The Farce Of Village Security Force

Quoting Metcalfe’s observations on Indian villages, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar told the Constituent Assembly: “I hold these village republics have been the ruination of India… What is the village but a sink of localism, den of ignorance, narrow-mindedness and communalism”, he said snubbing advocates of Gandhian gram raj or the panchayat raj. Events have since proved Ambedkar right and Gandhi wrong. The powerful landed gentry belonging to the dominant caste group has captured these “village republics” and so much so democracy is dead long back in the countryside. It is the tyranny of the dominant community over the rural poor. Shyam Bengal’s award-winning film. Manthan, depicting the plight of the Untouchables in a Gujrat village milk cooperative. speaks of these stinking village republics. It is no wonder that the countryside looks more like an armed camp with each caste and religious group standing in battle readiness, daggers drawn. Official statistics say caste and communal riots are going up year by year. Newspapers daily carry horrid reports of such mass murders. Therefore, we don’t want to go into details. Amid this gloomy atmosphere that is getting gloomier if not bloodier, the persecuted minorities of India may feel like seeing a ray of hope in the Govt. of India’s decision to set up a “village security force.” But the whole thing is so much shrouded in secrecy, that there may be an abortion before VSF is born. It has met with tremendous opposition even inside the Central Cabinet and the Chief Ministers are said to be furious with it. Therefore, the VSF may become yet another farce. To be used more as an vote- catching device. One report said (Hindu July. 11) VSF “is intended to ensure protection to scheduled castes and other weaker sections. It is to be a small unit, preferably comprising ex-servicemen, with a sizeable number drawn from weaker sections and minorities selected with due care to exclude communal and caste prejudices. The members of the force are to be given weapons and if necessary, trained. Among other things, this force is to inform the police of the buildup of tension likely to cause violence.” The report is so mischievous that it only adds to our suspicion, On what basis the personnel of VSF is to be selected? Why the report is not clear about using VSF to protect Muslims against communal riots ? What does the report mean when it says VSF is only intended to “inform” the police? Does it mean that VSF will not be allowed to directly deal with the enemies of Dalits and minorities ? All these doubts come to us. If the Hindu report is to be believed VSF is going to be toothless tiger. But even such a good-for-nothing proposal has met with stiff resistance from the Chief Ministers of UP, MP, and Bihar-comprising the stinking Hindu-Hindi heartland, the playfield of the RSS. The “national press” is hostile. The new Central Home Minister, R. Venkatraman, also did not give any new information on VSF when he replied to the ritualistic Parliament debate on atrocities on Untouchables on July 8. except saying “necessary instructions have been issued for the setting up of the VSF.” Like words in the Vedas meant to be recited but not followed, these govt. instructions are never meant to be implemented. Which scheme of the Govt. meant for the weaker sections is implemented in India? Under the existing rotten socio-economic structure of the village, aptly described by Ambedkar, will it be ever possible for any Govt. to see that its instructions are implemented? No force can protect the weaker sections as long as the existing structures are not destroyed. The ethos of the country says: Either be a slave-owner or be a slave. either be a property owner or become a property. Under such circumstances, even village rakshaks (VSF) will turn into village bakshaks. We have to educate dalits and persecuted minorities on these vital matters.