It is sheer coincidence that after I had finished reading biography of Dr.Verghese Kurien "I too had a Dream" only a couple of days back, I read in the Newspapers about the arrest of Kobad Ghandy one of the top Naxal ideologue.
Dr. Kurien is credited not only for bringing white revolution in the country but also for ameliorating the plight of thousands of peasants and farmers who solely depended on selling milk. There is a similarity between Dr. Kurien and Mr. Ghandy because both were highly educated and had studied abroad. Dr. Kurien's entry in 'dairy farming' was just accidental and initially against his chosen profession. But once he became a part of the co-operative movement, he fought hard for the farmers and strengthened the co-operative movement of milkmen. He faced bravely the corrupt beaurocracy, powerful middlemen and multi-nationals. But he never gave in and resolutely faced all odds. He called himself as an 'employee of the farmers' and drew meager salary. For his exemplary contributions,he earned recognition nationally and internationally including coveted 'Padam Vibhushan'. Now thinking of Kobad Ghandy, he was greatly moved by the poor condition of the peasantry and the farm labourers and in order to fight for their cause aligned himself with leftists ideology and ultimately joined an extremist organization where power of the gun ruled supreme.
Whereas Dr. Kurien succeeded in his mission and fought for the cause of the poor peasants by becoming a part of the establishment, Mr. Kobad Ghandy ended up in jail because he committed himself to the ideology of violence which our Society will never approve.
Here there comes another point about which I have not been able to find any satisfactory answer. Dr. Kurien started his 'milk movement' in the early fifties i.e. immediately after our country had won independence. There were people of high moral characters and Dr. Kurien was lucky enough to find support from both highly placed political leaders and also from willing beaurocrats whenever he faced rough weather and he has given several such instances in his biography. In contrast, today the entire political system has been criminalized and beaurocracy has become all powerful. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Today it is easy to 'eliminate' those honest workers or officers who stand in the way of powerful mafia. There are numerous instances before us.
We have to find answer to these burning questions which are disturbing the helpless common man today who has become just a spectator.
Surinder Sood
