The Rat Hunters of Assam !
I was very much pained and
disappointed after reading an article in a leading English newspaper - The
Hindu, entitled - "The Rat Hunters of Assam" by Ritu Raj Konwer, a few
days ago, which portrays briefly the life of a tribal / adivasi family of Ram
Soren, from Assam, who earns his livelihood by hunting and selling rats from
nearby rivers and fields etc. They kill rats not only to earn money but also to
eat them. The story further states that he had to resort to hunting rats a few
years ago, when suddenly his son had fallen ill and he did not have sufficient
money for his medical treatment. He was left with no other option but to sell
his small holding of agricultural land and thereby enable him to get medical
facility for his son.
It is really very shocking and sorry state of affairs
that even after 65 years of India attaining independence, our so called galaxy
of leaders could not improve the social and economic position of the common
people. It could not have been made possible because our leaders could not
provide them some worthwhile employment, which could afford them to have two
square meals a day and a small roof over their heads. Crores of poor people
across the length and breadth of the country are not able to make a good living,
and they are just surviving the vagaries of nature by satisfying their hunger,
the way animals are doing so - i.e. by eating anything - human or inhuman.
Our democratically elected governments at Centre and
all States should awake from their deep slumber and try their level best to
provide some good means of employment to the poor people (irrespective of their
state, caste, community, religion or region) to enable them to get sufficient
income from their work and that they are enabled to make good living; rather
than leading just an animal's life and are compelled to satisfy their hunger and
fill their stomachs with anything they could lay their hands on; simply because
they can't buy something better worth eating. Thousands crores of funds have
been swindled by the innumerable scamsters and lakhs crores of Indian money has
been stashed in Swiss and some other foreign banks, but precious little is being
done by the governmental machinery to improve the precious lives of poor and
needy people. The Government every year spends crores of money even on animals
kept in zoos and bird and animal sanctuaries at many places, but they are
grossly neglecting human being - who are the supreme creations of the God.
Rather they are being forced to lead an animal's life.
It should also be borne in mind that no country or
society can boast of making all round development, progress and prosperity even
if a part of it keeps on lagging behind - socially and economically. The
wholesome development can be made possible only if the entire society moves
ahead and their social and economic status makes a discernible improvement. It
is true and comparable to the same way and situation as no person can feel
healthy and enjoy life if a part of his body continues to ache and give him
frequent troubles and thus, puts a dampener or a speed breaker on his well being
and smooth sailing. The Central Government and all state governments should sit
together and think it seriously and put all scamsters behind the bars, recover
their ill gotten money worth thousands of crores and utilise the same to
complete the thousands of ongoing projects spread across the country. And if
this could be achieved, that will automatically provide employment opportunities
for the crores of poor people, which will ultimately uplift and improve their
health and life significantly - in more than one manner. And in the scenario
which shall emerge after that situation, no person shall have to kill rats or
other insects just to satisfy their hunger.
By : R.D.
Bharadwaj “Noorpuri”
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Dated : 24th April, 2012