globalisation has shaken the very foundation of suzerain State, a legal artifact par excellence. All legal impediments are either being ignored or even removed in the service of suzerain market so much so that even judicial intervention may be barred in vital matters or even judiciary may move with prevailing winds. 8. Fate of Victims a Non-Issue: The State is projecting this insidious Hanka as a part of development process. The declining share of primary sector including agriculture in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in particular, therefore, is being accepted as a secular trend. Where will the people thrown out of agriculture go? is nobodys concern. Moreover, it is presumed that historical processes cannot be linear in an undulating terrain of great diversity like that in the Indian sub-Continent.

Destiny or Conspiracy
9. Farmers Demise is Destined, Right or Left: The thinkers of all campsright, center or left- with some honorable exceptions, are votaries of western paradigm of development. They accept demise of traditional farmer and his replacement by a superior form of capitalist agriculture as an axiom. The rightists perceive this structural transformation as a facet of the final golden era of capitalism. The leftists take it as a transient stage. It prepares ground for proletarian revolution for attaining socialism. The centralists innocently acquiesce with the Conspiracy of Silence (CoS). 10. Perversion of History: The Indian reality that (i) India did not have feudalism of western vintage before the advent of British and (ii) communitarian tradition is still in vogue in many tribal areas, has been largely ignored. These facts have been overlooked even in our educational system at all levels for protecting the transplanted myths. 11. Farming Community kept in the Dark The most distressing part of the fateful axiom about farmers demise is that at best it has remained a subject of closed-door discourse, effectively shielded from the people by impregnable language barrier. No debate of any kind on this issue has ever involved the prospective victims. This is the worst treachery of State including PE with VIND especially agriculture.

II A Peep in History
12. Little Lights Fade in the Blaze of Eminent Domain: The hoary tradition of Village Republics was eclipsed by the legal regime of the Raj that proclaimed eminent domain of the Crown over territories that came under its control. Its shine was shared by a new class of intermediaries- jagirdars, zamindars and estate owners- that appeared on

the national scene disinheriting people of their natural right over their habitats and livelihood resources therein. The people in the wild, however, never reconciled with this change. 13 Steel Frame on Indian Soil with Eternal Peace of Graveyard: The great turbulence that appeared in the wake of structural change in command over resources reached its zenith in 1857. It was followed by peace of graveyard as steel frame of British Raj consolidated its hold. The new laws of slavery enacted there after governed all aspects of peoples life to total exclusion of their tradition of self-governance and even the very being of community. The aim was to create conditions for Raj-inperpetuity with no chance of revolt after natural decay of community through non use of its authority. Trust in System and Distrust the People, a basic premise of colonial rule, has continued as the corner stone of governance in India. 14. Direct Levy of British Days for Industrialisation at Home: The open loot of Indian farmers accompanied by rampant de-industrialization of Indian economy served as capital for industrialisation of UK. This was effected through levy of heavy land revenue in cash. Moreover cultivation of commodities like indigo needed by home economy was made obligatory in selected areas. 15. Plunder, Chase and Jail: The land revenue was so high that forced farmers to sell three-fourth or even more of their produce for its payment. The defaulting farmer could be jailed for nonpayment. Some of them abandoned their land and fled from the area to escape its ignominy. The jail-term ironically enhances the liability because even cost of capture and travel of absconder and food during custody are added thereto. 16. Even Plunderers See Reason: The great plunder of 19th Century under Company/Raj pauperized farmers. Raj had to accept the bitter truth: Farmer is born in debt, lives in debt and dies in debt. Two laws on agricultural credit, viz., the Land Improvement Loans Act, 1883 and the Agriculturists Loans Act, 1884 and rules made there under envisaged: (i) No compound interest, (ii) Simple interest around 4% per annum, and (iii) Recovery ordinarily in not more than 35 years so that borrower could repay the loan in his lifetime. 17. Basic Difference between Agriculture and Commerce/Industry Recognised: The State took a conscious decision to levy simple interest, instead of compound on agricultural loans. It recognised a basic difference between agriculture and commerce/industry. The nature of growth is organic in the former, but exponential in the later. Here was a radical departure from the perspective of banks that were established to serve commerce/industry. They have been charging compound interest on all loans as their normal practice unmindful of the basic difference.

18. Colonial Mould of Recovery as Arrears of Land Revenue: Credit is essentially a civil liability. But Imperialists made even civil transactions of State and their banking allies risk free. Their dues were made recoverable as arrear of land revenue. Accordingly recovery of loans attracted stringent proceedings of revenue collection including civil jail. 19. State Intervention Inconsequential in Alleviating Fathomless Misery: The liberal legal provisions about agricultural credit for helping indebted farmers proved inconsequential. A stormy movement, Pagari Sambhal Jatta (Uphold Thy Honour, Ye Farmer!) in Punjab, led to historic intervention by Chhotu Ram for effective regulation of private moneylending, debt relief and reining adhatia (agent). Its message spread far and wide. 20. Elected Assemblies Reinforce Radical Frame: The first elected Provincial Assemblies were formed in 1937. They were deeply concerned with the bane of sahukari. Stringent laws were enacted to regulate money lending. For example, the Bihar Money Lenders Act, 1938 declared as void (i) compound interest and (ii) interest more than principal amount. (The Kautilyan principle of Dam Dupat) The Madras Assembly amended the Indian Usurious Loans Act, 1918 in 1939 to the effect that compound interest on agricultural loans shall be deemed to be excessive. 21. Molestation in Recovery made Culpable: Uncivil behaviour in recovery, or molestation, was made a penal offence in many Provinces beginning with Bombay in 1937. Intercepting a debtor on way to work or making rounds of his house aimlessly were deemed to be acts of molestation and punishable under law by jail. 22. Institutions Maneuver their Way Out: The protective legal measures by elected assemblies shook the financial world. In Bihar, the Governor as saviour of lost causes exempted Imperial Bank, Tata Enterprises, Banks and Cooperatives from the purview of Moneylenders Act. Some other States followed a devious path. They excluded credit institutions and their loans from the definitions of money lender and loan respectively making a mockery of protective laws. 23. Blasphemous Duality between Sahu and Sahib: The Imperialists created duality in law concerning money lending. The Banks and cooperatives comprise a privileged group. They cannot be clubbed with despised sahukars. They can levy compound interest with no limitation of dam dupat ostensibly because they deal with trust money of depositors. On the other hand, Sahus handle their own money. Therefore they can be jailed if they violated even simple interest norms set by law.

III Transfer of Power Eludes VIND

24. Colonial Laws and Democratic Constitution: The colonial system of governance remained unchanged after transfer of power. No honest attempt was ever made for establishing panchayats as institutions of selfgovernment. Purging colonial law of undemocratic elements never came on the national agenda. A new elite largely urban-educated that arrogated unto itself above the law status, has been ruling the roost. VIND has been groaning unheard under boots of brown sahibs and now under the terror of goons notwithstanding long innings of formal representative democracy. 25. Slavery after Independence in Tribal Areas: The tribal areas can at best be described as Gaon ke Gaonde or rustic village within village. Many of them were earlier treated as excluded/partially excluded areas. They were largely uncovered by general laws. The tribal people continued to manage their affairs according to their customs and tradition. The adoption of Indian Constitution in 1949 implied automatic extension of general laws to entire country including tribal areas. It resulted in super cession of their traditional System notwithstanding radical protective Constitutional provisions. Criminalisation of tribal communities and loss of command over livelihood resources implicit in this innocent act remains unacknowledged. 26. Development Paradigm sans Constitutional Values: Indian Constitution unequivocally stands for basic values of equity, equality, liberty and fraternity. Yet western paradigm of capitalist-imperialist development was adopted with individualism, competition and profit as its core values. Industrial Sector was naturally designated as lead sector of national economy. Accordingly VIND has been treated by the Top-10, with no remorse, as a colony under its absolute command. 27. Pitch Dark in Blazing Sun: The toiling masses engaged in raw struggle of sheer survival in blazing sun and freezing nights, whirling round like wind untamed in their little universe know virtually nothing about the world beyond of pitch dark, abode of ghosts arm with mysterious prescriptions for every thing concerning their life, big or small. A signal there from can make or mar their life. Yet there has been no conscious effort for their deliverance from its maya notwithstanding benign offers of help galore. This darkness is deemed as ordained, the biggest treachery in a democratic polity.

Capitalistic Industrialisation
28. De-industrialisation of Village India: When East India Company arrived in India as a trader, India was the top industrial country in the world . The British mercilessly destroyed our industries in the service of industrial revolution at home. Nevertheless rich tradition of village and household

industries still survived in many areas. But use of labour-displacing machines, propelled by profit motive in the era of planned economic development, has ironically devastated them. It has led to swelling of the ranks of landless labourers. The Constitutional mandate for their protection has been largely ignored. 29. Leader Turns Predator: Assigning leadership to Industrial sector in national development proved to be ominous. Industrialisation got equated with promotion of big industries propelled by profit motive. Even the great opportunity for geographical spread of modern industrial activity presented by emergence of footloose technology has been missed in pursuit of personal gains by a few. On the other hand, revolution in communication and information technology is being used for mindless centralisation of authority. It has stultified entrepreneurial initiative in real hard avenues that have little scope for manipulation. 30. Expropriation from VIND for Industrial/Urban Development: Industrial sector has been designated as lead sector in economic development of India ignoring the fact that its economy is predominantly agricultural. Therefore mobilisation of capital for industrial and urban development from agriculture was accepted as natural. But it was kept insidious for reasons political. The resultant non-recognition of forced contribution of agriculture added to the aura and luster of industrial world. It led to inflated entitlements of all other partners and legitimised growing inequality. The abysmally low entitlements in agriculture are a natural corollary, that is universally accepted without any qualms of conscience. 31. Predator as Benefactor 1 Forms of Expropriation: The mobilisation of capital from agriculture for industrial/urban development as a direct levy was impossible for fear of farmers reaction. Therefore countless insidious devices have been adopted such as systemic expropriation through exotic centers of governance under unfamiliar legal regime, denial of natural right over livelihood resources, huge margins in trading both private and institutional, virtual denial of education/health services and such like. But the biggest fraud is being perpetrated through highly depressed entitlement for work in unorganized sector in general and agriculture in particular. 32. Predator as Benefactor 2 Fraudulent Investment and Dubious Subsidies: Out of Rs 1,000 insidiously mobilised from VIND, 900 is retained by Top 10 in various forms. The remaining 100 are put under display in Central/State budgets under attractive labels such as rural development, Indira Awas, fertiliser-subsidy, irrigation and land development. But in reality only Rs 15 reach the village, followed by familiar scenes of doglike scramble. This drama camouflages hideous expropriation and creates benevolent aura of maibap sarkar.

33. Plunder in Tribal Areas: The shift of focus from agriculture to industry brought resource-rich forest and hilly tracts inhabited by simple tribals, located at the margin of agricultural civilization, to the center of new economy. Their resources - land, forest, water & minerals- have been and are being captured in frontier style under States eminent domain cover. The disinherited tribal people are facing the Dreaded Ds- Displacement, Disorganisation, Destitution, and Demise. Their fate is subsumed in CoS. The heavy influx of outsiders in many areas has reduced them into minority with loss of command over their traditional habitat, all in the name of their development. 34. Nefarious Hidden Agenda behind Public Sector: The public sector ostensibly aimed at establishing mother industries and laying strong foundation of national development. This sector was, however, used as a cover for legitimising expropriation from VIND in a milieu of silent political consensus. It also served as a device for passing on the risk of moving into un-chartered arena of big industries to public exchequer. This facilitated emergence of a new capitalist class that could manage and maneuver in mixed economy. It had a queer mix of total State control over basic industries like steel and a free-for-all in distribution and consumer goods industries. 35. Dishonest Disablement: PSUs have been systematically disabled by tarnishing their image vis--vis vigorous private enterprise. For example, electricity is the foundation of modern development especially industrialisation. It is an open secret that massive theft has been allowed by the soft State under the cover of so-called transmission losses up to 70%. Its distribution is being handed over to private companies under the cover of feigned incompetence. They have been conceded the privilege of hiking price at will and effective recovery through goons in the midst of flourishing lawless regime in VIND. 36. Contrived Loot and Sharing of Booty: Once the purpose of hidden agenda of public sector had been served, a regime of virtual loot started through crafty dealings of so-called privatization and joint ventures. This loot is escalating exponentially with the arrival of multinationals with CIG Gang at their back. The biggest swindle, for example, is in iron ore mining whose cost of production including royalty is about Rs 300 per ton as against the international price of more than Rs 2000. The legitimate benefits of public sector lead in exploration of oil have been palmed off graciously to Ambanies with no questions asked. 37. Legitimisation of Loot and its Glorification: The illegitimate windfall gains in private hands are portrayed as success stories legitimising outrageous inequality, especially limitless rewards at the top and nosediving entitlements below. This entire episode has been subsumed in the CoS amongst the ruling elite.

IV Treachery with VIND

38. Treacherous Green Revolution (GR): The rulers adopted, on purpose, profit-centered capital-intensive model of agricultural development in a labour-surplus economy. They even ignored the rustic experience that other things being equal, smaller the farm higher the per acre productivity. The subsidy to farmers for capital investment was really a trap. Once their dependence on exotic inputs reached a point of no return, phasing out of concessions was a part of their game plan. The process is continuing with notional palliatives to stall a breaking point, if any. 39. Treacherous Community Development: The faith of founding fathers in little lights as guiding spirit of new India was belied. The policy of Distrust the People and exclusion of community continued. Yet community development was imported from US that had destroyed Red Indian communities and manufactured community of 4-H brand. A scheme of doles was introduced as community development, to utter bewilderment of simple folks, for activities that are as natural as air in community life. These alms as anudan ravaged community spirit and mauled sense of honour of honourable citizens. Now doglike expectation and scramble for doles in countless forms like free Awas, free meals, free funds is so common that even allusion to honour and dignity is blasphemy. 40. Treacherous Land Distribution: Most promises/measures for equitable distribution of land, abolition of intermediaries and ceiling on holdings have failed rather miserably. The landless were assigned wasteland mostly marginal. These lands proved to be liability especially in absence of any support for land development. The assignees soon realized that they were better off as footloose labourers than as farmers tied to tiny holdings. 41. Contrived Elimination of Draught Cattle: The cattle have been the real losers in the ritual of land distribution and slimy mechanisation of agriculture. They became unbearable burden on the farmer with dwindling pastures. National Policy for Farmers (NPF) 2007 does not even note this change. On the other hand, modern slaughter houses, sponsored by State with WB assistance, operating by beef-export-mafia, out price draught cattle forcing farmers to turn to machines that are displacing human labour itself. The law banning slaughter of oxen in working age-group has been observed more in violation. This episode is a part of hidden capitalist agenda of contrived corporatisation of agriculture in India. 42. Food- Luxury versus Necessity: Non-vegetarian food and motorised transport are insignia of modernity. Let us begin with food. The animals and birds in rural areas with extensive resources subsist on nature with some supplementation, if any, by their owner. In this setting, animal

food is virtually natures gift. But animals and birds in modern meat industry share same food grain base as man. The grain-meat conversion ratio is about 3-5. Thus, non-vegetarians require 3-5 times land area for subsistence compared to vegetarians. The demand for meat is quite inelastic because expenditure on food is small part of family budget in this class. But even a marginally poor harvest can cut deep in the minimal basic nutritional needs of ordinary people. 43. Thakur Sahibs Horse Takes Precedence over Slaves: The cars worldover have invaded favourite green fields of corn, sugar cane etc. with traditional aura of Thakur Sahibs horse. In India Jatropa is taking precedence over food crops and fodder with vengeance following dictat of open market. Moreover, even food grains such as corn, wheat, rice are now being converted into bio-fuel raising their market price significantly. The car-man competition is heightening every day with accentuation of inequality and virtual stagnation of food grain production nationally and globally. Yet there is no concern about the disquieting fact that per capita consumption of food grains has declined sharply in last two decades. 44. Mining of Livelihood Resources for Profit: The capital-intensive path was adopted for agricultural development at the behest of multinationals out to create market for their products especially fertilisers in India. The American experience of extensive damage to land due to over use of fertilisers and mechanisation was ignored. The higher productivity was sustained for some time by increasing the dose. It is now nose-diving. Extensive areas are becoming waste lands capable of yielding virtually nothing. The damage is incommensurable. 45. Labour Displacing Machines: Mechanisation of agricultural operations has led to secular reduction in labour input in agriculture since independence. The per acre labour employment level of 1947 dropped to about one-thirds in 2005. In this process, the profit of a few, especially capitalist farmers increased substantially but at the cost of massive unemployment and under employment in VIND. The ruling wage of agricultural labour in extensive regions in India is around Rs 30-50 per day, which is virtually starvation wage, notwithstanding the minimum national wage of Rs 66 per day. 46. Missed Potential of Inclusive GREENER Revolution: In retrospect, it is clear that if capital that was used for displacing labour in pursuit of personal profit in favoured areas under the banner of GR, had been used for promoting labour-intensive small-farm-centered development such as land development, soil conservation, water harvesting, minor irrigation, per acre productivity would have soared across the county. It would have ushered in Inclusive Greener Revolution. Its benefits would have been equitably shared by happy farmers in all regions. Agriculture would have regained its uttam kheti status and served as firm foundation for establishing an egalitarian social order.

Silent Tsunami of Spatial Economic Polarisation

47. Ominous Spatial Dualism in Agriculture: The capital-intensive model in agriculture has led to an extreme form of spatial economic dualism. The better off GR areas greatly benefited from increased production albeit discounted by state-managed depressed prices. The substantial increase in farmers income led to significant rise in agricultural wages. The story in other areas is quite different. They had to mange with virtually stagnant production and depressed prices in an era of incessant general price-rise. The increasing non-viability of agriculture depressed wages. Thus, spatial dualism in agriculture is accentuating unabated pauperising extensive nonGR tracts. There is widespread distress-exodus especially in the Gangetic plane (GP) in States of Bihar and central/eastern UP. 48. Leaders Acquiesce Insidious Expropriation: The irony is that IndoGangetic plane, fabled as sone ki chiria from time immemorial, remained at the top in the national economy until independence. It had braved even the Great Plunder of rapacious Raj. Its front line freedom fighters naturally became national leaders after transfer of power. This leadership, imbued with a Grand Vision of Industrial West, accepted insidious expropriation from agriculture as inevitable for creating capital base for economic development. The worst affected people of this expropriation comprising GP ( UP-Bihar) were denied even the opportunity of principled dissent about the unstated policy of insidious expropriation from VIND for national cause, because their own leaders were in Command. 49. Deceptive Dynamics of Dualistic Development: The location of technical institutions and industrial enterprises of new India was guided, inter alia, by comparative costs, available open space and access to raw material. The cow belt with its teeming millions and fully occupied lands got naturally excluded. The very same dualism bestowed hither to marginal areas with gifts of heavy investment, skilled manpower and modernisation. The back wash that afflicted VIND in general was most sever in GP. It pulled it from virtually top to the bottom of national economy within a few decades. They are subject to countless value laden rustic-ridicules to create sense of self-denigration and ensure that the real cause, insidious plunder, remains subsumed in CoS.

Inequality Unbounded
50. Skyrocketing Differential in Wages and Untamed Inequality: The ruling daily wage in extensive rural areas remains around Rs 30-50. The minimum per diem entitlement of the lowliest in organized sector like a peon is about Rs 200, of a teacher or skilled worker in Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) Rs 400/500, of Collector Rs. 1000, MLA Rs 2000,

M.P. Rs 4000, a Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court Rs 2,00,000. And that of elks of Ambanis, it may be astronomical at Rs 1000 per second. We have the dubious distinction of achieving a differential of 1:10,00,000, all in assiduous honest pursuit of socialist goals. The shadow of Sixth Pay Commission bonanza is bound to be very long. 51. Sharpening Polarisation and Scramble for Work at any Rate: The abysmal wage in rural and unorganized sectors forces all members of a family to work. This fact is used for keeping wages low even in government work. Taking advantage of overcrowding in employment market, a direct attack has been launched on even the privileged organized sector. Bulk of regular work is being transferred to contractors. Contract appointees are replacing regular professionals in education, health etc. at a fraction of regular rates. The industrial sector has entered a virtually irreversible phase of development with negative employment. 52. Inequality as an Essential Condition of Development: As people remain unaware about machinations behind the phenomenon of growing inequality, PE has dishonestly acquiesced and even bestowed on it the aura of essential condition of development. It has ignored the fact that this is a basic premise of Capitalist-Imperialist Paradigm of Development (CIPD) and is in gross violation of egalitarian value frame. Why envy good luck of others? is the natural response of victims of perverted premise.

V Unpardonable Deception with Kisani

53. Agriculture Degraded as Unskilled: Agriculture that sustains humanity is the most dexterous work in the world. India has great tradition of Uttam Kheti, that is, Agriculture, Most Exalted. The rulers have knavishly devalued it through crafty mis-classification as unskilled with no questions asked even after independence.This treacherous deception is beyond the comprehension of Indian farmer. The very concept of unskilled is alien to our tradition which perceives kaushal in all activities of human beings, high and low. Unskilled is a Imperialist concept of industrial era irrelevant for VIND. There is no native word for unskilled in Hindi, perhaps in any other Indian language as well. 54. Abrogation of Wage for Worker and his Family Principle: UN Declaration of Human Rights 1948 envisages just remuneration that assures worker and his family life with dignity. India signed this covenant as founding member. Yet family is missing from Article 43 of Directive Principles of State Policy dealing with living wage, etc., for workers. Nevertheless family principle is adopted by Pay Commissions.

The National Labour Conference 1975 has also recommended adoption of this principle for determination of minimum wages in general, albeit with jinxed definition of family and retrograde norms for computation of family expenditure. The principle has remained ignored in determining entitlements in agriculture for reasons not honourable. 55. Fraudulent Frame of Agricultural Prices: The computation of support price in agriculture is highly biased, nay dishonest, notwithstanding States show of benevolence. It totally ignores vital capital investment such as in lift irrigation and farmers dexterous management inputs. To cap it all, valuation of labour is jinxed cube. Firstly, it is treated as unskilled. Secondly, wage-entitlement ignores family principle. Thirdly, computation of labour input follows industrial-frame. It is limited to some specific jobs and ignores incommensurable total involvement of farmer and his family. Therefore, assessed labour input is very low, say, 100-150 days in a year branding farmer as idler and under employed. This Himalayan fraud is responsible for abysmally low support price in agriculture. 56. Adverse Sectorial Terms of Trade: The crucial determinant of sectorial terms of trade is entitlement for work. But the effort to keep domestic prices low to protect consumer interest, openly acknowledged for the first time by National Farmers Policy (NFP), has resulted in decline in terms of trade for farm sector. The variation in exchange rate between agricultural and industrial products over a period makes injustice explicit and easy to understand. The price of ordinary dhoti in 1947 was 2 kgs of wheat against 10 kgs in 2007. Similarly price of 1 liter of diesel was 1/2 kg of wheat in 1970 as against 5 kgs in 2007. The terms of trade have gone against agriculture by a factor of ten in 60 years. 57. Precipitate Fall in Share of Agriculture in GDP: The twin phenomenon of (i) declining share of agriculture and allied sectors (AAS) in GDP and (ii) amassing of wealth at the top have been accepted as insignia of development and remained unquestioned. The agricultural production has increased 3.5 times from 60 million tons in 1947 to 210 during 2005-2006. But the share of AAS in GDP in the same period has nosedived from 65% (70% people) in 1947 to less than one-third at 18.5% (65% people) in 2007. 58. Political System Accepts the Fall as Natural and Beneficial: Swaminathan Commission on Agriculture (2006) has noted the steep decline of the share of AAS in GDP stoically. The PE has remained totally unconcerned about it. Vision 2020 celebrates this precipitate decline as insignia of development. The Vision has proudly projected its share in GDP in 2020 at 6% (60% people), a virtual death warrant of kisani that is taken as ordained with no questions asked from any quarter. 59. The Grinding Mill of Indian Farmer: This state-sponsored deception acquiesced by the entire PE has led to contrived Grinding Mill spectacle

in agriculture. The farmer is being mercilessly crushed between two stones of the Mill - Rising Cost and Falling Income. 60. Subsidy (1): A Grand Farce: The haunted farmer is ridiculed as sarkari Jamai by the elite for he pays no tax yet demands every thing free. They are conceded in the form of subsidies unending. No one has cared to note that (i) all these favours put together are just a fraction of insidious expropriation from agriculture that has forced the farmer to the brink and (ii) this subsidy in the hands of Master-Farmer whose wage-entitlement is Rs 30-50 or so is really meant for his servants in supporting industries. For example, his labourer-servant in a fertilizer factory is paid Rs 300 per diem. His Sethia-servant enjoys bonanza of Rs 35 crores per year of Rs 1,000 per second. Let Wise Men from the East decide Who is Sarkari Jamai? 61. Subsidy (2): Global Comparison a Great Deception: The global comparison of subsidy is a device to confuse the equity issue. Subsidy in India is no subsidy but a few crumbs thrown out of great plunder with triple goals, viz., (i) create doglike scramble in VIND, (ii) plant dalals/agents of rulers amongst unsuspecting farmers, and (iii) earn their gratitude and create confusion. Once insidious expropriation ends, selfrespecting farmer will cast aside dole-like dispensations with contempt. In contrast, subsidy in developed industrial nations is a part of their distribution plan of fabulous wealth of global loot. The subsidy to agricultural sector there is for keeping inter-suctoral differentials within reasonable limits. 62. AgricultureA Game of Chance with Nature: The 5-7 year natural cycle of excellent, good, average and failed crops is built-in risk-cover in farmers gamble with nature. It is the secret of flourishing agriculture in India. The levy of revenue in cash by Raj destroyed this fine balance and pauperised the farmer. Waiver, reduction or even deferment of revenue was a great relief in a bad year. Open-ended famine works like metal breaking supplemented this relief. The ritual of revenue remission continued after independence even though revenue became notional. Moreover, declaration of scarcity itself is so politicized and form of relief so vulgarized that the really affected remain largely untouched. 63. All Benefits Jinxed by Maze of Rules: The implementation of all development programmes is governed by a maze of laws and rules made there under. They are beyond the comprehension of common man. A simple query at any stage and in any form serves as veto leading to heavy cuts and rampant corruption. The benefits of development thus are lost in the jungle of so-called Rule of Law leaving a mere 15 out of 100 for the people as confessed by late Rajiv Gandhi as Prime Minister in the open.

64. Spurious Risk Coverage and Insurance: Insurance is addressed to risk coverage on the premise that risk, when averaged over large numbers, becomes manageable. The risk in agriculture gets evened out over a period in its natural cycle. This wholesome cycle has been rendered nonviable by insidious expropriation from agriculture after independence, which was visible under the Raj. The million dollar question is How can victims of expropriation insure a nonviable activity? In this situation all crop insurance schemes are virtual fraud and unbearable levy on the farmer. Insurance against man-made catastrophe, as in agriculture, cannot but be a deceptive cover for the Original Sin. 65. The Inevitable Debt (Death)-Trap: The absence of built in mechanism for risk coverage renders agriculture doubly nonviable. The farmer has to borrow for every thing including cost of cultivation and inputs, social needs, health and education. About 80% farmers are heavily indebted. They have been caught in debt trap, nay death trap irretrievably.

Reason Forsaken as Plunder Skyrockets

66. Colonial Frame Ignores Constitution: The colonial law that allowed usurpation of liberty in the form of civil jail for inability to pay government dues continued even after adoption of Constitution that mandates liberty of a citizen as inviolable. The Madhya Pradesh Land Revenue Code, 1959 is the only State law in the country that has no provision of civil jail for recovery of land revenue. Accordingly civil jail for recovery of dues is unknown in M.P. 67. Withdrawal of State from Agricultural Credit: The State undertook a massive programme of promoting cooperatives after independence for serving credit needs of VIND. It gradually withdrew from direct financing in the form of taccavi. The final break, however, came after Bank nationalisation in 1975. The declared objective was to raise the share of VIND in institutional credit to 40% and meet farmers needs in full. All nationalized banks formally covered entire VIND with Lead Banks in charge of specified areas. This move engendered a milieu of Great Expectation amongst the farmers. 68. Unpardonable Lapse & Legalisation of Usury: Notwithstanding the historic decision about institutional agricultural credit, both the Union Government and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) failed to appreciate that the new task assigned to banks is qualitatively different from their normal beat. Accordingly none of them cared to issue guidelines about terms of agricultural credit in keeping with the spirit of century-old anti-usury laws. Their acquiescence with Banks/Cooperatives charging compound interest has virtually legalised usury. 69. Institutional Credit Retains Colonial Aura: The recovery of dues by Banks/Cooperatives continued under the colonial aura of arrears of land revenue. A defaulter can land up in civil jail for his inability to

honour a civil contract. The flagrant violation of citizens liberty and honour in this deal has not claimed the attention of honourable legislators, nor of academicians and human right activists. Even Honble Supreme Court acquiesced with this duality. It has struck down the practice of civil jail for recovery of dues of moneylenders. But the verdict specifically excluded banking/cooperative institutions on the ground that they deal with trust money of other citizens and maintain regular accounts. 70. Slamming of Doors of Justice Against Farmers: Notwithstanding States acquiescence with usury, a farmer could still get relief, though rare, from Courts especially in southern States where compound interest on agriculture loans is legaally deemed as excessive. The Union Government plugged this loophole by amending Companies Act in 1984 to the effect that notwithstanding any thing in Usurious/Money Lenders Acts, terms of credit cannot be challenged in a Court. No one protested even as doors of all Courts were slammed against hundred million farmers. All their woes have been drowned in CoS. 71. Trust Betrayed: Institutional credit in principle is a lesser evil compared to horrendous usury practiced by informal moneylenders whose dues may double every 6 months. But an ordinary farmer is perplexed with associated formalities of institutional credit. His loan-adventure turns into horror tales with soaring liability without even receiving full amount. Moreover institutional credit structure especially cooperative has virtually collapsed in VIND leaving ordinary farmers to vagaries of informal money lending. 72. Credit Institutions, Gentlemen Leaches of Village India: The universally maligned local sahukars have been exploiting farmers to the hilt. But proceeds of that Sin remain within the village economy. It can be relied on for meeting crisis situation at odd hours. But proceeds of institutional credit are incessantly siphoned off. Out of every 100 rupees deposited by village people, only 30 are invested locally while 70 flow out. The total debt liability of VIND in 2007 stood at about Rs 50 lakhcrores. The annual interest liability of this loan is 50,000 crores. It is more than total budgetary allocation for VIND making net investment of State in VIND negative. 73. Dubious Unconcern about Outrageous Usury: The annual interest on Kangal Bank loans with weekly recovery installments comes to 375% compound (or C) ; informal monthly rate at 10% is 214%C and easiest monthly rate at 5% is 90%C. Gunnar Myrdals plea in 1960s to align interest rate in India with ruling cost of money at 30%C went unheeded. Money that emanates from countless sources at stifling rates, say 8-18%C, spreads out rate rising at every step unto 90-214-375C mark. The recovery back wash leaves nothing with victims in blinding dazzle at the Top. The term Simple is unknown in lawless expanse of dark

continent of usury with shattered community and blindfolded Sahibs devoid of moral authority even to question usury in any form. 74.Triple Digit Cross of Compound Interest: The institutional usury appears as heaven for manipulators in this dark continent. Take money at 8-14C, lend at 90-375C has been a favourite game of worldly-wise rural folks with good links. But now super affluent in Top 10industrialists, business men, professionals- are using agriculture as treasure sink. They launder their ill gotten money and capitalise the enormous differential between institutional and market rates. A lage part of institutional agricultural credit is cornered by pro-forma farmers and invested in other money spinning activities. The real farmers including tenants and share croppers are obliged to carry excruciating burden of triple digit Cross of compound interest deemed as ordained.

VI The Untold Story of Liberalisation Fraud

Ascendancy of Money Power
75. Gold, Bronze and Paper: When farmers produce is bartered it is priceless and worth its weight in gold; when labour is sold in market it loses its grace and gets equated with bronze debased; when modern services grace the scene they acquire divine aura that is sustained with fervour by fiction of money, created at will by printers galore. As agriculture is rendered non-viable, land becomes useless as livelihood base; as machines chase the man, his labour may be bartered at best for just half-a-meal. Their Excellencies, the Paper-Lords stoop to conquer dazed farmers with tons of notes and hapless workers as slaves in new Heavens of SEZ with Power of Paper Perfected as never before. 76. Casting Aside the Cloak of Equity: The contradiction implicit in formal national commitment for establishing egalitarian order and covert belief of rulers in inequality as driving force of development, in course of time, became glaring and dysfunctional. They decided to cast aside the mask of equality-equity and adopted unequivocally capitalist-imperialist path of dualistic development. A super-economy of global village model has been created at the top to manufacture double-digit growth with contrived money power and resource piracy leaving the rest to vicissitudes of market and assurance of dog-like existence to qualm national conscience. 77. Fiction of Money at its Zenith: You quote your rate, Double is my offer for lands of any description that catches the fancy of Corporate Czars. All transactions are in the form of entries in Pass Books without a single rupee changing hands. While Czars command this fiction, it is beyond the comprehension of simple farmers but for a vague sense of having

something BIG. The dream world ends up sooner than later like spectacle of grand firework ignited by one spark of desire, leaving empty shells and bewildering darkness behind. The Czars consolidate their empire with tsunami of wealth, hailed by celebrities of Raj in the glitter of rising Sensex, mesmerizing one and all in bewitching exclusive GV. 78. Weak Administration-Enemy of People: The strong and effective legendry Indian administration, notwithstanding its colonial vintage, had the privilege of ushering in planned development under guidance of PE. This ideal relationship has not sustained. On the contrary, it has been badly battered and stands publicly denigrated as babudom to incapacitate it from discharging its Constitutional role. The rule of law is an institutional device for protecting ordinary citizen against stronger elements and vested interests. A weak administration tends to side with vested interests, feather its own nest and become instrumental in the Sin of peoples deprivation, denial and pauperisation. Thus, rule of law is being transformed into rule by the whims of vested interests. 79. States Subservience to Money and Market: The State with all its limitations still has moral obligation to protect citizens against money/muscle power and also formal authority to control it. The planning era greatly reinforced this normative frame. But the new liberalisation/globalization regime marks a U-turn, albeit with unchanged outer form. It has eroded States authority and made even its formal role subservient to money/muscle power. The Securitisation Act 2002, for example, allows bank to take over mortgaged property bypassing courts. In case of resistance, DM is duty bound to stand by it. The common man is helpless before this demonic Company-Judge-Police 3-in-1 Combine. 80. Legal Regime of Slaves Reinforced: While State is becoming increasingly subservient to CIGG, its posture vis--vis common man is becoming highly aggressive and repressive under the cover of colonial laws of slavery. Moreover, new draconian laws are enacted to curb dissidence and counter assertion of human rights that can put to shame even Nero of bygone age. 81. State Abandons People: The legal regime with land to tiller has been weakened, nay abrogated. State is shy of its protector role against money/muscle power. It is shedding its responsibility in land acquisition by formal exclusion of companies from acquisition law and opening up land market to trickery of free negotiations between rogue entrepreneurs and innocent farmers in tiger-goat style. The slimy provision for acquisition of up to 30 percent land if 70% has been privately purchased, by hook or crock, aims at hitting hard-core deviants with State power. Thus, State that hitherto, at best, has been an unconcerned observer has become a powerful ally of rogues, rendering common man totally defenseless.

Corporate Avalanche
82. From Self-Sufficiency to Contrived Dependence: The CapitalistImperialist hawks took advantage of unfavourable food situation after partition. They imposed capitalistic norms in the name of GR on countrys prime agricultural regions. It was acquiesced by experts of their vintage totally unconcerned about rich indigenous tradition of unfathomable vivacious diversity. Moreover, there were built-in allurements of subsidies and quick profit feigning total innocence about its long-term fall out. With contrived dependence in a choice less situation, farmers are now facing ravages of mechanization and specter of exhausted soils, water logging, salineation and such like. 83. Dwindling State Support for Agriculture: While insidious expropriation from agriculture has bled this sector white, the State support even for vital capital investment has dwindled. The Plan Outlays for agriculture of GOI has gone down from 34.0 % in First Plan to just 10.6% in Tenth. The investment in irrigation, crucial element for agricultural development, is a fraction of one-per cent of GDP. And even these official figures are illusive. Some 90 to 95 percent of budget for irrigation in many States is for meeting the cost of establishment leaving little for actual works. 84. Contrived Market for Facilitating Multinational Entry: There was virtual freeze on import of luxury goods, not to speak of their manufacture after transfer of power. The cornering of benefits of development especially GR, prepared ground for special deal for tertiary sector especially the organised including State sector employees. The bonanza that began with Fourth Pay Commission has known no bounds all in service of creating market for multinationals and facilitating their entry in the national economy. With virtual control of more than 90% purchasing power relating to nonessential goods in the hands of Top 10, multinationals are in full command of this contrived market and managing the same in their interest. 85. Corporate Control over Agricultural Marketing: A comprehensive institutional infrastructure was established after independence for supporting agriculture . It included research, xxtension, cooperatives , mandies, State Trading Corporation (STC) etc. These institutions have been sabotaged to make way for corporates. STC is in shambles. Mandies are the latest hit by blatant amendment of mandi laws allowing free hand to corporates. They have entred through e-chaupals, fashionable Malls coopting bigger farmers showing better deal for both producers and consumers. The small traders and small farmers are in disarray. They will be eliminated by corporates as they acquire monopolistic control. The bigger farmers will face worst ignominy being rendered totally friendless.

86. National Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA): The trickery of revolutionary GR piloted by CIG Gang is being repeated in redder radical NREGA. GR crippled farmers and forced mechanisation in lure of profit. It drastically reduced labour input in agriculture and induced unemployment. The great shock of capitalist agriculture in favoured regions was and is being absorbed by extensive undeveloped areas of simple folks seeped in myths of fate, unprepared to face astute invader. The benevolent State is greatly concerned with the second wave exodus induced by discarding disdainful baggage of land to tiller in NAP. NREGA descends in Messiahi demeanor in crisis areas covering entire VIND with right to manual work for every family. 87. NREGA Ignores Vital Issues of Equitous Entitlement: State employment schemes hitherto have followed statutory agriculture wage frame. NREGA, for the first time, authorises GOI to fix wages independently. A message about minimum wage, hours of work, conditions of work has spread like wild fire across VIND with appreciable wage rise . But there is CoS about its implcations for low-entitlement equilibrium in agriculture.That is not all.NREGA baldly designates agriculture as unskilled work.There is passionate discussion about hours of work, piece wage rate, equal pay for women, reservation for women etc. But there is ominous silence about the blatant discrimination between Organised and Unorganised in adoption of family wage principle. 88. NREGA: Smoke Screen for Corporate Takeover?: NREGA dualism, care for labour, despair for farmer is reminiscent of GR days. The equitable inner balance path of labour centric development was abandoned. Consequently VIND missed greener revolution and is facing spatial dualism. Now state is subsidising mechanisation of labourintensive operations. It is indulging in drama of equitous deal for unskilled in agriculture that neo-corporates and capitalist farmers will gladly follow. The motely crowd of dispossessed destitutes in free market will be obliged to accept two morsel wage. Once mechanisation reaches a stage of no return, right to work will evaporate like subsidies.VIND will be transformed into free market colony of slaves eulogised as SEZ. 89.Concluding Sojourn with Siege on Seed: With decisive control over virtually all aspects of agriculture like plowing, harvesting, fertilisers, pesticides, corporate attack is now on its very soul, the seed. The bait of genetically modified seeds aims at virtual stranglehold on agriculture. This seed must be purchased every year from giant multinationals. Their undisputed de facto command has been formalized in Seed Law. It innocently makes sowing of un-certified seed including farmers own a penal offence. It is the most pervert denigration of rich heritage and rustic wisdom of Indian farmer. A seed-inspector can enter a farmers home for search, a power that even police does not enjoy.

90.

Food Sovereignty Jeopardised: The stranglehold of CIG Gang is complete once a country becomes dependent for food grains. U.S.A., Canada and Australia have extensive land that in a labour scarce economy can be optimally used only as ranches and for hardy food crops. They are pressing India to move on to producing other commodities on various pretexts. They would like India to grow roses for export, move on to horticulture and not waste time and resources on food grains that can be easily imported. The neo-capitalists formers are all for change because that gives them a ploy for grabbing land and dispensing with even the load of labour. What happens if roses wilt or grain supply is blocked? is no ones concern. 91. Contract Farming: The farmers facing contrived squeeze of high cost and low income are being enticed to take to contract farming. The old sayings, viz, land belongs to the occupant and possession is nine points of law have been conveniently forgotten. Once land is handed over to corporates for any purpose whatsoever, it will be virtually lost to the owner irretrievably. 92. Of Young Victims of School and Machine: The formal education is deskilling successor generations of farmers and other traditional workers in VIND. Moreover, machine is driving away uneducated skilled in search of work to NOWHERE. Every one including State is out to exploit this pool of doubly defrauded youth as Special Police Officers, Security Guards, construction workers and such like at nominal wages. The multinationals are especially using the cream of our youth as salesmen for dumping their wares and capturing big VIND-Market from traditional shopkeepers, pheriwalas, and such like. The entire country is becoming marketing mela of robot-goods under the command of CIGG.

Knocking the Base Out

93. Formal Rejection of Land to Tiller Premise: The National Agricultural Policy, 2000 envisages that advanced technology is a must for agricultural development in future. This would require massive capital investment, which farmers cannot afford and even State cannot mobilise. Therefore people with money alone can do modern agriculture. Thus land to tiller premise has been dropped without a whimper and remains unchallenged. 94. Wanton Land Grab according to Rules: With the contrived lapse of land to tiller premise, there is a free-for-all in capturing resources. The so-called waste/fallow lands are being assigned to Corporates ignoring the very being of people subsisting there on. Similar situation prevails in forest and water regimes, ignoring peoples livelihood claims. Mere paper deeds ironically entitle entrepreneurs instant credit from banks for plantation etc. Here is the charisma of creating fabulous fortune out of nowhere.

95. Survival of Humanity Staked at the Alter of Profit: The rogue corporates have jumped into the arena of agro-fuels lured by fabulous profit and imperious estates of millions of hectares without anyone even realising its implications for affected people, bio-diversity, regional ecology, national economy and global climatic change. These ventures are notoriously labour-exclusive, annihilators of bio-diversity and heavy users of water. Hoards of people are forced to flee as their livelihood base is captured. Here is the epitome of capitalist agriculture with contrived windfall gains at the cost of man and nature competing with food crops jeopardizing the very survival of man outside the Exclusive Club. 96. Divided We Stand in Hope and Despair: There is total confusion about nature of crisis in VIND. Its roots are cleverly subsumed in CoS. The incessant politics of vote, semi-starvation wage, contrived dogfights for subsidies, grants, works, elected positions and such like, keeps entire VIND in turmoil and divided on countless counts - caste, religion, region, language and such like. The real master stroke is the externally induced agenda of farmers movements. There is parrot-like demand for right to fix price of produce like industrialists. Once the issue is price of produce, movement stands fragmented with no commom operational agenda for entire VIND. The parity principle in labour entitlement alone has the potential of powerful pan India mobilisation of those engaged in kisani. 97. Exodus of worms with no Destination in Sight: In a free for all, where money can be created at will, new Moguls promise the moon to dazed owners of vintage lands- rupees 1 lakh, 10 lakhs, 100 lakhs, 1 crore, 10 crores, just for one acre. For each crore in his pocket, the Prince purchases 100 acres of prime land, for example, in the planes of Chhattisgarh at rupees one lakh an acre. The doubly dazed seller moves on to simpler folks in hills and forests and acquires 10 acres at 10,000 an acre. The multiplier effect destitutes in such fairy land of destitutes in VIND is 1:1000. No one is concerned about the ultimate that follows in the form of exodus of worms with human appearance with no destination in their random crawl. Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Pawned India, Now for Sale 98. Grand Resurrection of Kothia Regime: An innocuous amendment in law has legalised land ownership by non-Indian companies in India. It remains un-alluded even though it marked a U-turn in post independence policy of bidding farewell to all foreign companies with open option to get Indianised. The CIG Gang, after stray efforts for commanding land resources, has now perfected a plan to capture Indian territory. Special Economic Zones (SEZ) are designated to serve as thin end of the wedge. They are in the same mould as the erstwhile Kothies of East India Company. They served as centers of Companys power and aura that culminated in ignominious surrender of the native.

99. Ignominious Surrender of National Sovereignty: SEZ is just a cover for capturing extensive lands by moneybags in the name of development. In fact SEZ is virtually a foreign enclave where even Indian laws shall not apply. A new brand of sweated labour including biological exploitation is being introduced. It violates basic human rights/ Constitutional values. These enclaves are strewn throughout the country. They are destined to become centers of CIGG power that will be operated from there under Imperialist umbrella. The Imperialists are openly bragging about their resolve to protect interests of their citizens, their capital and institutions anywhere on the globe with all their MIGHT. 100. Dharavi SEZ -The Ultimate in Perversity: The proposed SEZ at Dharavi in Mumbai presents the ultimate in perversity of CIPD in Indian context. This SEZ will cover the entire island, home of 1,25,000 people comprising fishermen, farmers and salt-pan workers in 6 villages. This idyllic mangrove terrain of exquisite beauty will be transformed into a World Class Tourist Resort with grand luxury hotels, enticing casinos and bewitching Bars-on-Beach. Where will proud people of this heaven-onearth go?, is no ones concern. They are destined to crawl around like unwanted worms with nothing but their honour for sale and perish ignominiously in service of lecherous Top 10. 101. Soil Nibbling Assumes Catastrophic Dimensions: In a country with brilliant sun, ample rain and luxuriant vegetation, profuse soil formation is natures gift. Its use in various forms, for example, construction of kuchcha houses, roads, field bunds and tanks amounted to mere nibbling on the margin that was more than replenished by natural processes. But soil erosion assumed menacing proportion with denudation of forests. Moreover,soil is a cheaper, virtually free source of raw material within easy reach for many a developmental activity such as preparing bricks for pukka houses, roads, canals, dams. Wanton sale of soil for works is rendering extensive areas barren and not fit for agriculture. 102.Mining of Water and Corporate Control Thereon: The traditional system of water storage and use have collapsed with weakening of community. Even local knowledge and expertise has virtually vanished. With use of power for lifting water, under ground water has been recklessly mined in a free-for-all regime. The water table has gone down from just below the surface, some times virtual artesian conditions, to hundreds of feet. The machine-power has given exclusive control over ground water to people with money. The less fortunate with equal claim there on get disinherited. This piracy is now being formalized by privatization of water, managed as profit-yielding ventures to the exclusion of real inheritors.

103.Control over Forests: The conversion of natural forests into economic plantations and community forests into State forests reserved or unreserved has been the biggest legalised plunder of peoples livelihood resources especially the tribal people. The invasion under the cover of World Bank(WB) investment for forestry aims at exclusive corporate control of forests and total exclusion of people and State there from in pursuit of wilderness ideal of Imperialist pirates. 104.Virtual Loot of Resources: The neo-rich, especially multinationals, have acquired unbounded money power. They have launched psychological warfare for capturing rich natural resources including agricultural land. The loot is already gigantic in tribal tracts with extensive areas under their direct control. They are all set to capture other areas. Unless it is checked here and now, farmers will be rendered resource less and pauperised relentlessly.

VII The Tightening Noose

105.Capital from Nowhere: The phenomenon of Maya (Illusion appearing as real) portrayed in our scriptures is at its zenith in liberalised Indian economy. There is Maya of Foreign Direct Investment with nothing real on ground, Maya of SENSEX in era of flying money, Maya of contrived paper titles that qualify their holders limitless credit from banks. And Maya of creating every thing from nowhere, is the ultimate in Grand Illusion of Maya. These Mayavi Ginni indulge in spurious game of pro forma investment of foreign/Indian capital. Multimillionaires sprout over night from nowhere as real source of nefarious gains, expropriation from masses and loot of natural resources, remains carefully camouflaged. 106.The Phenomenon of Top 10: The income distribution under the cover of inequality as an essential condition for economic development premise has become scandalously skewed. The top ten % of Indian people now command 60% of GDP. This gang of Top 10 comprises neocapitalists, absentee landowners, upper stratum of professionals, bevy of intermediaries, higher services, organised labour aristocracy and such like. This pampered group is the Real India for Imperialists they care about, as coveted market under their control. 107. Consolidation of Two Nation Frame: The growing divide is getting consolidated into two nations, viz., (i) Imperial World of Top-10 in total command of the nation and its wealth, and (ii) Dispossessed Rest that may be guaranteed dog like status with right to food for sheer survival. The two have nothing in common except the Chain around neck of Disinherited Dogs held in hand by new Modern Lords . A select few

in Great Middle may be admitted in Top 10. Others must reconcile to fate of doglike existence in the substratum. 108.Medicine Worse than Disease: Agrarian Crisis figured as a national issue for the first time in 2004 Lok-Sabha Elections. The tide of farmers suicides was ascribed to indebtedness, without even an allusion to its root cause, contrived non-viability of agriculture, conclusively demonstrated above. Even when Bharat Jan Andolan (BJA) specifically drew attention of PE to this fact, there was no response from any side - right, left or center. The provision of liberal credit at comparatively lower interest as the panacea of crisis, accentuated the crisis. The farmers got into the trap without realising the mischief of compounding that has not been challenged as yet out of sheer ignorance. 109. Recovery by Goons under the Cover of Securitisation Law: VIND is flooded with institutional credit but with a difference. It is available just for the asking or even unsolicited, albeit against papers concerning land. The institutional initiative in the present form is really a trap for Operation Squeeze of VIND. The operation-recovery especially by foreign banks is organised through goons with no concern for the law. 110. Criminalisation of a Civil Default: Many banks are fortifying repayment of loans by forcing debtors to make virtual repayment in advance of projected dues in full in the form of postdated cheques. Thus, the civil liability of nonpayment in time is converted into a criminal offence of issuing a cheque that is dishonoured. No eyebrows have been raised in this regard from any quarter including the friends of farmers. 111. Sell Your Land or Commit Suicide: Thus Hanka is on through deceptive credit deals. There is virtually no choice before the farmer who is caught in debt trap. He must face ignominy of open insult, a stint in jail and sale of land or embrace death for eternal peace. VIND is seething with discontent and turning into a heap of dry powder that may explode with a single spark at some vantage point. 112. Ignoble Destiny of Pauperised Peasantry: As corporate control over the resource base including land becomes pervasive, peasantry as a class will fade-out and bulk of the labour force will be rendered redundant. The farmers useless son will end up inebriated by the side of a gutter; his usable daughter in flesh-market, especially in 5-Star dens will be the only reliable support in destitution at the end. 113.Qualms of Conscience Cashiered: Lest this destiny be challenged by the victims, the rulers are all set to ensure that inebriation is accepted as natural concomitant of development. The old debate about Wages of Sin has been buried. The States are competing to raise revenue from excise for meeting basically cost of establishment. It ranged from 7.5% of total State revenue in Maharashtra to 18% in Karnataka during 2006-7.

114.Reason at Bay in Haunted House: The Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture (2006) acknowledged historical injustice with farmers. It called for adoption of dam-dupat and simple interest at 5.5 %, conceded by Raj in 1919. It also pleaded for ending civil jail and rescinding 1984 Amendment. No one in his senses especially a peoples representative could have disagreed. Yet the Haunted House that governs VIND is cursed to See No Evil even if all its members are personally convinced about the Great Sin unless ordained by invisible spirits of High Commands of PE. The House rejected the plea with utter contempt that that blasphemy richly deserves.

Democracy: Form sans Spirit

115. The Riddle of Democratic Polity: The people are supreme in a democratic polity. The System is commanded by their representatives. The responsibility for the debacle outlined here, therefore, is squarely with the people themselves in so far as they have not been able to rein their own representatives. Here is a basic contradiction of Indian democracy: MPs/MLAs are not answerable to the people whom they represent; they are answerable to their Party High Commands. Accordingly Indian democracy as it stands today has been reduced to an oligarchy of party high commands both at the Center and in the States. 116. Trivialisation of Panchayats: Indian State has not imbibed the real spirit of democracy at grass roots in the form of Panchayats as institutions of self-governance as envisaged in Article 40 and even Article 243. They are treated as subordinate formations of state dealing with development. Even peoples representatives in three-tier system, some 32 lakh strong, are clamouring for discretionary funds, honorarium/salary behooving their status like government servants and legal powers. There is little realisation that these pleadings go against the grain of real democracy. But roots of this malaise are deeper. It is a natural concomitant of the concept of decentralisation, that presumes power with State as against noncentralisation presuming power with people. 117. Hidden Persuaders: There are countless Campaigns promoted by CIGG for portraying Great Divide of Indian economy as ordained. For example, right to food campaign is aimed at transforming struggles of right to life with dignity into solicitation for subsistence, as dignity becomes a dispensable commodity. Similarly internesine warfare for the right and the privilege to enter the exclusive groups at the top on one pretext or the other is contrived to ensure that demonic inequality is not challenged at any level in any form. This devious divide is regularly ratified by voters at the behest of Grand Political Oligarchy ruling at the Top. 118. State High-jacked, Sovereignty Pawned: CIGG has captured colonial establishment with neocolonial PE through erstwhile deputationists/employees of global institutions. These pensioners on

return occupy powerful positions in government. This process is reinforced through high-flier siblings of Top 10 making common cause with powerful multinationals. Even otherwise, talent, experience and influence of erstwhile power elite are being increasingly harnessed through key assignments with implicit commitment to serve ICGGang by their very presence. Accordingly countless agreements have been and are being signed pawning, if not in abrogation of national sovereignty without even a reference to Parliament, not to speak of informed consultation with people. 119. Sterilised Sensitivities: The systemic expropriation of masses and brutality meted out to reacting victims/dissidents under the ploy of law and order have left the most sensitive sections of our society, writers and artists, totally confused particularly in the midst of CoS. There is virtually no cultural response to the plunder of VIND. Once this conspiracy is exposed and purged, the sensitive sections are bound to stand by the people and reinforce revolutionary fervor. 120. Unacceptable Play with Sovereignty and Dualistic Destiny: The play with national sovereignty under any ploy is not acceptable to People of India. Similarly dualistic destiny in the form of Top 10 versus Wretched Rest, even if ordained, has to be rejected with contempt, which it deserves. Man is not a Robot. Given determination, HE can change the course of history. Beware Thy Leaders of Hanka of burning fire in hearts of bewildered practitioners of kisani in distress. Be ready Thy Leaders of Hanka to face Hanke-ka-Hanka by Victims of Thy Treacherous Deals.

Part II

HANKE KA HANKA
An Outline of Peoples Democratic Assertion

I Aspects of Mobilisation
1. Community Assertion, Force Invincible: Hanke ka Hanka or Hunting the Hunters is really a tall order with virtual total disarray in VIND. The impending catastrophe is rationalised as birth pangs or price of development. The Top 10 has fully assured and fortified future, courtesy global allies, power of State-money-maneuver and co-option of frenzied disinherited. There is only one ray of hope in this grim situation, peoples assertion as a community in the natural setting of its habitat, the village. As an organisation, modern centralised State in India is extremely powerful capable of meeting even extreme challenges. But communitys assertion is qualitatively different. If properly harnessed, it is virtually invincible in a democratic polity. 2. Right to Vote --Silver Line in Dark Sky:within the frame of democratic polity,awareness about power of vote amongst people and consciousness in establishment about its sanctity notwithstanding serious deviations and defiant deviants. Vote is no doubt amenable to influence, barter and even capture. But there is some thing in the air that makes Voter supremeunpredictable and ruthless in making change. 3. And the Longer Shadow of Elections: PE has kept frame of voters power narrow, be it Panchayat or Parliament. CoS has robbed him of his crucial right--guiding law making. We inherited a big baggage of colonial laws that are unmitigated Sins against Democracy. It has continued to grow as rulers still swear by the same mould. Our discourse will open Pandoras box. Therefore, all impugned issues cannot be settled as one-time election event due to limitations of time, space, pace, form, numbers and milieu of airy promises. Zeroing on specific issues in Gram Sabha (GS) and opening new channels of dialogue between people and representative institutions in various forms has limitless potential for Democratic Polity being Guided by People that we will explore.

Clearing the Decks

4. Unmasking Conspiracy of Silence: The first step for organising Hanke Ka Hanka has to be that victims of Hanka, severally and collectively, must know, appreciate and internalise the nature of Hanka. The soaring economic inequality is directly hitting the eye everywhere. Yet it is not in hit list of any political party or peoples movement even for the sake of form. It is being subsumed in CoS. Growing economic inequality can, therefore, be the most potent point of mobilisation in entire country. 5. Expose Insidious Expropriation from VIND: Insidious expropriation from VIND is directly responsible for accentuating inequality and galloping pauperisation. This includes systemic loot of colonial regime (revenue, police, excise, courts and such like), the yawning Rural-Urban Divide in relation to quality of services (health and education),

6.

7.

8.

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manipulated margins in trade, informal levies in supply items (kerosene, fertilisers, electricity, irrigation), in built corruption in development, contrived terms of trade including support price in agriculture and depressed entitlement for labour. Let victims understand the nature of depredations that are acquiesced, if not promoted on purpose by rulers and realise that VIND is not poor but deprived and disinherited. Expose Legitimisation of Inequality (ELI)-1. Removal of Ceiling on Incomes: Sahib-Rustic dichotomy in valuation of labour came under sever attack in freedom struggle with a resolve to narrow the differential to 1:10. Yet that dichotomy continued even after independence, albeit with a proviso. The differential was supposed to relent as salaries at the base moved up and top salaries in government remained unchanged at Rs 3000 per month. The private enterprises were also subject to similar discipline with ceiling of Rs 70,000 per annum. The differential in salaries did decrease but was bemoaned by elite. It managed to open the lid in 1977 allowing even higher salaries to rise. It proved to be undoing of basic value frame of equity enshrined in the Constitution. ELI- 2. Socialism at the Top: The sahibi salaries at the top were used after independence as ploy for contrived hike by the Organised including intellectuals. A super-sahibi group, however, appeared in private sector in the wake of liberalisation. It became an icon for claims of equity in the new frame of socialism at the top. No one including Pay Commissions has cared about harsh realities of VIND while deliberatiing distress of haves. All pleas for National Wages and Incomes Policy including that of Fifth Commission fell on deaf ears. The Sixth Commission has also shown deep concern about yawning gap at the top between private and public sectors. But it remained oblivious about abysmal fall below, accepted as ordained with equanimity. ELI- 3. The Defrauded Unorganised: United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power in 2004 promising inter alia a new deal for unorganised labour. The issue has evinced wide discussion that culminated in a new law. But the discourse as also the law have bypassed the core issue of iniquitous wage entitlement in unorganised sector. The law is confined to some frills including old-age benefits. The State has essentially left labourers, as usual to their luck. They are ordained to fend for themselves during their working life at starvation and sub-starvation levels. But the law has graciously taken care of their last rites in the form of old age benefits. Expose Capitalist Game Plan: The Top10 are united and galvanised by windfall gains. The dispossessed, on the other hand, are in a state of total confusion about what to pursue and where to begin. Moreover, CIGG has strewn before them countless allurements with clear objective to ensure that

(i) People remain engaged in scramble for minor gains, (ii) Conspiracy of Silence on crucial issues is not jeopardised, and (iii) Victims do not get united. This allurement drama will continue until Capitalist stranglehold on Indian economy has been perfected. It will be epitomised by last Act of a real Hell, viz., Capture of Resources and Enslavement of Labour (CREL) at any cost. 10. Uttam Kheti the only Saviour of VIND especially GP: Dazed by the dazzle of islands of affluence, VIND especially UP is being lured to ape them by creating world class Greater-NOIDAs and chain of SEZ. But this development cannot but be the beginning of unprecedented internal polarisation in concerned States that, in the final analysis, will reinforce dualistic order and become self-defeating. UP-Bihar are destined to share deepest distress with prospects of their invaluable heritage, richest agricultural land in world, being captured and ravaged by Corporates. They must rise against the great fraud, as one person, with determination to demolish the top and restore the Glory of Uttam Kheti in Uttam Pradeshes, to the envy of entire GV.

United We Stand with Confidence

11. The Challenge of Divide and Rule: CIGG is bound to sabotage VINDs Assertion in any form. It is clear that rise of divisive forces- religion, caste, region, language etc.- is not spontaneous but engineered by CIG Gang. Unless VIND, may be merely as a strategy to begin with, decides to face the challenge united, game may be lost irretrievably. No organization howsoever strong can be a match to centralized power of Indian State. Yet village as a community can still challenge its authority using democratic space that is still extant. Resurrection of community spirit, therefore, is crucial. The people must unite to challenge depredations of CIGG and our own Top-10 imbibing 1857-Spirit. 12. Due Caution and Firm Resolve: The call for strategic resurrection of community spirit cannot be used as a ploy for ignoring the reality of fractured community and social discrimination/oppression in many areas. Yet, by the same token, positive elements strewn in national polity such as strong community base with virtual egalitarian order in many a tribal area must be highlighted and emulated for engendering unity-milieu to face the crisis as One Person. The malfunctioning of democracy can be rectified only by more democracy, not by its curtailment. 13. Gram Sabha in Scheduled Areas (SAs): The real spirit of Gram Swaraj is imbibed, albeit for SAs, in PESA. It spells out the basic difference between GS, the assembly of village community that is self-created, selfdefined and self-governing and Panchayats that are representative bodies and creatures of statute. While PESA endows certain powers on Panchayats, it specifically records GSs competence to manage all its

affairs: Every Gram Sabha shall be competent to safeguard and preserve the traditions and customs of the people, their cultural identity, community resources and the customary mode of dispute resolution. It is a prelude to structural transformation in village governance from slavery to democracy 14. Community Assertion in Scheduled Areas: Even though rulers have not honoured the spirit of PESA, yet there is a qualitative change on the ground in many a SA. The village community in the form of GS has a place in the legal frame. It has now a place to stand on and fight against vested interests which hither to have enjoyed a free-for-all regime in these areas. The rulers ambivalence about PESA, however, has created confusion. But people are becoming aware about the change and trying to use GS as a shield in crisis. 15. Harnessing Community Potential in Other Areas: The people in distress anywhere join hands instinctively. But such a frame remains fragile and is amenable to manipulation by vested interests. Let VIND emulate the tradition of tribal people, sink their differences, mobilise village as a community, assert communitys natural right of selfgovernance in the form of Gaon Gana-Rajya (GG) and counter CIGGs imminent challenge especially CREL. 16. Coordination at Higher Levels: The assertion at village level will need due coordination at higher levels to ensure that ground level mobilisation moves in unison. Accordingly(i) The first tier for coordination may comprise a number of GGs that may be designated as Gaon Gana-Rajya Parishad (GGP). It may comprise representatives of GGs. (ii) The second tier may cover all GGPs in a block/taluk. Regional Council of GGPs (RGRP) may be constituted at this level comprising their representatives.

Preparing Ground for Peoples Assertion

17. Cleansing Laws of Slavery: The struggle against inequality will be long drawn. The rulers have crushed ruthlessly many a peoples struggle especially in VIND. They are using grinding mill of colonial laws with a finis. This mill stands protected against peoples wrath by haloed subjudice ploy. The campaign against inequality and dualistic order must include Cleansing Laws of Slavery as preemptive action against CIGG attack. 18. Of Natural Rights: The face-to-face community in human settlements served as primordial socioeconomic formation until the rise of metropolises. This village community managing its affairs in accordance with its customs and traditions is still vibrant in many parts of VIND, especially tribal areas. The system of self-governance at the village level, covering all aspects of peoples life, is communitys natural right. This

was the spirit behind provision about Panchayat in Article 40 of our Constitution . 19. Of Democratic Values: Equality, Liberty, Equity and Fraternity comprise quintessence of democratic values. No law violating these values, in letter and spirit, can be binding on people. It is duty of State to (i) establish an apposite legal regime that nurtures these values, (ii) implement all laws in keeping with that spirit, and (iii) exercise continuous vigil against any deviation there from. 20. Denigration of Natural Rights and Democratic Values: State is dutybound to ensure that norms of democratic polity are imbibed and truly honoured. Nevertheless depredations of colonial laws and authoritarian administration have remained unchallenged, nay even un-alluded. This non-action by PE and even peoples movements is responsible for denigration of democratic values and violation of citizens natural rights. It is now the turn of people themselves, to ensure that these values are sustained in true spirit. The action can be taken, to begin with, in the natural setting of GS in respect of governance at village level. Its scope can be suitably widened as movement gathers momentum. 21. Peoples Declaration about Crime against Democracy: The people in village assemblies must begin with enunciation of what they consider as violation of democratic norms. A tentative formulation , subject to further refinement, may be as follows: Any action or calculated non-action that (i) offends dignity of a citizen, (ii) undermines or denigrates human values that sustain community, (iii) leads to weakening of social fabric and human institutions, (iv) compromises communitys command over livelihood resources, (vi) accentuates inequality, (vii) indulges in vulgar consumerism and such like, is a Crime against Democracy.

II Outlining Interim Agenda

22. Search for the Kernel: The crucial starting point for organising an effective and decisive counter attack is whether victims of countless crimes can come together around a common agenda, howsoever small, cutting through all sorts of dividing lines. This coming together itself will be the greatest feat and most dependable signal of moving in right direction. Such mobilisation by itself can become instant target of sabotage by CIGG including our own Top 10. Certain items that prima facie are incontrovertible are identified here in the context of detailed discussion in Part- I as a tentative starting point subject to changes, if any, as the situation may demand in the wake of people imbued with community spirit moving forward.

23. Economic Inequality-The Iconised Demon: Economic inequality, projected as essential condition of economic development, is now an iconised demon. It is hitting every eye, yet no one is speaking. It is so ostensibly for fear of being dubbed as anti-development idealist. But in reality, some exceptions apart, it is because every one in the gadfly group has a vested interest- personal, filial or fraternal. And, every one in VIND is being mercilessly crushed in the grinding mill even as drumbeaters are eulogizing fiction of double-digit growth, fabulous wealth of neo-rich, glittering entertainment hubs, SEZs and Malls. This vulgar contrast naturally places Inequality at Number 1 position in Interim Agenda. 24. Universal Denials of Village India: The agricultural and allied sectors, or kisani, are the worst victims of conspiracy of insidious expropriation that is at the root of vulgar inequality. The final objective of the Gang is CREL . The four incontrovertible causative factors of this phenomenon are: (i) Denial of Honour: Classification of agriculture (Uttam Kheti) as unskilled. (ii) Denial of Family Wage: The family-wage norm enshrined in U. N. Declaration of Human Rights is still alien to unorganised sector including agriculture. (iii) Denial of Protection of Law: State money-lending laws either prohibit compound interest on agricultural loans or deem it as usury. Nevertheless banks/cooperatives are charging compound interest with impunity. Slamming of door of justice in the face of farmers in 1984 is adding insult to injury. (iv) Denial of Right to Liberty: Countless farmers in debt face insult and specter of ignominy including civil jail and loss of liberty. Suicide is the only honourable escape route from colonial recovery process of slaves that is still extant. These Denials (4Ds) that are at the root of structural inequality, out to finish farmers and destroy VIND, can serve as interim minimum agenda for peoples mobilisation. 25. 4Ds Comprise an Organic Whole: The hidden agenda of 4Ds, severally and collectively, is to eliminate farmer and pave the way for corporate take over of agriculture. Any attempt to deal with 4Ds severally is bound to become dysfunctional. It is already happening, for example, in areas of rising wages due to NREGA. The farmer cannot afford wage hike because computation of support price is based on treating agriculture as unskilled. Similarly, opening up of alternative micro-finance channel for credit, without tackling issue of compound interest and civil jail tend to legitimise those horrendous practices. The attack on 4Ds to be effective has to be planned simultaneously and in unison with one another.

26. Breaking the BarrierFaith-in-System: The 4Ds are so subtle that all concerned victims, beneficiaries and the Guardian- accept them virtually as natural. The hidden agenda is so slimy that its exposure itself will be a major task in any struggle. Nevertheless phenomenon of inequality has become so bizarre and its end-results are so shocking that its mere mention in open along with its contributing factors can become a powerful message. Systematic exposure of basic contradictions with concurrent action at mass roots can assume torrential dimension.

The Speaking Tree

A. Fraud in Wage Determination
27. Revolutionary NREGA: NREGA has been heralded as a revolutionary deal for VIND. The provision for daily wage envisages that it shall be not less than Rs 60. This claim appears to be genuine in face of current daily wage of Rs 30-50 in agriculture. Its drumbeaters, however, forget that starvation wage admits no comparison in assaying equitous deals. The rulers, obsessed with starvation wage relativity, have not even cared to check relevant figures with their own National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO). 28. Perverse Logic: The daily per capita expenditure of a rural household in 2005 according to NSSO survey was Rs 128. One could, therefore, expect that minimum wage at national level would have been fixed somewhere in the same range. But that was not to be. As has been repeatedly stated, wages in unorganised sector especially in VIND are abysmally low. Therefore every one in family rushes to work following its scent. The Survey shows that on an average 1.89 persons work in a rural family. Therefore vigilant rulers honestly reduced the formally computed per day expenditure by a factor of 1.89. The quotient, Rs 66 was accepted as national minimum wage, still in vogue. 29. Political Consensus about Fraud with VIND: It may be underlined that Parliament passed revolutionary NREGA unanimously. It now covers entire country. Yet grave injustice implicit in principles of wage determination and formal mention in NREGA itself about agriculture as unskilled remains un-alluded. The minimum wage of Rs 60 mentioned in NREGA stands no comparison with family expenditure figure of Rs 128 in 2006. The Ministry decided not to adopt even 66. Instead of rounding up the figure of 66 to 70, it preferred lower figure of 60 for reasons best known to its architects. 30. Doubly Jinxed NREGA Wage: NREGA wage is doubly jinxed. It violates:

(i) Human Rights Charter about family wage, and (ii) Fundamental rights of the Unorganized relating to equality and non-discrimination. Nevertheless even this grand fraud with VIND in a flagship scheme applauded by all stands subsumed in CoS. Nay, Sen Gupta Commission has added to the luster of blasphemous NREGA. According to its computation that takes care unto the last digit, even Rs 60 per diem is luxury. Therefore Rs 49 (Not even 50) will do for neo-colony, that is, VIND. These figures remain frozen even though per capita per day expenditure of rural house hold by now must be more than Rs 150. 31. Lies, White Lies and Statistics: Sen Gupta has rightly decried the condition of poor but has played with numbers. He has cited per capita income of 60 % people in India as Rs 20 per day and for people in last deciles just Rs 12. These figures are making rounds in elite circles. Even their children are shocked because this amount may not even fetch an icecream bar. But Sen Gupta himself recommends Rs 49 per diem wage, perhaps innocently, without realising that per capita income at that wage level will be just Rs 10.4 per day for the entire working class in unorganised sector. Income at Rs 20 per day that he has decried is a princely figure that would yield family wage of Rs 94. Will someone care to solve this riddle of 49-94?

B. Dimensions of Expropriation
32. One Decade Sample: Even though iniquitous deals and associated expropriation are writ large on face of it in VIND, their very existence is not even acknowledged by ruling elite. Nevertheless some stray studies give an idea of its dimensions. For example, according to a survey by Prof Duleep Swamy the expropriation through questionable valuation of a few crops was about Rs 40,000 crores during 1970-80. It is just a tip of iceberg. Some projections that follow give an idea of the order of expropriation. 33. Undervaluation of Wages per Annum: The first 2Ds concerning honour and family-wage may be taken as mere rhetoric so long as their implications for distribution of national pie are not presented in concrete terms. The ruling wage in agriculture is about Rs 30-50 per day. If familywage principle is accepted revised wage cannot be less than Rs 160. This insidious denial of family wage to toiling millions in VIND alone reduces the share of agricultural sector in GDP by about one-thirds. The current GDP is about Rs 45 lakh crores. The share of AAS is 18 % ( about Rs 8 lakh crores). The expropriation from AAS thus is about Rs 4 lakh crores per annum. Thus adoption of parity in wage entitlement will raise its share in GDP to 27%.

34. Undervaluation per Annum due to Wrong Classification: Striping agriculture of its prime position (Uttam Kheti) is the most pernicious and subtle denial. It holds the key to effective attack on inequality. Inequality may appear as a continuum but there are many a band therein comprising people broadly in similar condition. Assertion of family-wage will immensely benefit those in the last band of unorganised-unskilled. It will erase the abysmal contrived structural inequality at the base. The next, preferably concurrent step will have to be to claim parity for work in agriculture with organised-skilled. The expropriation on this count alone from VIND is not less than Rs 4 lakh crores per year. 35. Expropriation Galore- Rs 1 Crore per Annum per Village: The gross expropriation on account of family wage and denial of honour is about 4 lakh crores each or 8 lakh crore per annum in all. In other words, expropriation from average village in India is staggering at more than Rs 1 crore per annum. The wage-hike in VIND with assertion of honour and equity will gradually lead to substantial withdrawal of women from casual labour. It will also induce migrants to return from far-off alien places. The net gain, according to a rough estimate, to AAS relatable to these assertions and redeployment of rural labour will be about Rs. 6 lakh crores raising its share in the GDP to about 30 %. 36. Price Rise of Agricultural Produce a Logical Corollary: The struggle for equitable entitlement at par with organized sector will naturally lead to substantial, even quantum increase in price of all agricultural commodities. For example, if real value of labour in agriculture of all partners is substituted in computation of support price by Agricultural Costs and Prices Commission, other factors remaining the same, support price figures will easily jump by 50 to 100 %. Thus the persistent Number One demand of all farmers organisations of price hike will be met, albeit not directly but via honest determination of entitlements route. It will dispense with the need of ignoble beggar-like pleas by proud farmer before the State for commodity-wise price support.

C. Of Allies and Friends

37. Forging National Consensus on Parity: A sudden rise in agricultural prices may raise furour because state control of prices of food articles is taken as its natural duty. It is a pity that implicit insidious expropriation through depressed entitlements of unorganized including agriculture for mobilization of capital for development has never been discussed in open. Now that this crucial issue is slated for open debate, there can be no going back. Once equitable entitlement regime is established for one and all including the lowliest, there will be no need for dramatics of doles, subsidies, subsidized food grains etc. The people will enjoy a new era of equitous deal, albeit of the first order, after 60 years of open loot.

38. Piracy at Source Not Counted: Expropriation from VIND provided the initial capital for industrial development. But the organised sector including rulers pirated even natures gift and also bonanza of technology in various forms. These elements really belonged to the people and should have been equitable distributed. But they were appropriated through manipulation of accounts, spurious entitlements of countless functionaries, wasteful advertisement and such like have no economic function in a developing economy. They aim at cornering profit and favouring friends. For example, English news papers are virtually free because their cost is passed over to consumers through advertisement. The price of raddi of old papers is higher than that of new one. 39. The Organised as Allies: The repeated reference to the Organised and claiming parity for work in agriculture with skilled worker is likely to be projected in antagonistic vein. It is especially so when organised sector is itself under severe attack. It will, therefore, be necessary to make it clear that parity claim is not against any section of workers. Nay, it is an essential condition for unifying entire working class against voluptuous aggrandizement at the affluent end. The Top 10 has cornered the gains in national income and is now set to capture all livelihood resources. The parity assertion, if pursued in its true spirit, shall finally hit the top and sharply reduce its share in the national pie.

D. Identifying Strategic Soft Spots

40. Farmers Suicides, the First Rallying Point against Inequality: Farmers suicides have become symbol of the rot and emotional outbursts. There are unending ceremonials of beating of breast but with no patience to explore roots of the rot. The 4D formulation presents the perspective as also the proximate causative factors. Evidence shows that the last emotional impulse that triggers suicide amongst harassed farmers is the insult or fear of insult in public such as civil jail. Suicide as an issue of honour will have universal appeal. 41. Action at the Root against Usury: Debt-Trap is the Grand Gate Way of Farmers Suicides. And compound interest is the road roller used to trample their economy. The levy of compound interest on agricultural loans is either void under State laws such as in Bihar/Jharkhand or deemed to be usury as in Southern States. The provisions of law that immunize banks and cooperatives against these laws are in blatant violation of the spirit of Constitution and conspiracy against farmers aimed at their extermination. 42. Revolutionary Cover for Grand Deception: When rulers became confident that kisani, battered by volleys of insidious machinations, had reached a point of no return, they boldly announced NAP in 2000. This Policy discards land to tiller rhetoric and gives all-clear signal to corporate agriculture. PE at this crucial turn knavishly projected agrarian

crisis, its own handiwork, as a major electoral issue in 2004 without touching its real cause. NREGA has been started in the same vein with a hidden agenda. Its real objective is to divert peoples attention from real issues discussed above and camouflage them until road gets cleared for capitalistic take over of agriculture. 43. The Great Betrayal and Spark of Wrath: The stranglehold of the System on VIND is complete. 4Ds of Kisani are incontrovertible but insidious. The demise of Kisani is on the cards. The greatest challenge at the moment, therefore, is about conveying this message of Great Betrayal to its victims who have been led to believe their present state as ordained. The vested interests are in no mood to listen to small voices of protest. All the same, if people even in a small area can have just an inkling of Great Betrayal, Sparks of Wrath from deep recesses of their hearts may spread like wild fire and engulf entire VIND, sooner than later. Accordingly potential pockets for initial thrust should be identified.

III On the Line, GO

Detailed Preparation in Select Areas
44. Critical is Peoples Preparation: Conspiracy against kisani and VIND is deep-rooted. CIGG has launched the last assault for their extermination. The adversary in collusion with ruling elite is much too powerful compared with VIND swarmed by Bibhishans. It has been left all alone to fend for itself. In this situation conventional mobilisation with leaders/organisations in command and people following in good faith will not do. The fire of revolt in every heart ignited by feeling of hurt aroused by Great Deception and spectacle of unholy alliance on the other side alone can turn the tide. Let invincible people of VIND close their ranks village after village and move on for redeeming their Honour. 45. Youth against Inequality: A major reason for issues like nature of Development Paradigm and accentuating inequality remaining unattended is questionable role of our intellectuals especially educational institutions. They train our youth to see our reality from western perspective. While metropolitan youth seeped in GV dreams has no idea about VIND, youth in VIND facing the real brunt knows nothing about GV myth. In contrast, students in quasbai (small town) colleges have their feet on the ground with some smattering about world of ideas. A dialogue about inequality in the spirit of search of truth in such institutions can help in changing the milieu commanded by elite. A strong base be created there as Youth against Inequality.

46. Onto Gram Sabha : The peoples own perception about village community as GS will be crucial in this mobilisation. The prevailing beggar-like demeanor before mai-bap sarkar for every thing in life, big or small, must be buried for good. The peoples assembly is the highest body in a democracy, higher than Parliament itself. Let deliberations in GS reflect this mood. Let proposed action for redemption of honour be imbued with that spirit. 47. Deliberations, Dialogue and Action: GS should naturally become the hub of mobilisation against inequality. 4Ds would appear as four demons that are responsible for humiliation and impending extermination of kisani and VIND. The deliberations in GS, therefore, can be on two different planes with regard to action strategy: (i) First Action Frame Systemic Global: In view of deeply entrenched CoS about Hanka, victims must have a clear idea about adverse forces behind the treachery against VIND. Samvad (open dialogue) with State and PE will be necessary to expose CoS and also divisive forces operated by the Gang. This Samvad should also firm up formal position of PE about basic elements of structural change especially about 4Ds. This may culminate in electoral intervention on these crucial issues challenging credentials of PE. The community as GS will be fully involved in this process, yet action will be in the mould of mass mobilisation against State and the System. The gains, if any, will accrue not directly to people, but through System Change; (ii) Second Concurrent, but Phased Localised Action Frame: The proposed Samvad may be prolonged. But a sensitized community cannot wait indefinitely for favourable gestures of the State. A series of concurrent suo moto actions will have to be taken up at village level essentially to assert communitys natural rights. They will keep people vigilant and serve as incessant warning to State. This may include, for example, protection against usury, regulation of credit in VR frame, issuing directions on vital issues to peoples representatives that may culminate in virtual referendum depending on the size of mobilisation. This mobilisation shall aim at building up GSs as strong institutions of self-government that will serve as foundation of non-centralised political economy. [A tentative frame of action by GSs outlined below may be suitably chiseled/adapted]

I - First Stream Action Frame

A. Samvad: Simple and Exploratory
48. The First Hello about Wages: The entitlement issue is most indefensible, easiest to understand but most difficult to win because it is cornerstone of our dualistic economy. NREGA is rulers flagship scheme

with subtle deception about wage. (1/79) Yet daily wage issue is simple and its ambit universal. GSs, therefore, may decide to start samvad with GOI , the principal employer, on innocuous looking issue of NREGA wage through its agent, local administration. Immediate demand can be daily wage of 160, NOT 60 to Begin With and claim for arrears. It must be clear that State will not concede this claim for parity in the short run. But it can be a formidable weapon of attack on inequality. 49. Concurrent Call for Revision of Support Price: The first hello about daily wage hike by itself can send distress signals to farmers. Some of them may plan to switch over to machines, rulers real hidden agenda, and try to dispense with their dependence on labour. This internal strife potential of family wage demand must be nipped in the bud. VIND must simultaneously challenge States two slimy deals, viz., (i) unskilled status of work in agriculture and (ii) methodology of determining support price. Once these crucial issues are resolved, support price estimates may become more than double. Even this open call is bound to shock the nation comprising Top 10 and a few others. 50. Inherent Limitations: The samvad especially on first 2Ds outlined above will be in the nature of warming up exercise after deep slumber under State administered sedatives. PE is not likely to relent. It may not even respond to local area mobilisations. It may at best concede some wage hike to confuse people and earn their allegiance. What is worse, such isolated actions about entitlements will promote mechanisation and increase unemployment.

B. Dialogue and Debate in the Open

51. Open Samvad with Opinion Makers: Since 4Ds are at the center of iniquitous System itself, mobilisation will have to be taken to a wider audience in local areas. It should include political parties, teachers, writers, lawyers and other intellectuals. As consciousness about implicit iniquity grows, local political leaders may be obliged to accept peoples position in open forums. But any formal commitment of political parties in this regard may be rather difficult, nay impossible in the beginning. Nevertheless samvad is bound to intensify debate within the System and sharpen inherent contradictions locally. 52. Request for Formal Position of Political Parties: The positive personal gesture, if any, of local political leaders about 4Ds must be appreciated. But they must be persuaded, preferably in personal dialogue, to ask their respective high commands about partys formal stand on 4Ds. Such a request will be instrumental in PE acknowledging some bitter truths, albeit not immediately but in the long run, which hitherto have been subsumed in CoS. This by itself will be a major step forward.

53. Back to GS- Reject Palliatives, Assert Natural Rights: PE aided and abetted by administration is responsible for outrageous economic inequality. As pressure of peoples assertion mounts, a new milieu will gradually dawn in local areas. But PE may prefer to defend the indefensible in open and try to confuse the issue by indulging in palliatives of so-called development programmes. This ambivalence must be exposed in the natural setting of GSs to enable people to understand and appreciate subterfuges and use this opportunity to assert their natural rights. (2/14) The Gram Sabhs must make their position clear in formal resolutions that should be forwarded to political paries and also local administration. 54. Jawab Do, Sharpening of Local versus National Perspective: The arrogant rulers and even political parties may not take GSs seriously and avoid any formal commitment about 4Ds. But people cannot wait indefinitely. Therefore initial amiable tenor of samvad may have to be hardened after a while. Accordingly people can take next step and ask local leaders to get formal and categorical answers (Jawab Do) from their respective party-high commands about 4Ds and place it in open assembly. If local leaders fail to do so, they may be requested to present their personal views without committing their Parties. This will sharpen inner contradiction within PE between local and national perspectives. 55. Open Debate on Credentials of Political Parties : The local political leaders inability to commit their high commands in open about 4Ds should be discussed in GSs with a question mark on concerned Partys claim as friends of VIND. GSs after due deliberations may issue a polite but firm ADVICE to non-responding parties to advise their cadres not to visit the village for any political work so long they do not firm up their formal stand, positive or negative, about 4Ds. This NO ENTRY ADVICE SHALL NOT, REPEAT NOT, APPLY to visits of party office-bearers for nonpolitical purposes to ensure that social harmony in VRs is not affected by political debate. This may be the right time for direct action on Second Concurrent Agenda challenging the State, iter alia, on usury and civil jail as discussed later

C. Consolidation under Long Shadow of Elections

56. No Entry Advice as Janadesh especially Before Elections: In case Samvad on 4Ds with political parties remains inconclusive, it can be projected as a major political issue well before State/Parliamentary elections. The community-centered campaign at this stage may be reinforced by open debates in local institutions, cultural programmes and profuse wall writings. GSs may again address political parties, albeit in the style of Janadesh. They may reiterate NO ENTRY ADVICE with special mention to their non-response on an issue that concerns the very survival

of VIND. VRs can demand a clear and categorical stand on 4Ds well ahead of ELECTIONS. 57. Elections, Festival of Democracy Ravaged and Deformed: Election in India with ascendent money and muscle power and charisma of media and information technology has become battle field of warring chieftains armed with Paper Manifestoes, slimy deals of reward and reprisal. There is no space for any thing democratic except perhaps the ritual of casting vote. The articulate elite retreat into cozy holes when open sky is agog with political debate and people are in a mood to listen and talk. Even vociferous movement leaders having credibility and following are silent for avowed non-association with vote politics. Stray protests like election boycott have ephemeral relevance. Many a troubled soul witness the decadence haplessly in hope of some divine miracle. 58. The Nature of Our Campaign, Political with a Difference: The Campaign against Inequality is political. Its primary objective is structural transformation. The vote politics, on the other hand, generally believes in the premise Capture Power First, Basic Changes Thereafter. Accordingly basic political issues remain subsumed in CoS. This approach has failed in every clime from extreme right to extreme left. There is no reason why our Campaign may not face the same fate. But elections do present best opportunity for liberating basic tenets of structural transformation from CoS and for facing PE with that bitter truth in open. They will have to accept the logic of 4Ds which admits no half way houses. This exposure is bound to initiate structural change. 59. Communitys Assertion in Elections: The situation under long shadow of elections will be quite mixed depending on mobilisation. If area is extensive and PE unresponsive, GSs may decide to send their own dhangar (bonded labour) with assigned tasks as representative that are answerable to community. (See III/70) In case area is small, VRs may not go that far. For example, they may assume a limited role and give a call for expenditure free elections. They may provide common platform to all parties for open dialogue. Violation of VRs call and discipline may culminate in No Vote to Defiant. In sum, once people are conscious about basic premises of election and their own commanding position, they can be trusted to innovate novel devices to disciple the undisciplined. 60. Forging New Alliance for Meeting Global Challenge: One crucial fall out of community intervention in electoral process will be that people will become acutely aware about the nature of new polarization, viz., Top 10 versus the Rest, that is responsible for distress in VIND. This polarisation has been sharpening now for decades, but without any one caring about its very being. The new awareness amongst the people will force big middle class comprising the organised-urban to review its own position in that dubious deal. This class, at the moment, is torn between lure of entering Top 10 and agony of transformation into amorphous mass of disinherited

unorganised under backlash of globalisation. This new alliance can become a formidable force against ICGG. 61. Unto Mass Mobilisation: The Community assertion in a few areas will arouse public debate about growing inequality and Capitalist paradigm of development. As people realise the nature of deception, root cause of their misery and fabulous wealth, riotous living and vulgar consumerism at other end, they are bound to react. Even history of French Revolution against acute inequality (Why not cake if no bread) may be reenacted. The angry youth may attack consumerism now hitting every eye (see III/ 68 ) like AC travel, luxury cars, Malls, Five Star Hotels, even as police may look on in dazed ambivalence. These struggles will spread like wild fire throughout VIND seething with unrest. It will mark phase transformation of pilot combats into National Struggle against Inequality.

II Second Stream Actions Towards non-Centralised Polity

A. Parallel Process onto Peoples Mandate
62. Resurrection of Community Spirit from Ashes: The greatest achievement of first stream actions against the System will be consciousness of being deceived, disentitled and disinherited on the one hand and resurrection of community spirit from the ashes in course of united struggle on a common agenda salvaged from CoS of PE. This new milieu will present a great opportunity for bringing to life the virtually still born provisions in the Constitution that formally acknowledge, albeit some what niggardly, the duty as also the powers of GS about governance at village level. 63. Imbibing Ethos of Village Republic: The primacy of village assembly as GS amongst all democratic institution has been undermined in all State laws. PESA makes necessary amends in SAs, acknowledging its competence to manage all affairs and making GP unequivocally answerable to it. It is most distressing that elected Panchas are comparing themselves with government servants and demanding pay/honoraria. The democratic assertion of GSs and Panchayats will become meaningful and effective only if they simulate the ethos of VRs. The elected Panchas must be instinctively answerable to GSs, hold office till they enjoy its confidence , bury the idea of receiving State stipend and make do with what people can afford for subsistence of their representatives. 64. Duties and Rights of GS: In the new frame of reference it will be the duty of GS and also its natural and legal right to(i) Take note of failures in the realm of natural rights and democratic values,

(ii) Issue appropriate directions to peoples representatives and also the executive, and (iii) Take suo-moto action if no-response in urgent matters. 65. Message to Parliament/Assemblies through MPs/MLAs: As democratic assertion against inequality gains momentum in VIND, VRs may address their representatives and direct them to(i) Convey to Parliament/Assembly peoples feelings about Great Deception with VIND that rulers have perpetuated without even informing their real masters, the people, (ii) Move the House to formally apologise for dereliction of duty for 60 long years, and (iii) Cleanse colonial laws of all scars of slavery especially 4Ds to begin with. The representatives can also be requested to regularly report about developments concerning these vital matters to RGRP. 66. Direct Address to Parliament/Assembly: VRs may decide to address Parliament /Assembly directly as Peoples Resolve on general phenomenon of inequality and/or specific issues of 4Ds and other crucial matters. For example, scrapping land acquisition law can be taken up as a part of cleansing legal regime of colonial elements with a clear direction about expected action at their level. It is obvious that this action, to be meaningful, will have to be on a significant scale involving not less than a few thousand GSs. This will set into motion a process for retrieval of the lost agenda of transforming the inherited centralised Indian polity into a non-centralised polity with VR at its center.

B: Action against Humiliation and Usury

67. Right to Liberty: Humiliation in recovery is the most proximate cause of farmers suicides. The provision of civil jail for recovery is blatant abrogation of the fundamental right of liberty. Let the PE be told that if no amends are made We, the People of Village India shall not allow violation of our fundamental rights and shall take necessary corrective measures in respect of rulers abominable failure. This can begin as a resistance movement with potential of subsuming all other issues in 4Ds once people are fully mobilised in struggle areas. 68. Sarkari Usury: Levy of compound interest on agricultural credit is a major denial and gross violation of the spirit of law. Even colonial rulers had recognised special nature of agricultural credit and declared levy of compound interest as usury. (1/20) PE and administration owe an explanation to people for this ominous lapse. Accordingly while this Denial may be covered in samvad with PE, the people, who are convinced about the foul play in this regard need not wait for final deal. The

enlightened GSs can, and should challenge States policy and initiate corrective measure in exercise of their natural right as a community as we presently discuss. 69. The Dark Continent of Informal Usury: State has remained unconcerned about the plight of countless people in VIND facing the brunt of horrendous usury in informal moneylending. Administration lacks moral authority because State itself supports institutional usury leaving the field open to registered and informal money lenders. A significant lead has been taken in PESA that envisages GS control over lending of money to STs. Once the curse of usury is brought in the realm of public debate and democratic assertion, there is no reason why community as GS should not take a cue from PESA and use its natural right to erase this curse from VIND. Even offenders will behave in the new milieu of peoples assertion for equity and justice. 70. Direct Action by GSs: GS jurisdiction in the realm of natural rights and democratic values is inclusive and limitless. But it will require Herculean effort over a long period before members of GS appreciate, understand and use their inherent powers in defense of its members. However, in view of unprecedented crisis in VIND, direct action against soaring inequality including its proximate causes (4Ds) must start as early as possible without waiting for results of dialogue with Parliament/Assembly/Union/State Governments. 71. Tenets of Natural Justice as Guiding Principles: The GS-drive against humiliation, indebtedness and usury envisaged above shall follow tenets of natural justice. Its action shall not be circumscribed by provisions of any other law whatsoever. Let State and peoples representative see that colonial laws are no longer used against people by vested interests. Moreover, they be exorcised of obnoxious provisions and suitably adapted to serve citizen. 72. Wreck the Invisible Wrecking Machine: Money not only makes the world go round but also wrecks the world in the process. Levy of interest and compound interest or usury keeps money in circulation and functions as invisible wrecking machine. Usury has survived notwithstanding peoples assertions and even some genuine State interventions. The irony is when VIND especially farmer is facing the worst crisis, usury, his Enemy No 1, is openly allowed and is even shielded from Courts intervention. The debt-relief is no solution; it is a mere palliative. GSs must now resolve to erase usury paving the way for equitable development. 73. Enough is Enough, Let Natural Rights Prevail: Without affecting the generality of the proposition about tenets of natural justice, GSs may especially take action in terms of a resolution ( Annexure) that they may

adopt, for example, about credit liabilities. The following are some of the priority items.
1. Reassess all current liabilities in consultation with moneylenders including credit institutions in keeping with the basic tenets about agricultural credit, viz., (a) 4% simple interest, (b) prohibition of (i) compound interest and (ii) interest exceeding principal amount; Waive all liabilities in case a borrower has already paid double the principal amount in any form whatsoever; and Direct all moneylenders to inform GS full details about any loan advanced to its members for its authentication failing which no liability shall accrue against its members about impugned debts.

2. 3.

C. Widening Horizon, Unto Virtual Referendum

74. From 4D to DwE: Operation 4D discussed above will be just a beginning of struggle against inequality. It covers only simple but radical and incontrovertible issues. This movement, notwithstanding its limited frame, can be an eye-opener for unsuspecting simple people about the nature of deception perpetrated by the System. This experience will lead them to crucial but complex issue of Paradigm of Development. An alternative paradigm of Development with Equity (DwE), therefore, should be worked out immediately (See Part III). As movement on 4Ds gathers momentum, it should incorporate some elements of new paradigm and finally graduate into a powerful movement for DwE. 75. Leaking Pot and Wages of Sin: State regulation of intoxicants to the exclusion of community with an eye on revenue resulted in most pernicious expropriation besides 4Ds under the Raj. It became worse after independence, crossing all limits now, production trebling from 887 to 2300 million liters in 1991- 2007. Top 10 can afford this indulgence But for the deprived, it is at the cost of education, health and a happy home. Even revenue is fiction. State spends four times the wage of sin to battle with its consequences- impaired health, indebtedness, loss of land, quarrels, courts, wayward youth. Yet predator State feigns to be a saviour A leaking pot can never be full, whatever may be the paradigm. Community must assume full control unilaterally over all aspects of intoxicants. 76. Challenge Elite Suzerainty on Legal Domain: India is a legal state. The laws and tenets of DwE Paradigm need not be in unison. The peoples representatives enact laws. The publication of draft in official Gazettes is deemed as informing the people. Thus virtual peoples verdict is presumed in law making without the common man being even aware about its very being. Here is a basic dilemma of Indian democracy. The laws enacted in peoples name, at best, are reflection of elite view who have recklessly deceived them. This de facto elite suzerainty and treachery with people in legal domain must end in a real democracy. 77. From GS Directions to Virtual Referendum: The directions of GS on some vital issues will naturally move towards formally

institutionalising a system of referendum notwithstanding the size of a country. Of late, law making power and even executive authority of State have been grossly misused to barter away even States suzerainty, peoples livelihood resources and surrender before ICGG. The real solution to this perversion of democracy is non-centralised polity. The process could begin with GS directions in a series to scrap SEZ law, Land Acquisition Law, 1984 amendment of Company Law and such like. It may be reinforced with a mandate of No Entry as members of PE as discussed earlier. 78.Directions on Conventions Mauling National Sovereignty: Our national sovereignty is compromised in routine in bilateral and multinational agreements in the absence of convention of debate in Parliament or outside. The rare issues that may be raised tend to be politicised and forgotten after rituals of protest, pro-forma or even militant. Crucial questions concerning VIND like WTO, WB agreements/covenants where elite/State may have vested interest, are treated as ordained. It is time that some issues crucial for VIND like WTO agreements are taken up in GSs in Referendum-cum-Direction frame using their natural/legal powers. There is growing appreciation about their exalted position compared with elected bodies especially in SAs supported by Constitutional mandate. 79. Invincible We--From Democratic Assertion to Peoples Revolt: The outline of peoples democratic assertion presented above should culminate in DwE. However, this happy culmination will depend on the way a number of premises and strategic measures envisaged therein fructify. The possibility of failures on many a count in this struggle in the golden era of money and market is rather high. These may be celebrated by GICG as Victory of Capitalism. But the Wretched Rest cannot allow this democratic assertion to be overwhelmed by that euphoria. They may be forced to reassess validity of premises of democratic assertion and adopt some other methods to smash the Iniquitous System that has sabotaged their honest endeavour for establishing egalitarian order.

Part - III

Development with Equity

--- A Tentative Outline

I From Symptoms to Root Causes

1. Let Little Lights Cremate Darkness: Pitch Dark in Blazing Sun is the real curse of VIND. Darkness is socio-psychological engendered by colonial ruler and perpetrated by the successors. VIND must liberate itself from this psyche following the example set by the tribal people through assertion of Our Village, Our Rule, Command over Resource and Rejection of the Legal Domain of Slavery. These premises have been enshrined in the Constitution itself with enactment of PESA. The struggle for DwE must begin with struggle for real self governance at the village level, with community at the center of governance. 2. Reject Capitalist-Imperialist Paradigm of Development (CIPD): 4Ds are mere symptoms of deeper malaise, that is, adoption of CIPD. It is this paradigm that has led to dualistic polarisation and internal colony-like regime of VIND. The success in the limited frame of 4Ds would mean nothing unless CIPD itself is simultaneously targeted. The focus, however, will have to be on 4Ds as a strategy for initial mobilisation and breaking the hideous CoS about economic inequality promoted by CIPD. 3. Reject Human Society minus Human Concerns and Human Relations: Man-in-Community has been the building block of all agricultural/preagricultural civilisatioms. The capitalist system, in contrast, has no place for emotional elements. The man as an isolate is just a cog in the Grand Capitalist Machine that is driven by profit motive. Nevertheless community has survived even in this awesome frame because of lingering traditions and leisure time activities. With capture of leisure time by market, notably through electronic media, man is becoming a model cog with reflex obeisance to central commands of Market-Czars. Man is to be liberated from this contrived voluntary surrender. 4. Expose and Challenge (E&C) Processes behind Dualistic Development: The dualistic polarisation of national economy is a direct result of (i) highly centralised polity, (ii) commoditisation of human labour, livelihood resources, natural endowments and elements of nature itself that sustain life and (iii) sway of market forces as last arbiters in all affairs of mankind. It has undermined the natural mandate of community and political authority of State as also its trustee role. These processes are leading to proletarianisation of vast populace obliged to subsist at minimal level of animal existence and amassing of global wealth by an oligarchy with dual power of State and Market at its command. 5. Commandeering Elements of Nature: Nature is shared heritage of all living beings including man. The western premise of Gods creation in service of Man under His Command has resulted in rape of nature and its devastation. With blind pursuit of profit, the common heritage comprising land, water and other natural endowments, is being privatised. Here is a

5.

7.

8.

9.

new chapter of unprecedented penury for the common man. Moreover, even obnoxious pollution and lethal warming of earth are being treated as rectifiable events through market transactions such as carbon trading. This entire frame has to be rejected out of hand especially in our national context. Commandeering Mineral Resources: The mineral resources are common national heritage with special claim of communities in their traditional habitats. The legal frame governing mineral exploration and exploitation is based on the premise that exploration itself is a great endeavour that creates exclusive mining right in their favour subject to nominal royalty. The traditional communities can at best expect casual wage employment in mineral based ventures. The implications of fantastic advances in technology, that has substituted pioneering spirit by moneygame, have been totally missed leading to concentration of power in Capitalists hands. In sum, here is open loot of resources with no concern for fate of affected people and future generations. Commandeering Natures Gift in Agriculture: About two-thirds of Indian people are engaged in agriculture and allied activities. The most obnoxious aspect of the specter of capitalistic take over of agriculture is that profit-seeking capitalist owners will corner the element of Mother Earths gift to its children through agriculture. The farmer turned labourer at best can claim fair wage, which itself is subject to all subterfuges as discussed earlier. Land to Tiller in the frame of community ownership of land and individual right to use alone can become the firm foundation of DwE especially in VIND. Commandeering Bonanza of Advances in Science and Technology: Human quest to unravel secrets of nature and use that knowledge has served as the primary moving force of development. This knowledge is shared heritage of mankind admitting no special privilege even for discoverer/inventor because he stands on the shoulders of his countless predecessors, known and unknown. The benefits of phenomenal advances in the realm of science and technology in the new age of capitalist order have been commandeered by the elite with power of money and patronage of State leading to unprecedented inequality. The State must ensure that all citizens share these benefits equitably. Who Carries the Cross of Development? That tax-payer pays for development is accepted as an axiom. This axiom is the most pernicious myth of Indian political economy. As conclusively proved earlier, it is the toiling masses, and toiling masses alone, who in reality have been obliged to carry the Cross of development through slimy processes of disentitlement and disinheritance. All others, especially the Top 10 are merely illegitimate beneficiaries of development and serve as conduits of sinful gains. Their loot is legitimised by inflated entitlement of their work,

acquisition of livelihood resources under the colour of law and contrived market, money and muscle power. 10. Non Sustainable Resource-Use The Top 10, aping the West, have become big polluters and waste-makers littering their towns and now country side all around, poisoning water bodies of all descriptions, polluting air and warming of earth itself. They have created safety nets for themselves with no concern for others condemned to face all alone the specter of dwindling livelihood resources, unknown diseases and mental disorder. The damage is becoming beyond redemption. This model must be rejected in favour of eco-friendly, sustainable and equitable use of resources under stringent control of community and unequivocally supported by State. 11. Explode Myths of Poverty (MoP) : It is high time that Myths of Poverty created by mai-bap sarkar and vested interests in Top 10 aimed at earning gratitude and permanent surveillance of simple folks is exploded. The change in perception and also perspective is crucial for successful counter attack on CIPD. 12. Poor is not Poor but Exploited: The first truth of our national economy is that poor is not poor but exploited. One cannot fill a leaking pot. The massive insidious expropriation from agriculture is at the root of so-called poverty in VIND. Once this expropriation is erased, poverty will automatically disappear. 13. Poor is not Poor but Disinherited: The people in remote hills and forests especially tribal people and traditional farmers are portrayed as poor. This portrayal is most pernicious, adding insult to injury. The denial of command over rich natural resources in the name of States eminent domain is the greatest historical injustice against people. The people whose command over natural resources is in jeopardy are not poor but disinherited. The State has grudgingly acknowledged a part of this injustice in respect of forest resources in Forest Rights Act, 2006. If the State honours even this limited promise, there is no reason why these resources cannot sustain a reasonable economy of comfort for their real inheritors. 14. Lack of Education is not the Cause, but Result of Poverty: The poor especially in VIND have been led to believe that lack of education is the cause of poverty. Kya Karen Padhe Nahin (What to do, we are not educated?) is their hapless response. The reality is the other way round. Lack of so-called education, mere literacy with virtually no content, is not a Cause but a Result of Poverty. Once family-wage and full employment premises are in place, poverty will fade out like the grin of Chashire cat. Children will go to school; the lady will look after her Ghar Sansar (little family-world); and elders will share their invaluable heritage with grand children enriching quality of life all around.

II What is Development?
15. Neti-Neti (Not This! Not This!) : There are as many perceptions as number of seekers in the fable of Elephant and Four Blind when it comes to defining what is development? Before one can reach its kernel, it is necessary that many a myth about development are exposed following the hallowed path of Neti-Neti of Indian philosophical discourse. 16. Neti 1- Splendour of a Nation No Insignia of its Development: Splendour that may assume countless forms, exquisite striking power, World Class Ports, Grand Capital and such like, albeit founded on repression and destitution of common man, as has been the case of many an erstwhile colony of Imperialist era, cannot be an insignia of development in a democratic polity. 17. Neti 2- Wealthy People, World Class Cities and Large Urban Population No Insignia of Development: In a dualistic economy with fabulous wealth at the Top, valley is always green for inheritors unmindful of red reaction of destitute-millions bled white in the name of development. Splendour of cities must be heavily discounted with coexisting evils of not only dingy slums and shelter less people but also rising crime of all descriptions. The biggest casualty is the communitarian milieu of We, not I. What follows is primacy of formal relations, command of market and money, centralised polity and vulgarised democracy. In sum, VIND as a virtual colony of decadent Top 10 cannot be an insignia of development. 18. Neti 3- Higher National Income No Insignia of Development: The national income is a misleading, some times even perverse indicator of development. For example, national income rises with collapse of community, growing violence, supercession of traditional by formal institutions of police/court. Moreover, change from collective security to individualised insecurity, from breast-feeding to bottled feeds, from healthy rustic living to pollution ridden unhealthy life, and such like are indicators of deteriorating quality of life. But these very changes lead to higher national income with associated higher production of questionable goods and services. A large number of modern activities such as defense, space race, advertising, overbearing administration fall in the same category. 19. Neti 4- Mere Production of Goods and Services No Insignia of National Development: A country with dualistic economy may be making strides in production of goods and services with double digit growth as is being projected about India. Yet it may have the distinction of 40% people overfed and 40% underfed, both groups suffering from various ailments with heavy expenditure on medicine. VIND may have surfeit of infrastructure such as roads, hand pumps, schools, dispensaries

but people may still be victims of malnutrition and burdened with institutions with no personnel. Such an economy, notwithstanding high production profile, is indicative of a sick nation, not an insignia of national development. 20. Neti 5-Centralised Production, Great Sink of Equitous Development: The production machine serving islands of affluence in a dualistic economy needs dedicated transport for raw materials and finished goods, to and fro, over hundreds/thousands of miles by air, railways or road in exquisite packs with quality preservatives for safe consumption after long hauls and sizeable interregnum on the shelf. The huge additional cost of packing and transport, many times the kernel, unfathomable waste that is generated in the process and adverse effect on health are no where accounted. These costs are charged on the house and finally borne by subterranean beasts. This great tragedy notwithstanding exquisite performance of the actors cannot be an insignia of development. 21. Neti 6- Virtual Mining of Land for Profit sans Equity: Nature expresses itself in countless forms; its grateful children treasure that wealth for diverse uses. Such vivacious diversity is beyond the capacity of a capitalist to harvest. As such the capitalist farmer fights nature to exterminate all but some manageable species, nurses them with artificial inputs, protects the isolate stripped of gregarious protective system against all enemies, natural or not-natural. Here is obsessive pursuit of instant profit caring little for the morrow. This mining of livelihood resources for select crops, or monoculture plantations has no place for unprofitable species and redundant labour. Such practices of mining of resources and alienation of labour can have no place in DwE. 22. Neti 7- Current Industrialisation in Resource-Rich Areas, Disaster Personified: Industrial development, both in private and public sectors, has been founded on virtual loot of resources. The traditional command of community over the territory and livelihood rights of its members thereon are totally ignored. The people caught in the whirl of development face Dreaded Ds, viz., Displacement, Disorganization, Destitution and Demise.The very concept of displacement is anti-people and incongruous with the basic premises of DwE. Such development may be portrayed as regional/national development but cannot be insignia of peoples development. 23. Neti 8- Dualistic Development, Depraved Development: Whatever may be the state of national economy in terms of parameters of so-called development, a dualistic frame that does not honour every citizens right to life with dignity on terms of equality and forces disentitled and disinherited people to subsist on dole like dispensation from government and other agencies is an insignia of Depraved Development.

24 Neti 9- Labourless Economy a Misadventure, No Development: Mere wish creates objects from nothing in cyberised world. Scholars in developed countries are preparing labour-less economy models to face labour redundancy. But they are oblivious of its real implications. Labour is an essential condition of human life. Decadence has been the rule in parasite communities liberated from drudgery of labour, physical and mental. This fate is on the cards in developed countries and also our own Top10. These decadent systems are sustained by out sourcing and borrowing vigour from the vanquished. The cost of this misadventure for mankind may be hefty. It cannot be an insignia of development. 25. Neti 10- Economic Development without Self-Governance an Ignoble Farce: Honour and dignity are quintessence of social being. They are obviouly denied under colonial laws. So long as legal regime of slaves, which remained unchanged even after adoption of the Constitution after independence, continues, development of any description whatsoever will remain an ignoble farce. The benefits of development without honour due to a citizen in a democracy are, at best, like luxuries enjoyed by a rich mans pet dogs. 26. Neti 11- Garden of Eden of Lords and Slaves: Growth, Growth and Growth on the Wings of Profit is the quintessence of Capitalist Paradigm of Development. With commoditisation of every thing in nature including man, market is supreme. State itself is internalising this premise and reconciling with its supportive role. The logic of this model will lead to installation of a Global Mega Production Machine and also commandeering of global resources by a few Corporates. The man will have no work to do in this fully automised world. As a denizen of Garden of Eden he will sustain himself, courtesy Lords of Corporates-cum-State Regime, in service of Mega Production Machine as slave-consumer.

III Development with EquityA Perspective

27. Development with Dignity: Development is continuing quest for life with dignity for every citizen in a sustainable non-centralised egalitarian frame. It includes(i) Self-governing face-to-face community in a habitation or group of habitations as primary building block of political economy that is also self-sufficient in basic needs of every citizen, physical, social and cultural, in a milieu of We, not I; (ii) Ceaseless endeavour for creating conditions for fullest development of innate potential of every citizen with vivacious diversity of countless dimensions;

Sharing bounty of nature with all living beings and fellow citizens equitably, fully conscious about the generational obligation as its trustee; (iv) Equitable entitlement for work of all descriptions with reasonable differential as may be determined through consensus by people themselves; (v) guaranteed manual work for any one seeking work at just and favourable remuneration ensuring for him and his family existence worthy of human dignity; and (v) A truly democratic legal frame imbued with the spirit of human values of equality, equity, liberty and fraternity. 28. Restoration of Equality to the Center of Stage: The adoption of CIPD manifest in examples given in the beginning necessarily leads to acceptance of its underlying crafty premise, albeit unstated, that inequality is an essential condition of development. (I/39) Accordingly the emerging dualistic economy comprising the affluent Top 10 and the Wretched Rest is taken as ordained. This fraud must end. Economic equality must be restored forthwith to central position in planning for development, without relenting on struggles against inequality in other forms. (a) Village India 29. State as Trustee of Communitys Eminent Domain: The biggest ever loot of natural resources in an independent country in history is currently on in India under the cover of legal fiction about States eminent domain. The ruling elite, their camp followers, people with money and muscle power and such like are partners in this nefarious game. The real inheritors of these resources are at the mercy of State and virtually treated as beggars. The State must be obliged to behave as trustee on behalf of the real inheritor-communities in their respective habitats. 30. Kisani as the Center of National Economy: With equitable command over resources and also equitable entitlement for work in all sectors of national economy, the regime of Uttam Kheti in VIND will be reestablished. In this regime, kisani alone will qualify to be at the center and also as the leading sector of national economy. Any comparison with or even allusion to the situation in so-called developed countries about meager share of agriculture in GDP and a small proportion of people engaged therein is meaningless. 31.Land is Mother, Not a Commodity: If land continues to be regarded as a commodity, the farmer is bound to succumb to logic of market, sooner than later. The command over resources concerns the very survival of kisani and even VIND. The protection of land cannot be left to the discretion or strenghth of individual titleholders. Therefore community

(iii)

as GS must step in. It must admonish State for not abiding by land to tiller premise. VRs must declare land as livelihood-resource, not property. 32. No to Nibbling of Soil and Denudation of Land: The use of top soil for brick-making, pottery, roads and even for preparing field bunds etc. besides wanton destruction for mining and such like is rendering extensive areas uncultivable. This destruction of valuable topsoil must stop. In any work of any description whatsoever, topsoil of relevant area must be removed with care and kept aside. Then exposed earth may be dug out and used suitably for designated purpose. The soil set aside earlier may be evenly spread over the excavated area transforming it as plane field ready for cultivation, This practice is in vogue, for example, in Japan. Only such a practice can meet the challenge of depletion of rich top soil with fast expansion of nonagricultural activities. 33. Collective Command, Common Services and Individual Holdings: Agriculture has been community-centered collective activity until the rise of profit-centric individualistic mode of production. The new contract/corporate agriculture is the culmination of capitalist mode of production and is patently anti-people. Even collectivisation model has severe limitations in India. The third model, in vogue amongst tribal people, is worth emulation with necessary adaptations. In this case, (i) land belongs to the community, (ii) each member works on his piece of land, and (iii) people pursue many activities like clearing, sowing, protection, harvesting jointly according to their customs and tradition. 34. Labour-Intensive Agriculture: The need of the hour is to promote per acre productivity and not, REPEAT NOT per capita productivity via profit-centric capitalistic path. The universal experience is that other things being equal, smaller the holding higher is per acre productivity. Therefore, saturate agriculture with landesque* investments that multiply virtual land such as irrigation, good seed, organic fertilisers and phase out labouresque* investments that enhance profit of a few at the cost of labour redundancy. Accordingly small farmer must be at the center of Indias agricultural economy. ( *These terms were coined by Amartya Sen for his analysis of Indian agriculture) 35. Water-- Equitous Sharing and Sustainable Use: The natures gift and elixir of life is being increasingly commandeered by the State and now market with the aid of modern technology to the exclusion of its real inheritor. The regime of centralised control of water such as in big dams, privatisation and mining of underground water must end. Capturing the drop where it touches the ground, recharging underground reservoirs, using them as reservoir to meet deficiency in bad years and equitable sharing under aegis of community must be accepted as essential ingredients of DwE.

36. No to New Lords: The accentuating non-viability of agriculture has been taking its toll in the form of reduced size of holdings and increasing landlessness. According to cold statistics, 59% of landholdings are now less than 1 hectare. 22% holdings are in 1-4 and 8.5% in 4-10 brackets. Only 1.5% holdings are more than 10 hectares. The nascent emergence of giant-sized estates at the top with pauperisation of peasantry is a qualitatively different phenomenon. They are premonitions of the next stage of capitalistic agriculture. The new lords must be forewarned and challenged with Community Resolve in GSs for their unilateral takeover, at the earliest possible. 37. Reversal of Incessant Increase of Landless Legions with Nowhere to Go: The number of landless is incessantly rising at 4% per annum. The rulers are taking this process of farmers demise rather stoically. There are dhapor-shankhi (supercilious) proclamations for accommodating surplus rural manpower in urban centers. Ironically at the same time millions of people are being uprooted from their makeshift homes of socalled jhuggi-jhoparies under the Grand Vision of so-called Urban Renewal. It is aimed at transforming our towns into Shanghais of South Asia with not a single scar to mar its lovely face. This ultra-dualistic model is non-sustainable. Prosperous VIND spotted with serene small towns alone can can serve as a viable alternative. (b) Texture of Economy 38. Diversified Economy at all Levels: The obsession with national aggregates treating people and their habitats as mere figures. is at the root of accentuating spatial as well as sectorial inequality. The low-wage tasks are centered in villages while high-salary jobs congregate in cities. Equitable entitlements will mellow this differential but that alone will not do. Every village should be a universe in itself with diversified economy comprising, besides agriculture, household/village industries, basic services, art and cultural pursuits. The emphasis, after providing in full for basic needs, should be on nonphysical goods/services whose size can be limitless without affecting ecology or social harmony. Such a microcosm may serve as a model at all other levels from village to the nation. 39. Quasba as the Universe of a Meso Region: Quasba, not cities/metropolitan nightmares, should serve as the universe of self sufficient sustainable regional economy. The production matrix of this meso region should cover basic needs of all goods and services of common man. The dead weight of centralised polity that thwarts natural development of the potential of young generation must be removed by creating truly autonomous unit of self governance at meso level, say a District comprising about a million people, the size of some countries in the world.

40. Reject Iniquitous Distribution: As discussed in detail earlier, VIND is a virtual colony of the Top 10. Its share in GDP has been sharply declining with projected unmitigated disaster at 6% in Vision 2020. Equitable wage entitlement at par with the organised sector will raise its share to 30%. But that will not do. Other forms of expropriation through colonial administration, nonexistent social services etc. must end. Let VIND wreck 2020 Vision, proclaim About Turn to reclaim its lost ground in the distribution of GDP and resolve to reach not less than 51 level by 2020 through structural changes in national economy. 41. Sustainable Growth: As Gandhiji said, There is Enough on Earth for meeting Everyones Needs, but Not Enough to Satisfy even One Mans Greed. Accordingly austerity in contrast with ostentation of Raj was adopted as ideal after independence. For example, single class janata trains were introduced in place of multi-class trains as an objective to attain in rail journey. Now a dualistic model of AC and non-AC is in vogue with many a subclass within each. This stands for a permanent divide because AC for all is neither economically feasible nor environmentally viable. Similar non-sustainable dualistic frames are in vogue in educaion, health, housing, road transport, even sports, entertainment and other sectors. Thus, the basic issue today is not growth per se, but sustainable growth. 42. Production for Masses: Production per se has become an insignia of development. But production in free market is governed by demand, purchasing power and profit potential, the attributes ideally satisfied by Top 10. Accordingly production for masses is neglected because of low demand and meager profit. This skewed production profile will not change by sermons. It will, however, relent in a regime of equitable entitlements. The demand for luxuries and comforts will decline while that for necessities will rise. Nevertheless State must intervene and direct capital investment in areas of production that serve peoples needs and ban investment in luxuries and even many a comfort for the time being.

Bridling Industry
43. Industry in Service of All: Industry has misused its leadership role, wallowed in insidious expropriation from VIND, indulged in capturing natural resources and gobbled bonanza of technological advances. The Top 10 is busy cornering benefits for itself through indulgence in wasteful activities like advertisement and contrived levies on industrial products. The use of natural resources, common heritage of mankind, cannot be left to the mercy of market forces. Industry must be bridled by the State in collaboration with community to ensure that benefits of development are equitably shared by all through guided investment in core areas like irrigation, social services and other activities enriching quality of life.

44. Dualistic Technology for Egalitarian Order: Science is universal, but technology has to be people-oriented designed to serve their specific needs. Use of labour-displacing technology for profit has led to largescale under-employment and unemployment. Mechanization in agriculture and other activities has created a virtual dualistic economy that is accentuating relentlessly. This profit-centered use of technology must give way to people-centric dualistic-technology regime dedicated to establishment of egalitarian social order. The best technology in areas like health and rejection of labour displacing machines elsewhere until full employment should be the national policy. 45. Inclusive Model: There is virtual revolt throughout VIND against capture of livelihood resources under colonial laws without informed consultation. This piracy has remained subsumed in CoS. Equitable entitlement for work in agriculture at par with skilled industrial worker will mellow ugly inequity. But equitable sharing of benefits amongst all partners in industrial growth will still remain a far cry. The suzerainty of capitalist entrepreneur must end. The people, whose livelihood resources are involved in an industry, big or small, as also labourers should be accepted as partners based on consensus on equitous structural transformation of local economy. 46. Benefits of Buoyancy to Accrue to the Community: The biggest fraud that is being perpetrated on VIND is through seemingly fair valuation of land relatable to its current use such as agricultural land and fallowseven when it may be acquired/purchased for non-agricultural purposes like industry/commerce/housing. Even revenue laws that envisage formal diversion of agricultural land for other specified purposes before sale as in MP/Chhattisgarh are ignored because they entitle the farmer to its potential value after diversion before its sale. The entire unearned benefit relatable to change in use of land that is currently cornered by Capitalists, should accrue to the community with due share therein to titleholders. 47. Community Sector in Resource-based Industries: The resource rich areas, especially tribal areas are the worst sufferers in the process of so called industrial development. While people in these areas have remained at the marginof the national economy, their area has moved to its center . The disinherited are perceived as dispensable goods. Moreover, both Public and Private Sector enterprises have proved to be back breaking burden for the people. Both these models must be rejected in favour of Community Sector model under the command of concerned communities to ensure equitable structural transformation of their economy. 48. Outlines of Community Sector: The community sector, ex hypothesis, can have no place for the very idea of displacement. In case livelihood resources of a community are used for industry, directly or otherwise, structural transformation of entire economy in the zone of its influence must accept the following: frame: (a) identification of industrys zone of

influence (b) prior informed consent of community in the zone on the condition that (i) its command over the region is nonnegotiable; and (ii) the people shall be senior partners by assignment of shares as follows (a) 50% shares to community for allowing use of its resources; (b) upto 25% shares to land-losers and industrial workers; and (c) 25% plus shares to entrepreneur-investor as a junior partner.

IV Peoples Assertiong -- Immediate Tasks

Administration
49. Responsible, Sensitive and Effective Administration: Structural change cannot take equitous path, courtesy free market forces. It has to be directed by collective wisdom of concerned people with stringent control through effective administration . PE representing the people has miserably failed in this regard. The strong colonial administration has been virtually pulverised in ambivalent milieu with widening gulf between declared policies and hidden agenda subsumed in CoS especially for VIND. This duality is used for personal gains. It has weakened the System that is amenable to varied influences local, national and global. A U-Turn is possible only through accountability to people in terms of an open public agenda of VRs for demolishing Inequality. 50. Erase Corruption that Corrodes: Corruption corrodes equity; DwE is unthinkable in a corrupt regime. The colonial rulers had their own norms. A Collector/SP cannot be corrupt, but it is in order for patwari/havaldar to accept nazarana for managing Officers Camps on tour. Thus, Corruption was incidental in the beginning. It got formalised as percentage or conventional cut in development parlance. With all sorts of partners joining melee of development -administrators, technical personnel, babus of all descriptions, peoples representatives at different levels- development has become a by-product of corruption. Therefore, effective check on corruption is possible only in open assemblies of GSs with potential of spread and capillary effects. 51. Na Denge, Na Lenge, Solemn Resolve of Gaon Gan Rajya: A solemn resolve, and a Solemn Resolve alone in the conscience of a people, severally and collectively, can be the foundation of any radical change in system, social, political or economic. Corruption and inequality are two facets of the same coin. Therefore every Village Republic that resolves to fight against inequality must also resolve Na Denge, Na Lenge (Neither we will Give, nor we will take). This resolve honestly pursued even in a few VRs is bound to have a multiplier effect in battered VIND. Moreover collective action of VRs is bound to influence the

processes of election, another perennial source of corruption and in turn the administration and polity at higher levels. 52. One Family, One Means of Livelihood: Equitable entitlement for workers presumes equitable distribution of livelihood opportunities. One family, One means of livelihood is basic for equity in a labour surplus economy. Every citizen must make a choice from various options, viz., service, professional work, business, agriculture etc. Those not opting for agriculture as primary vocation must be legally disqualified to own/possess/purchase agricultural land. The Administrative Reforms Commission had recommended (1964-68) adoption of One Job, One Family (nuclear) norm in public sector. It has remained a dead letter so far. It has resulted in highly skewed rural-urban distribution of job opportunities in the modern sector favouring especially the Top 10. 53. Prohibition and Invalidation of Sale of Land: As a first step towards establishing Dharati-Mata (Mother-Earth) principle, GSs must deliberate to immunize money power. They must declare as void all transactions of livelihood resource by all titleholders including State, absentee landowners and coparceners. Let VRs declare all those claims as void that may have been acquired after NAP by non-residents in any form including plantations, farm-houses, industrial units and such like with a resolve to take over, use and manage them all in exercise of their natural rights. Land purchased by outsiders in violation of this Janadesh shall be taken over by village community. It may be restored to original cultivators or may be suitably distributed otherwise.

Social Services
54. Health Services: Malnutrition and disease are rampant in VIND. The message of miracle cure in allopathy has become universal. But State has miserably failed in establishing quality institutions in and sending qualified doctors to VIND. More over, all traditional practitioners including traditional dai, whose service is invaluable, are dubbed as quacks and branded as law-breakers. The quality of public hospitals even in cities is rather poor. A new class of private hospitals, real blood-suckers, has mushroomed. Medical treatment is now the second most important cause of land alienation. Providing quality health service in VIND at par with urban areas shall be the duty of State in DwE regime. 55. Education: Education in India largely serves the needs of modern sector. It ignores its primary tasks of (a) developing full potential of every child and (b) preparing pupils to deal with unknown modern world. Moreover, the present educational system also denies rural youth the opportunity of acquiring relevant skills of his calling and internalizing values of community life, the very foundation of agricultural economy. On the contrary, it induces internalisation of western perception about Indian reality that is antagonistic to VIND. This challenge can be met by

providing universal, equal and relevant education in neighborhood schools. It must ensure that rural students desirous of joining modern sector education stream can participate in it as coequals. Confiscation and Return of Loot (RoL) 56. Towards Equitous Balance: Erasure of 4Ds and measures for reigning inflated economy are no doubt essential conditions for equitous deal, but not sufficient. The massive accumulation of wealth that has already occurred at the top since independence, unless effectively immunised, will continue to distort inter-sectorial balance. The ill gotten wealth and property especially amassed abroad must be confiscated. Besides immunizing money power and attack on consumerism, an essential condition for eradication of inequality, will be to start an open debate in VIND on Return of Loot through institutional measures. Such a debate itself will help in creating a milieu for retrieving equity issue, restarting deliberations on DwE and warning insolent untamed bulls about people meaning business Some propositions are presented in paragraphs that follow. 57. Partners in Insidious Expropriation to Participate in RoL: The RoL as a basic element in laying the foundation of DwE must not be effected surreptitiously like insidious expropriation foisted on VIND. Let those having the privilege of making savings that, to use the softest appellation, are largely by-product of inequity, agree that a part, say one-half, of their savings shall carry no interest and will be used for providing interest free credit in VIND. Let the banking system stop funneling of rural savings for investment outside. Let the deposit-investment ratio in urban areas be reversed so that urban savings are used for bridging the Rural Urban Divide. Let scourge of sahukari in all forms be erased at long last in the honour of Century-old Call of Pagari Sambhal Jatta. 58.Credit at Farmers Door Steps at Zero Cost: Let RBI guarantee full satisfaction of rural credit needs at no cost in lieu of massive expropriation after independence through usurious practices. A credit outlet of RBI, say, Village Bank (VB) may be established in every village answerable to GS dispensing with all intermediary institutions between RBI and VB. VB may charge, with the approval of GS, upto 4% simple interest. All dues shall be repayable in reasonable installments. The period in the case of long term loans should be long, but not exceeding 35 years. 59. Restoration of Dignity of already Ravaged: The basic principle of DwE outlined above must inform all victims of development and also all areas already ravaged in the name of development especially tribal areas with due apologies and amends for systemic crimes against people. The principles implicit in DwE premise presented here must be adopted for enabling victims to have a place of honour on terms of equality in new economy.

60. Quality Social Services, the First Charge: The drain on VIND resources on account of yawning divide in health and educational services is incommensurable. Let VIND direct its representatives to amend the Constitution and mandate that outlays for (i) universal, accessible and free health service and (ii) universal, equal and relevant education shall be the twin prime charges on State exchequer. The tokenist approach of soft policies like compulsory rural service for a couple of years has miserably failed. It must end. A mixed policy of reward, duty and punishment backed by stringent regulations must be adopted to ensure qualified doctors and teachers do provide quality service with dedication in VIND 61. Game Electricity Plays: The dazzle of noon at midnight in conditioned luxury; darkness at noon in dingy hovels and unending spread of perched earth as pumps lay idle because line is tripped/cut for days unending in service of midnight games of ruling elite! This light and dark mix coexisting in Indias political economy is all set to cross double digit mark of socalled growth. Witnessing are we transformation of an outdoor civilisation founded on rendezvous with nature in the open into indoor civilization in crowded concrete city jungles aping the style of cold West that requires power unlimited for limitless luxuries turned necessities. Money wins in the game of power; hapless farmer runs from pillar to post unheard, as his crops wilt uncared. 62. Power for What? The figures of power generation and its consumption are accepted as important indicators of economic development. But, real question power for what? , has remained a non-issue because its distribution and use are conceded to be market driven. This game by its very nature becomes elite-friendly with notional regulation that ultimately becomes anti-VIND. A bevy of fully air-conditioned offices, hotels, airports, shopping malls, mansions and minars are piercing city sky lines with insatiable power demand leaving virtually nothing for the fields. This paradigm must change in favour of prioritised use driven supply and distribution. Turn off Conditioners; Meet Farmers Demand in Full with No to Luxuries and Ostentation that Nation cannot afford even in foreseeable future. 63. Pay Commission Jitters: Obsessed with yawning differential at the top between private and public sectors, Sixth Pay Commission has showered real bonanza for top government employees, but alas! inadequate to bridge the gap. The raise recommended for middle groups is much smaller. Those in last deciles are to be thrown out to save the ship. There is usual commotion everywhere especially in the armed forces for a fairer deal. PE is on defensive for having already feathered its nest well in advance. There is CoS about its overall implications and even the need of a National Incomes and Wage Policy. The net burden of this bonanza will fall on VIND and accentuate inequality with a quantum jump..

64. National Incomes and Wages Policy: The contradiction that has come to the fore in the wake of Sixth Pay Commissions recommendations are bound to sharpen as other groups like State Government employees join the fray. It will be especially so because of unrelenting inflation and price rise that will be further accentuated with implementation of recommendations. The basic issue of National Incomes and Wages Policy must be raised now especially on behalf of VIND with a clear position about parity with the Organised and leveling inflated economy contrived at the top.

V Long Term Measures

65. Reigning the Contrived Affluence: Manipulation of money, market and the System is at the root of destitution of masses and affluence at the top. This must be reigned effectively through(i) Ceiling on urban property; (ii) Housing Policy recognising tenants occupancy rights vis-a-vis new feudal lords; (iii) Stringent estate duty of not less than 50% aimed at reducing inequality relatable to inheritance; and (iv) Savings as a cushion for meeting unforeseen contingencies but not as source of income through share in usury. 66. Leveling the Top: While ordinary labour has been struggling for bare subsistence, those in organised sector especially Top 10 have been busy feathering their nests on all pretexts such as inflated entitlements, countless allowances, special perks, company/government account expenses. This rat race that makes mockery of equitous deal for all must end. All frills of all descriptions must go bringing gross entitlements within a reasonable ceiling, say, ten times the average family income in the country to begin with. 67. Strike against Power of Money: Money power is manifest in all affairs of national economy including governance. It controls and commands all relationships of VIND with outside world, be it matters political, economic or simple governance. The game of capturing livelihood resources of farmers is in full bloom. Accordingly unless money power is hit hard, tamed and neutralised, all other efforts to save kisani will be in vain, at least in the immediate context especially when every day counts. 68. No to Ignominy of Doles: Honour and dignity are core values in equitous development. The rulers have hit VIND here the hardest through diabolical deal of doles coupled with CoS about insidious expropriation . This drama must end with VRs assertion for return of loot with rulers apology for crimes against democracy The assistance to deprived for

economic programmes, housing etc. can be provided as term loan at nominal interest by GS out of State funds devolved there to. GSs joining Hanke ka Hanka need not wait for this formal change. The people may resolve to treat dole part of current schemes as loans to be credited to GS funds transforming ignominous dole into honourable transaction. 69. Consumerism, Crime against Democracy: 85% of global resources are commanded by G-8 with just 10% of world population. Consumption for the sake of consumption or consumerism is their credo. It keeps wheels of Capitalistic Production Machine moving. Consumerism has engulfed World Economy as insignia of development. In this global rat race, no one cares to caution that it is unsustainable atleast in Indian context due to adverse resource-population matrix. Accordingly it is devouring scarce resources jeopardising interests of future generations. It is corrupting entire political, administrative and economic system. It is promoting societal dualism that is a crime against democracy. It should stand rejected unequivocally as damage is irretrievable. 70. Peoples Assertion against Consumerism: Neo-rich are indulging in consumerism and have become role models even for the deprived and disinherited. A new phenomenon of Pauper Nawabs is being ushered in by electronic media. Peoples assertion against inequality is bound to have decisive impact, but only in due course. The question, therefore, is whether the Top 10 that have cornered 60% GDP can be allowed to sway the market under ploy of liberalisation and vulgarise community life that too under command of global forces. The issue has already come to the fore in areas where triumvirate of money-muscle-state power, out to capture resources, is being bitterly contested by disinherited. This peoples assertion needs to be systematised urgently. 71. Dialogue, Warning and Direct Action on Selected Points: Consumerist avalanche cannot be checked by mere murmurs and stray confabulations. The indulgence in vulgar consumerism of neo-rich is a crime against democracy. It is polluting national life. It has to be brought to serious public debate. For example, rulers must answer- 1. Why air conditioning except in a hospital until every well in VIND gets power? 2. Why 5-Star Tourism at all that corrupts the youth and sets a bad example? The people in GSs may consider enforcing discipline, severally and collectively, in their respective areas including the concerned quasba, law or no law, and declare them as conditioner-free so long as basic need are not fulfilled. 72. Taming Disastrous Automobile Revolution: Aping Imperialist West, fuelled by vanity of neo-rich and hidden persuaders, cars and mobikes have invaded Indian scene. Some 12 million cars with 10% growth are occupying all available space causing worst pollution. The multi-lane roads and fly-overs are inadequate before completion. There is no open space for man forcing old, women and children into tiny howls, an unmixed disaster for heath- social and psychological. This heavy price

people must not pay. An efficient public transport with reasonable comfort for all coupled with cycles for smaller distances is the only viable alternative for India. This huge capital locked in vulgar and malefic luxury transferred to VIND can energise every well/bund ushering in Greener Revolution. 73. From Crass Consumerism to Quality of Life: The realisation that consumerism is not sustainable in Inadia and VIND will be its worst victim, has to be taken to its logical end. It is clear that buoyancy engendered in national economy cannot bo allowed to be cornered by elite. It must be used for meeting basic needs of all. The domain of nonphysical cultural goods has to be enlarged for enriching quality of life. Let every habitation develop as a universe, harnessing full potential of every citizen in various roles, for example in teaching, medicine, music, art, sport, adventure, science, besides being engaged in some economic activity for livelihood. There can be no upper limit for such activities even within the modest frame of sustainable development.

VI Community in Command
74. Dhangar Representative, not Master: Once the basic contradiction of democratic polity about accountability to people or party dawns before the people, their first task will be to tame their own untamed bulls. In case movement is strong in a substantial, say, more than one-third GSs in a constituency, the people can consider sending their own representative with a solemn pledge to serve as a dhangar (personal servant) and to abide by stringent conditions to be decided in advance. The first clear mandate for a dhangar legislatorcan be, for example, not to allow Legislature to function until, say, the slur of 4Ds is erased. 75. From Centralised to Non-Centralised Polity: The Founding Fathers had accepted centralised polity as inevitable in prevailing situation albeit with faith in future. Constitutions are not only made, they also grow. As potential power of VRs as percieved while adopting Art 40 would be realised in real life, elements of centralisation were expected to wear off. But that was not to be. The prevailing winds turned in the opposite direction- acute centralisation and surrender before Global Gang. The crucial task now is to check mate this process and ensure States accountability to people in the image of, Gandhijis Vision about India as Confederation of seven lakh Village Republics 76. Participatory Democracy: The root cause of perversion of democratic polity is the prevailing milieu of netaji jane (leader knows) and contrived passivity of common man. This virus has infected even GPs that are supposed to simulate functioning VRs. This virus can be controlled by the community and community alone deliberating and

directing through open assemblies of GSs. The ideal frame of GSs for SAs under PESA, stands sabotaged by vested interests. It must be retrieved and universalised in the image of Gandhis V Rs and Lenins call for All Powers to Soviets. Every member of the community must assume specific honorary responsibility in VRs after earning his bread through honest labour. This alone can be the firm foundation of participative democracy with limited role for representatives. 77. Continuous Dialogue in Gaon Gana-Rajya Parishads/Councils: The Charter of DwE holds the key to survival of VIND especially the farmer. Moreover we are virtually in the midst of an undeclared war against VIND. By the time you would have glanced through this Charter a dozen farmers would have committed suicide, thousands would have become homeless, lakhs would have moved into void of unknown in search of a morsel to sustain at sub-starvation and hundreds of their daughters would have trekked to brothels. This must stop. The dialogue on these crucial issues of economic inequality with dhangar-representatives must be regular, pointed and sustained in GGPs. 78 Virtual Referendum: The issues raise in DwE are simple. They relate to day-to-day experience of ordinary people which they can understand and appreciate. The struggle strategy about Interim Agenda comprising simple but radical 4Ds has taken us to the stage of virtual referendum, albeit in limited arena. This process can become state/nationwide. Its real strength, however, will lay in peoples understanding as in Ujjaini fable and NOT in Leaders stature and his assertions. Mahapandit Mandan from Varanasi proceeding for shastrarth with Kalidas happened to engage in dialogue with sweeper-women befor dawn at city gate. He was so overwhelmed by their wisdom that he retreated from there itself. Let every village become Ujjaini of new India on vital issues of DwE.

Annexure Gram Sabha Declaration about Offences against Democracy

(Para 2.73) The Gram Sabha of Village Republic, the highest body in a democratic polity in the form of peoples assembly, in realisation of its solemn duty and also in exercise of its natural right to protect in letter and spirit the tenets of democracy as also Constitutional and human rights of its citizens, hereby declares that GS is competent to take cognizance of serious failure of State in general and PE in particular with regard to (a) Cleansing colonial laws of obnoxious provisions that violate of natural human rights and Constitutional values, and (b) Ensuring that new laws are not infected with that virus. Without in any way limiting the scope of above mentioned failure, GS especially takes note of questionable legal provisions and procedures with regard to the following: (i) Violation of the right to liberty in the form of civil jail; (ii)Denial of protection of law implicit in processes and procedures for recovery of dues that amount to molestation; (iii)Violation of the spirit and even the letter of Indian laws that either disallow levy of compound interest on agricultural credit or deem it as excessive; And GS further declares that any act under the colour of above mentioned questionable legal provisions shall be deemed to be an offence against democracy. Any act that violates the spirit of this direction, especially in recovery of dues, past, present and future, with regard to any of its members shall be taken cognizance of and be punishable as such. It is further resolved that the heads of non-complying institutions shall be deemed to be guilty of abetting the said offence.

Index (Part.Paragraph) Administration 3.49 Weak...1.78 Agenda for Action 2.24 Agriculture ...as Unskilled 1.53 A Game of chance 1.62 A losing venture And Industry Difference 1.17 Corporate Control 1.85 Dwindling State Support 1.83 Marketing 1.58 Prices, Fraudulent Frame 1.55 Share of...in GDP 1.57 Capital ...from Nowhere 1.106 Cars ...and Thakurs Horse 1.43 Credit 3.58 Agri Loan at zero cost 3.58 Avalanche 1.4 States withdrawal 1.89 Securitization Act 1.79 Village Banks 3.58 Institutional... Colonial Aura 1.69 Compound Interest 1.74 Credit Institutions -Gentlemen Leaches 1.72 Colonial Laws 1.24 And Liberated Souls 1.6 Community 2.1, 2.14, 3.73-77 ...Action Selected Points 3.71 ...Assertion in Election 2.59 ...Potential 2.15 ...Dev, Treacherous 1.39 in Command 3.74-77 Community Sector Industries 3.47 Conspiracy of Silence 2.4 Consumerism 3.69-72 From...to Quality of Life Car versus Bus/Cycle 3.72 Constitution ...and Colonial Laws 1.24 ...Ignored 1.66 Contract Farming 1.91 Corruption 3.50-51 Corporate Avalanche 1.82-92 Criminalisation of Civil Default 1.11 of Tribal people 1.25

Democracy Crime against...2.21 Oligarchy, Not...1.115 Participatory 3.76 Development 1,52 Cross of ...3.9 Dualistic...1.49 ...with Equity 3.27-48 Rejection of CIPD 3.2 Neti-Neti of...3.15-26 ...and Constitution 1.26 Debt Trap 1.65 Dignity 3.53 Displacement 1.33 Divide and Rule 2.11 Draugt cattle elimination 1.41 Dualism 1.107 Economic 3.23 Spatial 1.47-49 Technological 3.44 Economy Texture of...3.38-42 Education 3.55 Lack of...3.4 Elections 2.57-59 Eminent Domain 1.12, 3.29 Entitlement 1.55 Equality 3.28 Exodus 1.97 Expropriationdimensions of...2.32-36 ...from VIND 1.30 Insidious... 1.31 Leaders Acquiesce... 1.48 Farmer 1.112 ...s Demise 1.9-11 Doors of Justice Slammed 1.70 Grinding Mill of...1.2, 1.59 Pauperised 1.112 ...s Suicides 2.40 Food Grains Competing Claims on...1.42 Sovereignty Jeopardised 1.90 Forests 1.103 Gangetic Plane, Ominous Dualism in... 1.47 Gaon Ganrajya Solemn Resolve of...3.51 Gram Sabha 2.13, 2.63-64 Direction... Action 2.70, 2.77 Green Revolution Trecherous1.36

Greener Revolution, missed Potential of...1.46 Gunnar Myrdal, Rate of interest History, Perversion of ...1.40 Health Services 3.54 Human Rights, Declaration 1.54 Humanity Survival at Stake 1.95 CIGG 1.2 CIPD, Rejection of 3.2 Industry Bridling...3.43 Community Sector in...3.47-48 Lead Sector 1.3 Industrialisation, Capitalistic... 1.28-37 Inequality 2.23 Essential ...Development 1.52 Legitimisation of...2.6 Unbounded... 1.50-53 Insurance, spurious 1.64 Justice, Door Slammed 1.70 Legal Regime of Slavery Stranglehold of Labour ...Displacing Machines 1.45 ...less Economy 3.24 Land 3.53 ...Distribution Treacherous 1.40 ...Nibbling of Soil 1.101 ...not property 3.31 Mining of...for profit 3.21 ...to Tiller 1.95 Wanton...Grab 1.94 Laws, Colonial 1.24 Liberalisation, fraud 1.75-81 Livelihood Resources 3.5-7 One Family One Means of..3.52 Loot Return of...3.53-69 Wanton... of resources Mai-bap Sarkar Market Contrived... 1.84 Minimum Agenda 2.24 Mining of Resources 1.44 Money Ascendance of...power 1.75 ...and Market Fiction of ...1.77 State Subservient to... 1.79

...Lenders Acts 1.20 Mother Earth 3.31 National Agricultural Policy 1.93 Natural Rights 2.53, 2.73 Denigration of...2.18 Non-centralised Pol-Eco NREGA Smoke Screen 1.86-88 Panchayats Triviliasition of... 1.116 Parity, National Consensus 2.37 Parliament, Haunted House 1.114 Pay Commission 3.63 People Divided 1.94 United We 2.11 Invincible We 2.78 Peoples Revolt 2.79 Political Parties/PE 2.52-55 Poor, Nor Poor but...3.12-14 Price Support 2.49 Public Sector Agenda 1.34-37 Recovery by goons 1.105 Colonial Mould 1.18 Criminalisation of civil 1.110 Civil Jail for...1.15, 1.18 Molestation in...1.21 Scheduled Areas Community assertion in...2.14 Slavery after Indep 1.25 Seeds, Siege on 1.89 Self-sufficiency 3. Silver-lining 3.1 State ...abandons people 1.81 s subservience 1.79 Social Services 3.53-54, 3.60 Sovereignty 1.120, 2.78 ...Pawned 1.118 Spatial Dualism 1.47-49 SEZ 1.89-100 ...Company Raj 1.98 Subsidy ...Dubious 1.32,1.60-61 Suicides, Farmers 1.111, 2.40 Technology, Dualistic 3.44 Treachery with VIND 1.38-46 Tribal Areas community assertion 2.14 ...slavery after ind 1.25

Plunder in... 1.33 Tribal People 2.14 Undervaluation 1.55 Universal Denials 2.24 Unorganised Defrauded 2.8 Usury 2.68-69 Elected Assemblies 1.20-21 Legalisation of ...1.68 Unconcern about... 1.73 Village India De-industrialisation of...1.28 Dev with Equity in...3.29-37 Expropriation from...1.30 Treachery with....1.38-46 Uttam Kheti, the Saviour 2.10 Youth Victims of System 1.92 Wage Depressed ... 2.33-34 ...determination fraud 2.27-29 Family Principle 1.54 Incomes and...Policy 3.64 Wages of Sin 2.75 Water Equitous Sharing of...3.35 Mining of... 1.102

About the Author: Dr. B. D. Sharma(b.1931) is an authority on tribal affairs in the country. His concern for the tribal people began in Bastar as Collector and District Magistrate. While serving in the Central Government and also State Government, he was responsible of formulation of tribal policies He was also instrumental in bringing back the Fifth Schedule, as the vital instrument of policy for the very survival of the tribal people, on the national agenda. Dr. Sharma joined the IAS in 1956. He resigned from the same in 1981 when differences arose on vital issues of policy. Nevertheless he became Vice Chancellor of North Eastern Hill University (1981-1986), He was the last Commissioner for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes during 1986-91. His reports to the President are a landmark, the 28th being described as next in historical significance only to the Constitution of India. Ever since 1991, Dr. Sharma is with the tribal people and participating as an activist in their struggles. The law concerning tribal self-governance, which acknowledges the competence of the village community to manage all its affairs according to its customs and tradition, is the most-significant achievement of the movement. Bharat Jan Andolan is devoted to establishment of non-centralised polity. Kisani Pratistha Manch is rasing the basic issue of treachery with Village Inidia. Dr. Sharma has written extensively in Hindi and English on the issue of change. He is editing a fortnightly Gaon Gan-Rajya since its inception in 1996.

Some Glimpses

The expropriation due to depressed entitlements is unimaginable, viz., an average of Rs 1 Crore per annum per village.
The terms of trade went against agriculture and allied activities by a factor of 10 during 1947-2007. Their share in GDP nose-dived from 65% to 17% even as production rose 3.5 times The differential in emoluments in the country now is 1:10,00,000. The perpetrators must know that Day of Judgment cannot be far with new enlightenment. Consumerism is Crime against Democracy. Attack on consumerism can begin with no to conditioners until last irrigation well is energised The rural-urban balance, rejecting VIND versus Top10 Divide, must be restored with firm resolve that share of agriculture and allied sector in GDP must not be less than 51.

If Political Extablishment does not behave, the Wretched Rest may reassess validity of their faith in democratic assertion and decide to use other methods to smash Iniquitous System.