APRIL 8 2007,HYDERABAD,ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA
The day which I can never forget in my life. Because it is the day where I stepped into the world of exploited classes. The days before this I used to think about the development of exploited classes but those thinkings remained theoritical. With the call from KVPS(KULA VIVAKSHA PORAATA SAMITHI), a group which has been formed to fight against the discrimination towards poor peasants who were infact from low caste by the landlords known to be the higher caste people. KVPS organised a CYCLE RALLY in all districts of ANDHRA PRADESH mainly into the villages of poor peasants and dalits. This is organised from APRIL7 to APRIL 14 all over AP.
Me and my friend Naresh were enthusiastic and we decided to participate in the cycle rally in an area called THANDUR in RR district. It is around 150km from city of hyderabad. As I stay in the city I started early in the morning and caught a bus from mehadipatnam and finally reached the place THANDUR via VIKARABAD by 9.00 AM. We met around 100 comrades along with MLA Narasimha from Ibrahimpatnam Constituency. By giving slogans of KVPS we started the rally and within 30 minutes time reached the first village called “VISWANATHPURAM”. Cycling along the road I found this village is famous for the stones used for flooring in rich houses. Now we enterted into the street where DALITS are living. The standards of their living is so hoirrible that it keeps us in astonishment whether life is possible there. They were really lack of water facility, poor sanitation and lack of proper food. As the rally entered their street the peasants came out of their huts in enthusiasm that somebody came to help us. Yes we are there for that purpose, and we asked the people about the problems they are facing. They told that they are the people from lower caste in the society and are facing a lot of discrimination by the higher caste people. They were not allowed inside the temples claiming that GODS purity is lost if they enter, they were given seperate glasses to drink water in hotels, they are not supposed to drink water in the wells constructed for landlords. We immediately motivated them saying HUMANITY is first not caste and gave them strong belief and made them enter the temples which was their long cherished dream. Then we went to the hotels where there is 2 or 3 glass method and broke the glasses which were kept seperate for dalits.Then we went to a cultivating land where there are two wells one constructed for landlords and other for dalits. We took some buckets tied with ropes and mixed the water in both the wells. The peasants were very happy and praised our effort and they started following our rally. Dont think this is a place where there is no scope of development, its just around 150km from city we find this type of discrimination. How bad it is!
The whole scenery made me and my friend much more enthusiastic and without caring the HOT DAY started cycling along with the group to next village. This village is called RAGHAVAPURAM and we find the same case in this village as the previous one. We made the peasants enter into the temples with the help of the local SI as there was some resistance from the landlords. Meanwhile I found an old couple who were looking very sad and I felt pity and walked towards them and said “please go into the temple”. But they were shivering and said after you people leave these landlords may kill us for entering into their temples. I said “No landlord is here and dont feel frightened, be strong and come with me” and I caught their hands and made them enter into the temple. They were into tears after returning from temple and said thanks for fighting for us and for our lands. All these incidents really made my mind feel sorry for their state but at the same time proud for making them happy that time atleast. As the day is hot we were thirsty and we drank SHARBATH(Sweet lemon water) in their huts and moved further.
Around midday we entered into the village called KOKAT. Here MLA Narasimha addressed a long gathering and we gave addons to his speech by shouting KVPS slogans. From there we again followed to THANDUR and there MLA addressed the gathering near B R AMBEDKAR statue and there were around 400 people gathered from these three villages and mainly dalits who followed the CYCLE YATRA. After the gathering we moved on to the village called ANTHAARAM and there also we made people know about their rights and MLA addressed about their rights to live, and told the elder people from dalits that its their right to make their children get educated. If we are educated nobody can dominate us. This sentence I personally told in detail to each peasant who came to the gathering. From here we moved to a Government School Building where we had our lunch. It was my first experience to have lunch along with the COMRADES. It was a nice experience. There we took some rest having some discussions about the future plans and etc. Upto now we have covered around 16km of road from THANDUR.
From here we are accompained by other leaders from RAITU SANGHAM, CITU mandal leader, UTF leaders and this made our group more strenthened and we statred our cycling to the next village called GAAJEEPOOR. As soon as we enterted into the streets of Dalits they welcomed us with bands and flower garlands and this was indeed a heartful welcome. We took their problems in written format and I found the healing wounds on their bodies that were made by the brutal landlords to some dalits.We assured them that we will bring this thing to the Governments notice and make the government take possible steps regarding this . From there by around 5.00pm we have reached two villages called BUDDAARAM and PEDEEMUL and thus ended our CYCLING giving the KVPS a RED SALUTE and left to our destinations.
Is the travel over..I think it is not. We have to do more for their livehood. So many thoughts were in my mind thinking about their life. I didnt feel exhausted even after cycling about 22 km. Why this happened? I think the problem faced by me that one day is no where near to the problems faced by them each day. Infact everybody is a human being. Please fight for humanity. Lets remove poverty. Lets condemn the discrimination done to the exploiting classes.
Last but not least..the entire cycling made me more happy remembering my HEROS MOTORCYCLE DAIRIES(CHE GUEVARA). This may be small compared to what he did but the thing done by him is the spirit and inspiration given to me and many comrades to work for the exploited classes.
” RED SALUTE COMRADES”
