Mysuru: Accusing Prime Minister Modi of waiving off corporate loans amounting to thousands of crores of rupees, freedom fighter H.S. Doreswamy has questioned the Prime Minister for failing to address agrarian issues that has been haunting the country.
He was speaking after inaugurating a workshop titled ‘Hallige Hogona Banni’ (Come, let’s go to village) organised by Gandhi Vichar Parishad at its premises in Srirampura here on Sunday.
Alleging that the Union Government was treating farmers as second-class citizens, Doreswamy questioned why the Union Government has turned a blind eye to agrarian distress, with farmers finding it difficult to make a reasonable living.
Maintaining that farm loan waiver alone would not solve agrarian distress, he said that what needed now was programmes aimed at economic stability and a sustained livelihood for rural people. Noting that economic empowerment was the best way for preventing rural migration, Doreswamy underlined the need for Governments to come up with honest efforts to make rural llife muchbetter.
Recalling history wherein East India Company, which came to India for trade, later ruled the Country, he said that Mahatma Gandhi took to the streets to establish ‘Swarajya’ while giving a call to boycott foreign goods. But the situation has completely changed now, with Governments welcoming MNC companies with open arms and rolling out red carpets. Taking strong exception to tax exemption to companies, he warned that such actions would only push the country to economic disaster.
Calling for distribution of Government lands to farmers, he stressed on the need for a ceiling on land holdings.
Bemoaning that farmer organisations had failed to exert pressure on Governments over distribution of agricultural lands, Doreswamy said that a Committee has been formed to allocate lands to farmers and the Committee is working on allotting two acres of land to every farmer.
He called upon all farmer organisations to join hands with the Committee on this endeavour.
Raichur University Special Officer Prof. Muzaffar Assadi, in his address, said that Mahatma Gandhi is now seen only on currency notes.
Emphasising on the need for practising Gandhian ideals such as self-administration, non-violence, sustainable living, peace and brotherhood, etc., Prof. Assadi said that realising Gandhiji’s dreams on rural development was the need of the hour.
Gandhi Vichar Parishad President P. Mallesh and others were present.
Nobody becomes a Gandhian by merely lamenting the marginalization of Gandhihji as it is little better than paying lip service his lofty ideals. One can not covertly and furtively support nonviolence and extra-parliamentary Marxism and yet claim to be a Gandhian or a supporter of Gandhi, Unless one’s support for Gandhism is backed up by sustained practice of the Gandhian principles, the claim to be a disciple of Gandhiji would remain a hollow claim. It has become fashionable for some ‘intellectuals’ to glorify Gandhism and yet practice Machiavellianism remorselessly in pursuit of personal gains. It will not be long before the mask is ripped off such pseudo-Gandhis