Udayor Blog

( A response note posted afterwards. Especially to those who wrote in to delete this blog after it appeared. It was written to pre-empt a trend in the new governmnet that would have been damaging later. It was felt desirable to speak out than keep in mind, which can become more damaging. This site and network, as can be seen from archives, ran a major campaign to see sanity return in Kerala. It was not meant to damage but to keep the sense of fairplay in balance. What is inevitable for future governance. However we regret if it has hurt anyone, it was the view of the nairsorg team and can in no way be generalised. Ed. Posted June 01, 2006)

Half a century is no time in history. For Kerala and India trying to find her feet after the period of British colonization there is a bit of confusion. There are hang overs and left overs from the British times. Myths that the clever British popularized with ulterior moties survive just as their institutions. ‘Savarna peedanam’ was a major psychological weapon that they invented to effectively neutralize the leading communities. In Kerala it was mainly the martial nobility Nayars, the Brahmins and others are insignificant numbers. Ornate stories were woven and widely spread making the ‘savarnas’ responsible for all the ills of the society, as if the creator Brahma himself was below them. For the leading communities gave them sleepless nights in their attempts to enslave a country. But despite that they could not succeed in making India, Kerala, an America where the native Amerindians were butchered and reduced to museum pieces. There were social divisions in India is true what was there in every country. When caste distinctions were there in India there was extensive slave trade in Europe. But using 'savarna peedanam' huge populations were converted by the colonisers to their faith, Christianity, and made alies. Many others were cultivated with various soaps and the local people made to fight each other. In Kerala the focus invariably was their arch enemies the warring Nayars. But the British also had a sense of nobility and the barriers were never breached. But things got worse after the British left, the clever local groups began using it to their own advantage, how reservations in that name started, prolonged for ever. The new plotters want the old leading communities enslaved, made beggars. The inner fights that ensued saw India remain divided, another British ploy working to this day.

With the new government in Kerala taking charge, where a Hindu consolidation did help them, there is a new tilt. Those who wanted to celebrate the victory stand disillusioned. For, the Chief Minister claims to be an ‘avarna’ and the message passed on is that it was an ‘avarna’ upraising. The Ezhava community leadership had jumped in at the last moment offering support to the Left Democratic Front and are now the god fathers of the win. The official Nayar leadership in deep sleep there is an anomolous situation emerging. That the majority people of Kerala, majority of the Hindu population, the conscientious from other communities, realized the folly of ‘pinnakka – noonapaksham’ alignments and the undue advantages taken by the minorities from the divided majority community is forgotten. How the Left Democratic Front government came to power. The new Chief Minister, brought to the chair with some amount of muscle tactics, is presenting himself as an ‘avarna’ Chief Minister. Even the communist party media parroting this theme. It is transparent to all that this is a clever ploy of those trying to make use of the ‘savarna – avarna’ duality promoted by the British. Being used again for selfish motives of some groups. All the good work done by the Chief Minister designate himself and all the goodwill the Hindu consolidation attempt gained are being wasted. Perhaps it is an evil design remote controlled by some one. The wider issues of the state are side lined.

Going back everyone knows that the truly disadvantaged did not gain anything from the savarna – avarna, pinnakka – noonapaksham rhetoric. When some of them gained considerably by creating this lobby. For the Communists now trapped in strong caste wars they forget the early days of Communism when it was the so called ‘savarnas’ who were in the fore-front, those who went by lofty humanistic values. Many of them who gave all their wealth to the party died starving was the poignant climax to a dream. But the way things are drifting now is visible with the ‘avarna’ Chief Minister being paraded after the elections. The trend was visible from some time before though. The graceful leaders are being smoked out cleverly in the Communist parties is being watched by the people. In this the Communist Party of India (CPI) has come to have some petty minded leaders who penalize others just because they are born ‘savarna’. The very same people who helped them climb up the ladder being dumped. It is a kind of negative apartheid that they are now promoting. But then yes, half a century is no big time. The focus ought to be there, also on how the post-colonial systems can be done away with or corrected.

In the game of musical chairs once again people of Kerala have voted out a government and installed a new one. What has been repeating every five years after independence. It is a hope that will last for a couple of years after which general frustration sets in. A state leading in suicides has lost hopes. Colonial systems pollute the most trustworthy people. The sense of relief as the outgoing government had become far too obsessed with sectarian minority interests, the process of governance becoming a tool for appropriating what is considered common resource of the state is eclipsed. It is primarily the sense of injustice that gave the new government an overwhelming mandate. Where the Communist Party of India (Marxist), as the leading political force that drives the new coalition, has a big responsibility. Especially the leadership that goes by broader humanistic values who need to take bold decisions and not get swayed by the new street mafias. Message of a strong administration has to be send out, no knee jerk responses. They cannot be bowing down to the new media muscle some of them use. The Party, within the limitations of electoral democracy, what in theory caters to the majority views, is required to fulfill many dreams. Individuals are not important but they can do it only through individuals. Why selecting those with dignity, competence and who convey a sense of fair play are important.

Nobody expects the new Communist government to form communes or bring proletariat revolution in Kerala. The sensible people of Kerala know the limitations of a state within the federal democratic set up. And most of them, barring few, are career politicians who run the show under various political formations, having common features and there is not much difference of quality, Communist or non-Communist. With the post-colonial state apparatus and its baggage of colonial ceremonies and institutions the central thrust for politicians now is the lure of power, money and fame. What best can be made out of it is the only question. From appointing a few people as personal assistants to capturing the juicy posts and contracts remains the objective. Those who aim at the chair are not necessarily the best people out there. But both the Communist parties now have mostly this breed. How best to make use of the leverage to suit their interests, also that of what they consider their own people, is the motto. In a state where the undercurrents of caste and religion play decisive roles, but seldom talked about in public, the best actors get the prize. No wonder the new Chief Minister, chosen with political pressure rather than consensus, is the epitome of crude theatrics. Despite his known stands against public offences as opposition man the way he promotes himself as the ‘avarna’ Chief Minister only shows the deep lying mindset. Thus the new government sends out disturbing signals of partisanship together with new hopes. But then eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.

It is an unfortunate trend and the party newspaper itself parroting the language. That it was a myth cultivated by the colonial British to neutralize the opposing communities is forgotten. That there are more ‘savarna’ peons now who seldom sit with the ‘avarna’ chairmen at dining tables, are untouchables, is cleverly hidden. The social hierarchies and distancing exists universally in every period and this happens even between relatives. But the ‘savarna’ stick is freely used. That the ‘avarna’ Chief Minister designate enjoys the best of comforts and that his wards are in choice posts in state government, inserted through the back doors, does not seem to bother him. It is a clever device used to gain upper hand. The 'savarna peedanam' myth repeated through years, by the clever media and institutions like education, has made it something which cannot be denied. The blinded victims themselves accepting it without question now. Thus the neo-rich who enjoy all the fruits of power and who treat the underdog with contempt wear a façade of being the champions of the poor and out castes.

The rhetoric of ‘savarna’ and ‘avarna’ becomes a tool to play politics and for the smarter ones to have the choice meat. It is interesting that the pre-election campaigns saw the common Hindu card being played covertly and overtly but the post-election scene sees the ‘savarna’ and ‘avarna’ duality. Though expected, taking cues from history, it appearing so suddenly is alarming. What is to create further rift among the Hindu communities in the state, already hunted down. Though there are responsible leaders who dissuade the practice among all communities a minority uses this with gusto. The so called proponents of the ‘avarna’ myth who made a kill using that name, but not very kind to the real ‘avarnas’, if they really exist, are once again at the doors waiting for the big meal. Don’t ask them what historical contribution they made to defend this land and its people, don’t also ask them how many chavers among them spilt blood in protecting this land. What were they doing when the country was being subjugated by external forces. But now that they have freedom they want to have the cake and undo those who paid the big price.

The term ‘savarna’ comes handy and the shocked people who sacrificed everything at every historical crisis are shamed in to the exploiter label. Driven to self destruction. They forget that their fate would not have been different from that of the American Indians if the ‘savarnas’ did not take to the sword. Cultivated by the colonial British these myths and the people who benefited from that are once again taking out the ugly weapon. Hearing all the jargon if some one thinks that these saviors of the ‘avarnas’ are living in hutments and are weaklings they cannot be faulted. The real poor and marginalized get used just as the others. Thus the ‘avarna’ Chief Minister in his palatial mansion with all his wards enjoying the undue pleasures of power is paraded as the victim of ‘savarna’ persecution. It is a clever psychological device to cut to size a community. Trap them in guilt and hoodwink the under privileged sections that they can enjoy unlimited pleasures. What has been used in Kerala with great success in the post-colonial era. The secret wish is to reduce them to underdog status and rule over, a kind of perverted jealousy. But elephants even if thinned do not become cattle or vice versa.

Despite all claims it is not an equitable society that the proponents of the ‘avarna’ theory are aiming at, the dalit Christians are standing testimonies. Palaces of those who converted them and got the price from abroad can be seen lining the roads in Kottayam Thiruvalla area when the dalits are back in their shanties. A classic case of those who knew where this psychological device can be used for own individual and community benefits. Yes, they are no more able to sell the big lie of ‘pinnakka – noonapaksha peedanam’ though there are a few who still parrot the phrase. But the damage is done and the Hindu community as a whole is sinking in the crisis they unleashed by demoralizing the leading communities. Forget that the ‘avarna’ leaders are going around in their fancy cars and living in all splendour. Mainly fooling the dalits and tribals whom the ‘pinnakka – noopakshams’ cleverly used, many of them thrown out from their homes and their property captured. It is a trump card which rich ‘noonapakshams’ are no more able to use, stark reality is exposed. But the rich ‘pinnakkas’ are trying to use it still, hoping that they can extract some more juice. It was a weapon that worked to great results as they know and a graceful people watched the silent war.

The imposed logic is simple, if some one is poor it is because of the ‘savarnas’, if the tribals are in the forests it is the ‘savarnas’ who send them there. There is no god, fate or natural processes but the ‘savarnas’ are the deciding authority. Suffice to say that it is a grace that those continuing to play the ‘avarna’ card and taking undue advantage at the cost of others are not telling more, attributing the charge of other happenings in the world also to 'savarnas'. With a secret wish to be in that role. The clever tool of ‘savarna’ persecution invented by the colonial British to cultivate pro-British populations in India, is now being used by many lobbies. Reservations for those without any merit dilute all sectors of life, affecting each and every one. A kind of persecution complex is injected to new generations of various communities, making them sub-human. The Christian propaganda machinery has stopped doing it as they are far too rich now and feel ashamed to tell the old story of ‘savarna’ janmies. Those who killed and died for freedom have been painted black by the colonisers is understandable, even those who openly allied with them. But for the people who were protected, to use the same argument is the height of treachery. A graceful and noble people may not react immediately, but they know the deceit and the vulpine urges.

Most of them are also unable to differentiate who the enemies are and who the friends. The noise created by the media is such, naive people are hypnotised and driven like sheep. But they are watching the attacks silently, amused , knowing fully well that electoral politics in a post-colonial society has its own game plans. The majority saner population is also watching the games and waiting, seeing the big lies being cleverly used to great advantage by some. Enjoying the theatrical performances of dull witted and self-seeker politicians. For the Communist Party it is a tragedy as its list of founders in Kerala includes many ‘savarnas’ who donated all their property and life itself to the communist party with great hopes of a equitable order, few of them died starving. Lumpen elements capturinmg the Party. It was they who helped the ‘avarna’ comrades climb up the ladder. What is unique to Kerala, what did not happen even just across the borders, in Tamilnadu where the ‘savarnas’ there still gives tea to ‘avarnas’ in a coconut shell at many places. So it is to be watched whether it is an ‘avarna’ Chief Minister as they claim, more than a communist Chief Minister, in the chair. Where the masses elect their leaders based on various immediate reasons there is potential, to damage a mauled up state further. The other option is for the Communist government to work for a better state, undo the damages done, gain everyone's confidence.