The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Battle of words over nature of relief work

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Wednesday, Nov 25, 2009
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Battle of words over nature of relief work

Special Correspondent

Report on flood-relief work in north Karnataka released

— Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

Heated exchange: Participants at loggerheads after the release of a report by the Department of Women’s Studies, Kannada University, in Bangalore on Tuesday.

Bangalore: A pitched battle of words marked the event organised by the Department of Women’s Studies of Kannada University, Hampi, to release its fact-finding report on flood-relief work in north Karnataka districts.

There were sharp differences of opinion not only on the method of relief work but also the ideological positions guiding it. The role of corporate bodies and caste maths in relief work; alleged discrimination against the Dalits in providing compensation; and the role of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-backed NGO, Seva Bharati, were some of the issues that provoked heated debate.

S.M. Jaamdar, Nodal Officer on Flood Relief, who released the report here on Tuesday, began on a defensive note by implying that those who had compiled the report had failed to fully understand the nature of the disaster and relief work. He held this position even as he admitted that he had not read the full report and was responding only to speakers at the function.

He said the demand for 100 per cent relief was unrealistic and challenged those who had compiled the report: “Tell me where such a system exists,” he said. Reeling out statistics on the mammoth scale of relief work and the demand on resources, Mr. Jaamdar went to the extent of saying that the report “should not become propaganda material”.

A few members in the audience responded by demanding to know why the Government had not collected taxes due from corporates and mopped up revenue, instead of asking them for donations. Human rights activist and writer Shivasundar described this as “privatisation of welfare” and said that it had pushed flood-hit people into feeling indebted rather than claiming relief as their right.

K. Neela, president of the Karnataka State Committee of All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), said that work would have been far more effective had MGREGA been implemented efficiently. Basavaraj Kowthal of Human Rights Forum for Dalit Liberation (HRFDL) said that there had been several cases of Dalit colonies not even being surveyed for relief work.

Aggressive turn

What gave the debate an aggressive turn was the comment that the MoU between the Government and the Seva Bharati for building houses, gave relief work an ideological colour. This led to Syndicate member Vasanth Kumar casting aspersions on the entire report, demanding to know what the “political agenda” guiding it was.

In the end, the ruckus seemed to have made Mr. Jaamdar mellower. When Lakshmi of Janwadi Mahila Sanghatane said that there was clear evidence of corporate interests being favoured in many aspects of governance, he refused to be drawn into the debate. He said: “I cannot answer ideological questions.”

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