Perhaps, those were the ‘real old’ days. Woodcutters did cut wood without disturbance from environmentalists, it was only hunting the royal stag that brought swift retribution. Woodcutters helped those in need. All those stranded in a jungle, shouting for help, were helped by these simple, sturdy men. Imagine the fate of little Red Riding Hood, had the woodsman not come to her rescue. All she had to do was scream and she was saved from the Big Bad Wolf because in rushed the woodcutter with his axe, ready to chop off the head of the Big bad wolf. No king or sheriff had to be dragged into the matter and as for Miss Hood, she never possibly ventured into the wood ever again.
But in today’s corrupt world, you cannot trust anyone, neither the woodcutter nor the victims. Why, one can’t even trust the wood. While it is okay to chop down some wood, when it comes to red sanders, whose virtues extend to beyond being used for fuel, one steps entirely into another neck of the woods and must begin to worry about legalities and illegalities.
When a tonne of red sanders fetches Rs 20-40 lakh in the black market, who bothers that poaching and illegal cutting might incur divine wrath, so close to the Tirupati Hills and the shrine of Venkateswara? The red sanders are no doubt protected, but human greed prevailed over fears and apparently, men in knives and axes swarmed the danger zone, cutting down trees at will and sold them to the poachers. Didn’t anyone get punished for this crime?
Weren’t there any fall guys in this act? Yes, there were. The poor men recruited from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, who were sold on stories of untold riches if only they would bring down enough red sanders. The middle men in the red sanders syndicate seem to be safe in the middle, it’s just the lowly ‘hatchetmen’ who had to not only do the dirty work, but also face the bullets. This is what happened recently when 20 woodcutters from Tamil Nadu were ruthlessly put down by the anti-smuggling task force of the Tamil Nadu Police.
Not one casualty or injury on the law enforcement side was reported. The media reported it was an unequal battle, with the police using modern automatic weapons and the smugglers retaliating with stones, knives and daggers. Although David, with his slingshot had slain the mighty Goliath, it did not work out so in this case.
Members of Shri Ram’s Vanara Brigade created havoc among the mighty forces of Ravana, again using primitive weapons like rocks, trees and whatever else nature could provide them. Yet, in these battles, the so-called weaker side had the blessings of the gods. They fought for a cause, and in the good old days, that was enough to tilt the scales. But today, no such divine intervention is sought, nor is it delivered. Hollywood may recreate episodes from the Bible, but in reality, miracles hardly ever happen.
At the root of the matter, is the same old battle between goodness and greed. Today, the benefits are not shared equally, the lion’s share is gobbled up by the greedy and nothing is left for the poor. The hierarchy is too well-established – the top boss, the men carrying out his orders and the foot soldiers, minions who always fight, but never win any prizes. The woodcutters in this case may have earned around Rs 500 daily, but they put their lives at risk.
Strangely enough, protests from Tamil Nadu were muted. There was the usual destruction of public property – buses were burnt — but there was no fiery oration from Karunanidhi and his DMK minions. On the other hand, the political success of the TDP boss, Chandrababu Naidu, has made him smug, apparently. There was no comment expressing sorrow or regret at the bloodshed.
One cannot imagine the PM could be really bothered about the skirmishes between two small states in the distant south, while he gallivants about in salubrious Europe. Also missing is the former TN Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa, whose fate in the corruption case will be evident in a matter of weeks, going on to determine her future in Indian politics. Such a brazen attack on Tamil Nadu woodcutters would not have happened in a Jaya-ruled Tamil Nadu, she would have shaken up all of South India, crying out for revenge!
Politics aside, the lack of concern for the common man and the poor, as has been exhibited in this case, is distressing. In Modi’s understanding of Indian politics, the South has low priority. He could well be thinking that if the damned Tamils don’t care for him, what does he lose? They need no development! The average Indian political leader knows about his lack of sensitivity to the loss of human life, so 20 more deaths in Tamil Nadu is not going to upset his triumphant march into Germany, France or Italy.
Those ‘naughty’ NGOs like Greenpeace, who instigate the Indian poor and exploited to fight for their rights might well be targeted next. Look what is happening to Greenpeace, which has an international image. While we are still coming to grips with the deaths of these 20 woodcutters, another salvo has been fired.
How are we going to react to the Shiv Sena’s call for depriving Indian Muslims of their voting rights? Today the BJP has rejected this call issued by the Sena, but the quest for power is ultimately stronger than any ideology and why should India be an exception?
