ನಾವು ನಮ್ಮಲ್ಲಿ...

ಪೀರ್ ಬಾಶ ಅವರ ಪುಸ್ತಕದ ಹಿ೦ದೂ ಪತ್ರಿಕೆಯ ವಿಮರ್ಶೆ
Untold stories, unsung heroes
Samajavadi Horatagaraara Sandarshana

Rama manohara Lohiya Adhyana Peetha, Kannda University

“Samajavadi Horatagaarara sandarshana” edited by B.Peer Basha a young poet, activist and a commited socialist of Marxist persuasion, is a unique attempt in reconstructing the history of Karnataka through the lives of socialist movement in Karnataka. This unusual, but significant book, is brought out by Dr. Ram manohar Lohia Adhyana Peetha of Kannada University, headed by another well-known scholar and cultural critique of our times, Rahamat Tarikere.
The book contains long interviews of eight veterans of Karnataks’s socialist movement namely T.S. Ponnammal, K.G. Maheshwarappa, Ammembala anand, Neelagangayya Poojar, K.Sadashiva Karant, Kashinath belure, Abbigere virupakshappa, and Ammembala Balappa. Even though the interviews are unstructured, the story narrated by these makers of history also provides a complex narrative of several parties, individuals and historic movements and hence becomes a narrative of strengths and limitations of Indian politics and the social movements at the same time.
For each one of them, politics is also a moral value to be adopted in persona life. Hence most of them have vented their opinions about the past and the present without mincing words.
One can see a broad concurrence on issues like collapse of socialist movement and Devraj Urs initiated land reforms as well as communalism. If they differ, it’s the views they hold on Naxalism. In fact, editor Peer Basha’s wonderful and thought provoking preface to the book puts the whole thing in a larger perspective. He critically analyses the Lohiate politically analyses the Lohiyaite political thought and his tools for social change-Spade, Jail and Vote- and also describes how these concepts were diluted over a period of time in the pretext of pragmatic politics. In his incisive critique of the Lohiaite ideology and its practice in Karnataka, he raises several important questions of historical significance. This book is important for more than one reason.
It is for the first time that an attempt has been made to record the history of various movements in the state, that had instituti9nal support. The form of interview as a methodology is also a unique attempt.
After reading the book, one question haunts. For most of our creative writers, Lohia and his writings held great influence in spirit. However, in letter, activism was always ridiculed either as manifest eccentricity or as masked vested interest. Ironically, despite such contradictions, even what seemed like a peaceful co-existence, had never managed to resolve the individual-centric preoccupations of the Navya in them.
- SHIVASUNDAR