BENGALURU: Noted theatre personality Prasanna started an indefinite hunger strike with the theme “Create Jobs- Protect Nature” on Sunday at Vallabh Niketan near Gandhi Bhavan here to promote “sacred economy”.
Sacred economy is where all the systems of production give maximum number of jobs with minimum investment and minimum loss to the environment. It is known to be labour-intensive and nature-friendly.
Prasanna pointed out that the present economic situation has resulted in loss of jobs in many sectors. The ones who are the worst affected are those in garment sector, traders, service sector and small-time manufacturers. "The current economic system is bad. We need to have a system that strikes a balance between nature and entrepreneurship. My demand is to give jobs and to keep nature green," he said.
He calls the current economy as the "monster economy". "Today’s system is the opposite of sacred. It is a monster economy in nature and in size. And it is dying, and is taking thriving ecosystems along with it. But instead of reviving nature, governments the world over are using taxpayers’ money to revive the monster. Agriculture is in deep crisis, weavers and artisans are abandoning their occupations and the poor are leaving villages in hordes. Yet the government is focussed on feeding only the monster. The government is bailing out the automobile sector, writing off big debts of bad banks, giving liberal concessions to all the big bad sectors," he said.
The Gram Seva Sangh had already been organising several programmes to bring it to the notice of the government with regard to sacred economy. It started on September 26 by hosting events like sacred fabric, sacred poetry, sacred labour, satyagraha movie, begging bowl (peaceful protest on streets) and many more. "Our demand shall not bring in a just society but also bring in people-friendly and nature-friendly society," said a member of Gram Seva Sangh.