BENGALURU: As everyone is busy discussing the possible outcome of Lok Sabha polls, well-known theatre director and playwright Prasanna is not too bothered about the results. The 68- year-old Gandhian, who works passionately for reviving the rural economy, is worried about political discourse and policies, which he feels only promote the nouveau rich.
“They are building Ravana Rajya, not Rama Rajya,” says Prasanna, without mincing words when it comes to criticizing the current regime at the Centre. The Congress, he says, was punished by the people because they left Mahatma Gandhi’s economic policies behind and promoted westernized capitalism.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks against the Congress, but he is doing more than what Congress did. He talked of constructing a new civilization, but he didn’t succeed,” he says.
Prasanna, who had touched thousands of lives with his initiatives in promoting rural economy and handmade products, says the Goods & Services Tax (GST) is increasing corruption and coming in the way of promotion of handmade products that play a vital role in the revival of rural economy.
Prasanna, founder of Samudaya theatre company, Desi Trust (that works for handloom workers), and Charaka, a women’s cooperative, and many such initiatives, had launched hunger strike in 2017 against GST.
“I withdrew the agitation after they promised to consider our demand of Zero Tax for 28 handmade goods. Instead, they just reduced the tax and made some concessions. That is not enough as the main problem that the sector faces is the regime itself. These goods were not taxed even during the British rule,” he says in a soft yet very assertive tone. A strong advocate of the concept of Grama Swarajya, Prasanna says the rural economy is in doldrums.
“If we fail to revive the rural economy, this country will go to hell, it could be a red-revolution. It could be Naxalism…or anything,” he says while referring to large-scale migration from rural areas to the cities.
“Migration is hell as that gets them out of culture, lifestyle and in many cases, it is bringing them directly into the hands of lumpen elements.” According to him, the need of the hour is not just to build smart cities, but to ensure a proper balance between rural and urban economy and give special emphasis to agriculture, rainwater harvesting and rural economy as a whole.
“It is time we actually looked at Rama Rajya in a true sense. Unfortunately, they want to celebrate Godse,” Prasanna says, referring to BJP leaders praising Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin. Prasanna signs off by saying he would not like to speculate about the outcome of the elections as the outcome actually does not matter much.