WHO MADE ME AS I AM TODAY

1. I was ten years old when our country got Independence. I remember my father rejoicing at the momentous development. My father said that all injustice that we have been facing would be over. We will have two meals everyday. We will have home of our own. I will be educated and will become a clerk, instead of doing manual labour as my father and his forefathers did, and that too when only on those days when work could be found.
2. My father said that we will no more be treated as untouchable, as Gandhiji has promised. Since we were poor, I will get free education, according to Government assurance. Since the Government is our own, my father felt, that we would not be hauled to police station and beaten up whenever a crime takes place in the village. We will no more be forced to admit to crimes we did not commit and will not be put into prison.
3. My father was confident that our elected representative will voice our grievances before our own Government and get remedial measures without greasing the palms of authorities.
4. My father was thrilled at the ushering of Ram Rajya for us dalits.
5. Today I am seventy and thoroughly disillusioned. None of our hopes have been fulfilled. Most of the time we are starving. We have a thatched hut as our home. And that also is demolished when somebody claims the land on which our hut was there as his own. We make another thatched hut. This has been going on.
6. Untouchable – the position has not changed. My son goes to Government school. But there are hardly any teachers. Most of the teachers are doing all the time some other jobs. Even when they are there, my son and other untouchables were hardly taught anything.
7. In the Government hospital, we can hardly get admission for medical treatment because we are untouchable. Even if we once a while get admission, we have to pay to doctor, compounder, nurse and others for getting treatment, though Government says that we will get free treatment - because we are poor, illiterate and untouchable.
8. Quite often we are asked to do manual labour at the houses of Government officials, with only two meals as wages.
9. Once a girl in our community attains puberty, she has to freely satisfy all government officials and higher caste people. The position does not change even after her marriage and becoming a mother.
10. Some of our people had gone in search of work to other places. Once a while when they come back to the village, they also tell horror stories of how they are treated once it is known that they are untouchables.
11. We have no ration card, though we are told that such a card has been issued. To whom, we do not know.
12. Every five year or sometimes even earlier, big netas come to tell us to whom we should vote. On the election day we are taken to voting booths and we do as we are told.
13. In public places we have to ensure that we are not in the vicinity of higher caste people; otherwise we would be beaten up severely.
14. My son, who is now thirty years old, grew up with all these injustice. He used to cry often at the injustice. He has been in jail for crimes which he had not committed. He used to wail ‘ what has independence of the country given us.’ I had no answer.

And then our luck turned. We are able to eat twice a day. We have a small house. Harassment and beating by the Police have ceased. Whenever I or my wife works for some Government project, we are properly paid. In fact many in the village look upon us for help and justice.

YES, MY SON HAS BECOME A NAXALITE.

PS: Government says that Naxalite menace has to be dealt with a strong hand. And no mercy to be shown. And all MPs support Government. So also fourth estate.


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