I was surfing channels today..Shahenshah, mhmh; Ghaatak, may be not now; Promo for London Dreams, indifferent; India Vs Aus, who wants to see; NDTV Profit, skip; NDTV, CNNIBN...wait, wait, did i see P Sainath in NDTV Profit? Go back, go back, it is indeed P. Sainath. Oof..a rare media interview, used my rare veto in the room (there were 2 other people) and decided to stay at the channel for 20 minutes... It was difficult to believe that the journalist who was interviewing him, or for that matter most journalists, belong to the same tribe as his.(Not everyone who pads up is Sachin ;-) ) What followed was research, analysis, data-driven approach, deep insights, utter humility (not the Amitabh Bachchan kind) and utter dedication. A hero.. What stood out was his data-driven approach..check this out.
Q. Why are you focussing only in the 5 states? (TN, AP, Kar, Mah, Orissa)
Sainath - Since 1997, there have been 180,000 farmer suicides in India. @ 1 every 30 minutes. 2/3rds of these deaths have been from these 5 states. Infact these states have only about 1/3rd of Indian population. That makes these states, as 'high-density' states. Hence my focus
journalist's (who was interviewing him) eyes fell out.. I was bowled.
Q. What are you disappointed with, in the Indian Media?
Sainath - In 199x (i dont remember), I was at Vidarbha, which had about 7,500 farmer suicides. It was a calamity. Including me there were 6 acrredited journalists. Just an hour of flight away, there were 512 accredited journalists who were covering Lakme Fashion Week. Those ramp models were wearing the very cotton these farmers were making. In most mainstream TV channels there is no 'Agriculture correspondent' or a 'Labour correspondent'. That is shutting 70% of India out. That is why I am disappointed.
Indian media is a child of our freedom struggle, Now the Indian media is under the stranglehold of corporate and therefore shaping its content.
Q. Do you think all our policy makers are not concerned?
Sainath - No, I will not say 'all'. Some are concerned. 80 million people have left farming in the last decade. There is no data or report anywhere on this crisis.
Q. Do you enjoy the rural side?
Sainath - There is a place called 'xxxx' in Orissa. When you drive from there to another place called 'yyyy' and then reach 'zzzz', it is about a 3-4 hour drive. You will encounter 30 languages. I like that diversity... (Sorry i dont remember the names). And then he goes on to say...
- India is a huge paradox. We are in the top 5 in the numer of billionaires, and we are also in the top in poverty.
- We have one of the biggest 'medical tourism' industry, yet 200 million people do not have access to, or visit any hospital.
- States have withdrawn from framing. There has been a negative investment of Rs. 30,000 crore in the last decade. 1000's of banks have pulled out. The western countries, enjoy farm subsidies and dump their produce. Farm input costs have risen dramatically in the past decade. All of these have resulted in people leaving farming..
What data!
Some of his other bytes were
- There is a huge inequality that is building up. This cannot and will not sustain.
- We may as well use airforce and bomb some of these places.
When I heard the last piece, I woke up one more time. The India that we will be leaving behind for children, should not be this. We must fix this problem in our times... Do I have a solution? Yes. I think, I know the first step. May sound simplistic, but I know of no other way..for sheer lack fof knowledge.
Though populist, Nandan looking after the NUID project is a welcome step from this Govt for bringing in 'non-political' talent to manage the country's affairs.
Why not make P. Sainath, a key figure in the Agriculture Ministry, why not use his knowledge in understanding the crisis. 270 days a year and 20 years in rural India.. I am sure he knows the problem 100% and may have some ideas on solving too.
Will this govt do this.. If they don't, Nandan's NUID project will not have many people left in rural India to issue ID cards to...
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Its really sad to know these "differnces" in the data provided. India needs good leaders at all areas, mainly the core copetency is lacking with the ministry holding by the Ministers, atleast if Ministers beleive IAS and officials would have been success, like Lallu was holding Railways last time..
Thanks Gopi for your wonderful extract from the Interview.. First time i know about Sainath!!!
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