Hindustan Times
TATAs in tribal land
A government of India committee thinks land acquisition for mining and industries in the tribal belt of Chhattisgarh is the biggest grab of tribal lands after Columbus
The ‘expert’ committee believes the anti-Naxal movement called Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh is a prop of business houses, Tatas and Essar.The report not- so-obliquely supports the theory that the Maoists (Naxalites) are fighting the corporate interests while the State and Salwa Judum, by way of acting against the extremists, are merely protecting the interests of the business.
This argument is straight out of the stream of ‘intellectual ‘ opinions that justify Maoist violence as a product of the system and a fight for justice. The inherent contradictions of these arguments are hard to miss.
‘Intellectuals’ are never tired of arguing that social oppression and lack of development are the reasons for Naxalism. It’s difficult to comprehend what kind of development do they have in mind. Perhaps, some development where there will be no industries, no electricity, no pollution and no roads, but only education, medical care and nutrition on demand? A paradise of virgin forests where human development indicators are comparable to American standards but absolutely no industries, technology and certainly not the corrupt capitalist culture?
Or is it their argument that since tribals love their land, they MUST forever live as hunter-gatherers, in illiteracy and superstition? We the intellectuals will live in the metropolis, sinfully consuming and making money out of capitalism by writing books and making documentaries on the plight of the tribals?
The development of human civilization in the last 300 years is the result of industrialisation. That involves movement of people from rural to urban centers and transformation of resourceful regions into urban centers. The process of industrialization must be done with minimal human suffering, but resisting industrialisation is the most anti-tribal argument to make. Are tribals around Jamshedpur, where the TATAs set up its steel plant in Jharkhand worse off than before?
An industrial society will have better education, immunisation, healthcare and awareness. It will have more political participation of underprivileged people. Industrialization will disrupt the caste system and oppressive village structures.
Industrialisation ALONE is not development. But there can be NO development without industries.
(4 votes, average: 4.75 out of 5)
Loading ...Posted by Varghese K George on Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Filed under Policy and Politics · Tagged Chhattisgarh, Essar, Industrialization, Maoists, Naxalism, Salwa Judum, Tatas
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