Kisan Swaraj Yatra travels through Eastern India

Kisan Swaraj Yatra (Farmers Freedom Tour) traveled through the eastern regions of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar during 11-24 November 2010. Their call to save agriculture and environment was received with zeal everywhere.

Logo of Kisan Swaraj Yatra. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

The Yatra started on 2nd October 2010, the 141st birthday of Mahatma Gandhi and ended on 11 December 2010 at Rajghat, the samadhi (memorial) of Mahatma Gandhi. See our earlier write-ups on the 28th day of the Yatra and then on the 35th day of the Yatra coinciding with President Obama's visit. These write-ups, including the current one, are based on the blogs maintained by the yatris.

On 10 November 2010 the last day for the yatris in Andhra Pradesh at Vishakhapatnam, adivasis (tribals)  from different parts of the state as also Odisha highlighted about the loss of their land and livelihood. Meetings/discussions pointed out how new agricultural technologies has led to a loss of diversity and dietary practices. What is more, in the name of development, people have been displaced without being given any compensation due to the absence of proper land records. The day ended with cultural fest of song and dance indicating the symbiotic relationship between life and environment.

Dance by tribal women in Vishakhapatnam as part of Kisan Swaraj Yatra, 10 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

Visit to Koraput in Odisha on 11 November 2010 was interesting because of a trip to a village, Umari, that required the yatris to walk four kilometers. The women farmers were in the forefront of discussions and were recalling the traditional varieties of rice that grew in the region, but it was a matter of serious concern as these were fast disappearing (also see a recent write-up on saving rice  in Down to Earth). The need for research and extension support that realizes the local advantages, which may differ from village to village, and integrates science that helps foster this was raised.

Interaction with tribal women after trecking for four kilometers to Umari village, Koraput by members of Kisan Swaraj Yatra, 11 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

Early morning travel on 12 November 2010 from Koraput in Orissa to Chhattisgarh through the Jeypore tracts made the yatris revel the beauty of the undulating terrain and the rich diversity of paddy. This was also the theme of the meeting later in the day at Jagdalpur. The state government exempted the yatris from paying road tax. A former union minister of state stated that the agricultural policies should not be based on 'one-size fits all' principle. The need for different perspective for the adivasi region that appreciates the fragility of the environment and eco-system, the psychology and culture of the people and their inability to take risks or invest hugely in farming was pointed out. Farmers explained how they preserve varieties of paddy, or how one farmer has come up with a new weeder to be used under the system of rice intensification (SRI) paddy cultivation.

Yatris check out paddy varieties in Jagdalpur Kisan Swaraj Yatra, 12 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

In Raipur on 13 November 2010 the yatris interacted with academicians and Gandhians and the issues that came up were how life-style and culture related changes were affecting the poorest, that there is need for awakening in the mind, that the younger generation should rise to the occasion, that there is large scale displacement and out-migration from the state. The yatris also interacted with biotechnology students of an institute and told that their knowledge is only one side of the debate. The day ended in an interaction with farmers and labourers at Ravaan village.

Interaction with farmers and labourers at Ravaan village, Kisan Swaraj Yatra, 13 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

The Yatra visited Jan Swasthya Sahyog (JSG), Ganiyari on 14 November 2010 to see how work with health led JSG to focus on food and agriculture. The group has preserved 150 varieties of seeds in the fields of farmers. "The traditional varieties include some exotic-sounding local ones like Gondhaphool, Basmukhi, Phoolmecha, Rikwa, Bhallu Dubraj (scented), Ram Galli, Bhainphat (scented and super fine) etc. One variety called DRK can yield 32 quintals an acre and another variety that attracted everybody’s attention was Naak kesar – which was purple and beautiful. The shoots and seeds were all purple. The striking feature of all these traditional varieties is that they are all tall and long-duration. The tall crops mean more fodder for cattle too." Later in the day at Bilaspur the discussion pointed out how the excessive use of chemicals in agriculture have adverse health implications. It was also pointed out that the present fertile condition of land is because of generations of effort and this cannot be compensated through monetary valuations.

Rice varieties in a field in Ganiyari, Chattishgarh, facilitated by Jan Swasthya Sahyog, Kisan Swaraj Yatra, 14 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

Back to Odisa on 15 November 2010 at Sambalpur the day began in an interaction with media persons and many local television channels were showing the footage of the Yatra. The issues of farmers organization like Paschim Odisa Chasi Samanvay Samit (Western Odisa Farmers Cooperative Society) taking up work in conserving traditional varieties of seeds and promoting ecological farming was applauded. The issues of farmers' suicides, diversion of irrigation water for other usage and appropriating community resources for the benefit of corporations were raised.

Farmers rally in Sambalpur as part of Kisan Swaraj Yatra, 15 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

In Bhubaneswar, on 16 November 2010, the Yatra urged the state government to scrap 'Project Golden Days' done in partnership with Monsanto to cultivate maize with tribal farmers. The yatris released the report Monsanto-ising Indian Agriculture and on the occasion, Kavitha Kurangati, a co-author of the report stated the following:

"It is apparent that corporations like Monsanto are only out to grab ready markets for themselves through taxpayers’ funds whereas it is the responsibility of the government to protect the livelihoods of the marginalized. It is clear from what is emerging on the ground with projects such as ‘Project Golden Rays’ that high-external-input-driven farming with hybrid seeds will only increase indebtedness of farmers, is already changing their dietary habits posing questions on future nutrition security, is threatening environmental sustainability in fragile eco-systems and is taking away our seed and food sovereignty. There is a need to question the intentions of the government when it partners with corporations like Monsanto which have a sordid history of corporate crimes, falsification and omission of data, bribing and anti-farmer behaviour like suing and jailing farmers in the name of IPRs (Intellectual Property Rights)."

Farmers strike down the Memorandum of Understanding between Government of Orissa and Monsanto, Bhubaneswar, 16 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

Baripada in Mayurbhanj was the the last stop for the yatris in Odisa on 17 November 2010 and they were satisfied with a huge gathering of 700 or more people where farmers took the pledge to do away with chemical fertilizers. Thereafter there were a couple of breakers in the journey, first in getting a gate pass to exit Odisa and then to pay the road tax to enter West Bengal, but the candle light and floral welcome at Contai  made their day.

Yatris welcomed in Bengal style with flora petal and the blowing of conch, Kisan Swaraj Yatra, 17 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

Yatris began the day on 18 November 2010 with a cycle rally and then visited different organic farms, witnessed street plays and saw the inauguration of an organic shop that marked a new beginning. The leaf plates in the shop were a boon for the yatris who had all along been on non-plastic stuff to eat from. The next day (19 November 2010) was in Kolkata that began with a seed exhibition. Discussions that followed emphasized the relevance of cow in India's agriculture, the methods of growing paddy under drought conditions of Kalahandi in Orissa and the need to organize farmers . Yatris left for Bankura and spent the night at Basudaha farm, a no-plastic zone and a low resource-use area. The farm, over the years, has conserved 690 varieties of paddy. In their last day in West Bengal on 20 November 2010, there was a padyatra (march) by yatris through a few villages and a post-lunch event explained how ‘wealth’, ‘paddy’ and ‘prosperity’ were synonymous in the local culture.

Display of rice varieties in Basudha farm, Kisan Swaraj Yatra, 20 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

The yatris had a single meeting in Ranchi, Jharkhand on 21 November 2010 where the focus was on "the implications of the proposed 'Green Revolution in Eastern India' and 'Genetically Modified (GM) seeds' in the context of drought in Jharkhand." The community rights over jal, jungle and zameen (water, forest and land) was raised. Another point mentioned was how the input intensive cultivation is not only costly but also uses more water, which is untenable in a rain-fed region. Farmers stressed the need to have their own seeds, that the land they inherited from their forefathers is what they owe to future generations. The discussions on GM seeds/crops pointed out a move to 'colonize' agriculture through corporate business and as an infringement on our basic rights, stress intolerance of such crops, lack of proof of biosafety, and evidence on health and environmental impacts among others.

Yatris walk into the sukhad virodh abhiyan meetings, Ranchi, Kisan Swarj Yatra, 21 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

Bihar leg of the yatra started in Patna on 22 November 2010. The aspects that came up in the meeting was that farmer related issues did not come up in the recently concluded elections for the state assembly and that there are no farmer-friendly policies, that the 'Green Revolution in Eastern India' was identified as 'Loot ki kranti' (exploitation-revolution), that the American farming model is not suitable to the Indian condition, that the issues in front of the farmer are also relevant for the urban consumer, that more such meetings are needed in the nook and corner of the country and that these meetings should be apolitical. Three demands were put for the new government.

• Promote organic farming in the state
• Not allow any GM seeds in the state including open air trials and make a legislation to that effect
• Pick up lessons from the earlier Green Revolution and ensure that the Green Revolution proposals are in the benefit of farmers and in a sustainable livelihoods framework

Yatris at Gandhi Statue, Patna, Kisan Swaraj Yatra, 22 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

On their second day in Bihar (23 November 2010) the yatris had a meeting with scientists of Rajendra Agriculture University, Samastipur. This university had come into news as they refused to take up trial for GM maize for Monsanto last year. There was a long discussion and three demands were put forth to the university.

• To take up more research on ecological farming
• To shun any GM seed development, trial and commercialization, from the university side
• To disallow any proposals on Green Revolution in Bihar, based on intensive models a la Punjab

Director Research, Rajendra Agriculture University, Contributing to Kisan Swaraj Yatra, 23 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

Later in the day, farmers of Vidyajhamp a village declared to work toward being GM free and they will use their own seeds and in another gathering it was pointed out that Bihar should not become a laboratory for multinationals and biotech industry.

Vidyajhamp village declaring itself to be free of genetically modified seeds/crops, Kisan Swaraj Yatra, 23 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra

The last day in Bihar (24 November 2010) coincided with the day the election results were being declared. It was also important for the Yatra as it visited a visited a number of villages in East and West Champaran, the  the undivided district being the place from where Mahatma Gandhi started his first satyagraha (non-violent resistance) against the British. Two panchayats, Barsaha and Savangiya, declared that they will be organic and will also join the yatris at Rajghat on 11 December 2010. In another meeting in Madhopur, scientists from Krishi Vigyan Kendra accepted the advantages of organic farming but raised the issues of food security. In response, yatris pointed out the dependence on imports for our fertilizers. "They cautioned farmers not to fall for such false arguments and reminded that the only way the country can become sovereign, is to be self reliant when it comes to agricultural inputs and that is only possible when we do ecological farming shunning agrochemicals and GM seeds." They also came across a farmer keeping mounavrata (keeping quite or not talking, as a method of resistance/protest) for four years to propagate the use of low external input sustainable agriculture.

Public meeting at Madhopur in East Champaran where a farmer is seen keeping mounavrata (keeping quite or not talking, as a method of resistance/protest) for four years to propagate low external input sustainable agriculture, 24 November 2010. © Kisan Swaraj Yatra   

Melodious songs by a local artist reminded that our traditional agriculture was both ecologically and socially sustainable. As election results started pouring in, the yatris got delayed in reaching their final destination, but were elated on reaching because the farmers were still waiting. Long live farmers!

(See our write-up on the Yatra in North India and we will soon come up with one on the final event at Rajghat).

May 2010: From Goa to North-east and back in Mumbai

This has been a fascinating summer for me. Travelled from Goa to the East/North-east and then back to amchi Mumbai. This sojourn, including Mumbai, spread across 10 states, was enlightening and here I recall a few selective encounters.

The trip to Goa (3-8 May) was a long due vacation. The initial plan was a trip to Himachal Pradesh with a few school friends...but it fizzled out in the last moment when we finally decided, on Munna's suggestion,to try out Club Mahindra, Varca beach, Goa. Neri, Nandini and I had a whale of time. In their words - I was without work after ages and 24 hours with them. The visit to temples and churches left us in awe. Honestly, we did not feel the pinch of summer.

Neri's exitement continued as we left for Hyderabad (my in-laws place), where Neri and Nandu stayed for the rest of the month. Summer was at its peak but nothing better than 'Mother's hearth' or 'Tatta and Ammu'. After a couple of days, I returned to Mumbai for the Task Force work. The days were spent working at the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) office and, post-dinner, Sarthak, a research scholar working for his PhD, and I tried to sort out some data issues with the 59th round National Sample Survey (NSS) on Situation Assessment of Farmers.

While in Goa, I received the news of my 'sana' mamu's death (my mother's younger of the two elder brothers). I decided to leave for Orissa to be ther on the tenth day. I also was keen to visit two of my teachers' families in Cuttack (one from school and the other one who had unfortunately passed away at a relatively younger age a couple of months earleir (see, Sakti Padhi Sir...). Finally I left for Kolkata and was lucky to get a train to Anugul (a special train that goes once a week).

In Kolkata, a comfortable way to reach Howrah is the Volvo bus - cheap (Rs.40 per person), air conditioned and fast. On the bus met an Odia family traveling from Arunachal Pradesh; offered an old lady my seat. They were all complaining about others not helping and soon managed to get a seat for themselves and created a world for themselves oblivious of others in the bus. En route, we crossed Badabazar (Baraabazzar in Bengali) where one could see banners and posters (surprisingly, all in Hindi!)for the local body election, which was subsequently won by Mamtadi's Trinamool. I was later told by a friend that this was always a Hindi speaking area.

This was my first visit to Anugul station, my mother's natal place and my own birth place. The situation was sombre, but nostalgic. I met many of my cousins and their children, after years, bringing back memories of childhood and the memorable hailstorms... As I sat with my aunt 'maain', ice pieces came and hit her; a sentimental thought occurred as if sana mamun was trying to tell us that he was very much with us all. I observed, there were some positive changes in the society. A decade ago, in case they lost their husbands, women were expected to wear white clothes; now - this had changed. Sana maain and some others present on the 10th day wore off-white sarees even with some light prints. Certainly a much needed, positive social change in that society.

The next day I was at Cuttack and went to Prof Sakti Padhi's house. I could not meet Sadhna Nani as she was with her son in Trivandrum but I spent some time at their place with her mother. From there I went to meet my school teacher Mr Jayace Nayak who taught us Geography and Economics. I met him after 25 years. It was a nice feeling. He was happy too and requested everyone from school to drop by his and other teachers' places whenever they could. There is an independent discussion on Mr Nayak at the Stewart School, Bhubaneswar facebook group. The most memorable thing at his place is about his daughter who is doing her 12th and planning to do her medicine and then serve the vulnerable poor in remote parts of the country, a noble thought indeed. The society needs more like you.

The day after, I was in Bhubaneswar at home for a few hours and left for Delhi for the Task Force meeting. The next day evening I was back in Kolkata to start my North-east trip for the Task Force.

After an overnight stay in Kolkata, I was in Agartala, Tripura the next day. Pre-paid phones do not work in the North-East, but anyway, the nation's security concerns precedes mine. The most impressive part of Tripura that I heard was that their Chief Minister was taking interest in people related issues and would be initiating camps in each and every block of the state to identify all farmers (including tenants) and try to get them into the formal credit fold before end June.

The next stop was Gwahati, Assam on the banks of Brahmaputra, the only male river. The sunrise at four was the highlight. With such an early sunrise I was surprised that the meeting was at 11, as in Mumbai. This was a blessing as I could use the morning to go to a village Dharapr nearby and visit some farmers who cultivate in 'shar' land (islands within Brahmaputra). SThe meeting later in the day was fruitful and then after a late luch suddenly decided to visit the Kamakshi temple, which was not in my itinerary. The visit was smooth and there was no queue but immediately formed within minutes. As they say, some things are destined to happen.

Dimapur, Nagaland was my next visit. The advisory here was not to venture out in the evening and if one is traveling then the best place to stay overnight is the church. I did go to a village Dhanasripar that was close by where I also met a landless household. The village comprises of Kacheri farmers (one of the 12 tribes who can own land in Nagaland) who also reside in Assam; in fact, the bordering village in Assam is called Dhanasri. Penetration of formal banking is low but many farmers have savings account in the bank branch in Assam, but they cannot get agricultural credit. Nagaland is also known for the hottest chilli and this is being used to produce pickle and self-defence spray. One is told that the preferred lingua franca is English, but when I asked the villager they preferred Hindi.

From Nagaland I went back via Gwahati to Shillong, Meghalaya. In the initial part of travel from Gwahati (till about the 17th mile) one has Assam on the left and Meghalaya on the right. On this stretch all petrol pumps and liquor shops are on the Meghalaya side - the reason is that taxes are lower. I had thought that I would stop by on the road if I see some farmers in their land, but was warned that the day being a Sunday, I would not be successful and it was true.

The next day morning I visited three villages- Lad Mawreng, Lait Bynter and Mylliem, all in East Khasi. Land rights here are matrilineal, but I did meet some without land. This could be because they or their mothers had sold out theirs due to some exigencies or as per tradition among Khasis a major portion and in some cases the entire land right passed only to the youngest daugther . Further, each village is identified by a particular tribe and they do give some land from the general pool to the landless for cultivation, but this is given to those from their own tribe and village. Like Nagaland, outsiders cannot buy land here, but what is most important is that the owners also have rights over natural resources. Thus, mining is a lucrating option where the owners of land get a regular source of income. One wonders, why could this could not be used in central India. Of course, aalong with some rights for the landless also.

With my visit over, I return via Gwahati and Kolkata to Hyderabad. Complete some Task Force work and meet some functionaries of the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) before getting back to Mumbai where I have my hands full till end June.

Kolkata Khobor

I happened to be in Kolkata on 23 March 2010, a day with a lot of happenings. The heritage building of Stephen Court that houses Music World and Flurys confectionary was doused in a fire, an unfortunate incident where 24 people died and 40 are injured. At the time of the incident I happened to be behind closeted in a meeting discussing farmers issues at the regional office of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) at Ryod Street.

The unfortunate incident of the day is that Comrade Kanu Sanyal of the Naxalbari movement ended his life. There is a feeling that this could be because of his disillusionment with the current state of things, his failing health. He might have also delibertely chosen this historical day, as it was on this date in 1931 that the trio of Bhagat Singh, Shivram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar were put to death.

Now, let me move on to some changes. I have been coming to Kolkata a couple of times in the last two three years. This has a old world charm, but for someone visiting Kolkata after 15-20 years there are a couple of visible changes. I will point out two.

One with regard to the trams. Trams, a a heritage ride in Kolkata, have two boggies - the first class and the second class. In the late 1990s the price difference between the two was five paise. If I recall correctly, it was 40 paise for first class and 35 paise for the second class. Yet, this difference was enough to make the second class much more crowded like the Mumbai sub-urban. Today, the price difference is 50 paise (I think it is Rs.4.50/4.00 and Rs.4.00/3.50 depending on the distance) but one does not see much of a crowd in either of the classes.

In the 1990s, not knowing Bengali was not a problem, but if one spoke Bengali it was helpful. It is even said that to be identified as one among the Bengali then not only would one have to speak Bengali, not only would one have to take part in Adda, not only would one have to enjoy the football, but one has to be a connoisseur of Rabindra Sangeet. Well, this may still be true. But, today you do not have to know Bengali to be in Kolkata. Many of the service providers speak Hindi and one sees that even Bengalis end of speaking with them in in Hindi.

I will end up with the Stephen court tragedy. When I was talking about this with a Bengali 'bhadralok'. The first thing he mentioned was that. It houses the famous Flurys confectionary that is a regular joint of artists like MF Hussain. His tone was sad because of the tragedy but he was taking pride in the cosmopolitan nature of Kolkata where art and intellectual adda still mattered. Who said that Kolkata residents are 'Xenophobic'. Bhalo Basi Kolkata!