Apr 11, 2010, 12.45am IST
Twenty-eight-year-old Pushpa Rokare (nee Usundi) is the only journalist from the Gond tribe, one of India's most primitive and backward indigenous peoples. Rokare studied up to Class XII, supporting her education through the small wage she earned in the administrative section of a Hindi newspaper. Later, she started writing stories for the paper on her own initiative. This unlikely chronicler from the Gond tribe told Keshav Pradhan in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh about her community's long association with the Maoist-run "people's war". Excerpts:
The Gonds have long been associated with extreme left-wing movements. Why are they drawn to this people's war?
Most tribals are extremely poor and without any education. They cannot even tell their age. Some are upset at government neglect and apathy. Our people eat just twice a day... they mostly eat rice with imli-jor (a soup made of tamarind) or with just water and salt. They get swayed by the Maoists.
Is the people's war seen as the way out for the Gonds?
Education is vital to the success of an individual or a nation. It narrows social gaps. If Barack Obama could make it big, why can't we? He has proved that all deprived people can rise to the top if they get the right kind of education and opportunity. But let's come back to us. Since our people cannot even read place names, they either get off at the wrong destination or get dropped off by the bus conductor ahead of their destination. They cannot use modern medicines correctly. Clocks or watches are of no use to them. Others can instantaneously make this out. They cheat us.
Have you ever tried to find out just how backward your tribe is compared to the rest of the country?
Oh, we're yet to take-off... Others are already on the victory stand. I myself couldn't do much because of poverty. Only a handful of tribals work as officers. Lately, we've been encouraging our people to make use of schemes like the Rajiv Gandhi Shiksha Mission. The government should make our people aware of NREGA and other development programmes. Tribals don't get their share. Everything goes into the pockets of officials and contractors. Some time ago, the government started a one-house-one-cow scheme. But tribals were given sick and old cows because they don't know how to milk them. We believe it's the calf that has a right over its mother's milk.
How would you prioritize your people's wishlist?
We want schools, roads, electricity, hospitals and drinking water. Our people don't know who Shah Rukh Khan is. Only a handful of them, who live near towns, have TV sets. We've to walk miles to fetch a bucket of drinking water. We need jobs. You cannot keep such a huge number of people idle when there's so much trouble and bloodshed. We make up more than 60% of Bastar's population.
One common sight here is of tribals collecting mahua seeds or drinking liquor made from them...Does this not make them even more backward?
Mahua drinking is part of our culture. It helps us get rid of tiredness. In the jungles, you've to walk throughout the day. You feel exhausted. Moreover, you cannot ride bicycles or bikes here. But it's bad to drink for the sake of getting drunk. You'll see mothers drinking mahua while breastfeeding their babies after a hard day.
You're aware of the Right to Education and women's reservation Bill?
They'll have some meaning for us only if we have schools. Can a woman do anything in a panchayat if she doesn't know what's what? She'll be taken for a ride by panchayat secretaries and babus.
Is there anything at all that gives you reason for pride when you compare your tribe to the rest of India?
Lots. Both men and women have equal status in tribal society. There's no dowry problem. More important, there are no saas-bahu lafdas (disputes). Our mothers-in-law treat their sons' wives as their own daughters. There's no difference between mayke and sasural. Religious conversions are rare. We worship Buda Babadev (a form of Shiva).We worship our former ruler, Prabir Bhanjdev, as a god. Our society is closely knit and we help each other a lot. We don't fell trees, we plant them. You'll see at least two dozen trees outside every tribal home. It's the outsiders who destroy the forests and wildlife.
How do tribals see India's national leaders?
They only know Indira Gandhi because she came here a number of times. They recognize Sonia only as Indira Gandhi's bahu. As I said earlier, bahus have a special place in our society. Our chief minister (Raman Singh) is known as chawal baba because he has given us rice at Rs 2 a kg and free salt.
And how do they see the Maoists?
As people who don't kill innocent people and who punish guilty government officials. Maoists don't stage fake encounters. At least they claim responsibility for the killings they carry out. But violence cannot be the solution to a problem. Things will get better if our basic needs like education and employment are fulfilled... if we're allowed to live with dignity and respect... if we're not cheated and looked down upon.
It is not often that we get the views of the people who the maoist are supposed to be protecting.
After reading Pushpa Rokare, any sensible person would agree with her.
Our leaders, who mostly live in towns and big cities have forgotten the poor people and any work which they are appearing to do now is just because the maoist have opened their eyes.
The government resources are limited and they cannot hope to attend the multifarious problems unless some basic decisions are take.
1, Controlling the population of our country for otherwise the fruits of any development will not reach everybody if population increases at the speed it is.
2, Eradicate Corruption among ALL government employees, not only just bureaucrats. Politicians are the most corrupt and they should be controlled first.
3. Bring back the unaccounted wealth of India which have been stashed away in Switzerland and other tax havens. This money would help the nation immediately.
4. Stop all future Pay commission awards to Government and semi government employees
These employees already get DA and other allowances which take into consideration the price increases as the DA is connected to the WPI (Wholesale Price Index). Since they are already getting the benefit of increase in prices every quarter, what is the need for loading the government every five years of a whopping increase in expenditure of thousands of crores. Besides causing inflation because of extra money being pumped into the system, these wage increase creates dissatisfaction among the different sections of government employees who again go on strikes to press their demand for parity.The inflation then increases the government wage bill further by increasing the DA and so the cycle continues.
This Pay Commission benefits probably ony 10% of the people in the country but the other 90 % are made to suffer the inflation while for the government employees, it is neutralized by increase in DA.
And the worst part is that the government does not have the money, it has to print nots just to finance its profligacy.
UNLESS THE ABOVE FOUR ACTIONS ARE TAKEN TOGETHER, THE GOVERNMENT WILL ALWAYS BE SHORT OF CASH AND THE POOR WILL ONLY BECOME POORER.
IT WILL JUST HAVE TO PRINT MORE NOTES AND CAUSE FURTHER INFLATION.
AND MAOISM WILL CONTINUE MR CHIDAMBARAM.
So, Mr. Chidambaram, the buck stops with the central government.
Are you willing to take the above action
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