Don’t let us down!

The Supreme Court finally acted on the draconian Salwa Judum, stripping it off power and arms. The special police force had been organised by the Chattisgarh government to tackle the so-called Naxal “menace” as the ruling power loves to call it. By the way, in all drawing room discussions, the areas where Naxals are active are called Naxal-infested, as if they were insects or even rabid.
The Salwa Judum, with its heady concoction of upper caste “warriors” ably backed by the state machinery had run roughshod across the rural belt, intimidating villagers and tribals, and spewing orders in the name of justice. It had become an extra-constitutional authority.
The Supreme Court also passed another order last week, directing the Mayawati government to return “usurped” land to farmers.
And, Jairam Ramesh, when he was environment minister, intervened two days back to stop Vedanta from raping Nayamgiri hills, by refusing environmental clearance for bauxite mining.
These decisions are important, almost landmark because they might bring back people’s faith in our country’s democratic system. Just might, what with most of our political leaders vying for space in Tihar with multiple charges of corruption and some even enjoying their tea with jail officials.
The country’s growth is lopsided at the best. The government is projecting a growth rate of over 10 per cent, lacing it with the argument of a trickle-down effect. Only the so-called bounty that is seemingly trickling down gets blocked periodically.
Today’s reshuffle in the Manmohan Singh Cabinet may seem to be a shake-up to ascertain itself as having taken some action in its corridors of corruption. But as Anna Hazare pointed out: a reshuffle will not tackle corruption, only a change will.
An important man who has been juggled around is Jairam Ramesh. His exit is a major loss to the environment ministry. Ramesh had combined activism with his ministerial position, often embarrassing the government, which sometimes chose development at the cost of displacement. This portfolio will now be handled by Jayanti Natarajan, a rather tame choice for such a high-profile (read important) ministry. She will have to do lot of tight-rope walking to take forward the work of her predecessor without succumbing to pressure.
Ramesh’s elevation to the status of a Cabinet minister with the rural development portfolio is in my opinion a “ploy” by the government to play down the environmental issues thrown into the public radar by our activist-minister. But Ramesh can get into the skin of his new portfolio of rural development and dig out hidden concerns into the public arena. His decisions to look into the Naxal strongholds and the tribal heartland that comprises the backward areas could help further elevate his stature in the public eye. His steps in the direction of the rural employment guarantee scheme for the uplift of the people could be useful. What’s more; he could use this portfolio to integrate rural development with preserving our ecology by guaranteeing tribals their native livelihood, and not the one “promised” by corporate land sharks who promise employment that would at best be petty and menial. An effective penetration into rural development can at the most preserve our countryside from being made into concrete jungles with brick and mortar.
Ramesh, please don’t let us down!