Tawa Matsya Sangh
Extra Questions
Short Answer Questions
Question 1: What do you mean by “Constitution-the living document’?
Answer: The term ‘Constitution – a living document’ means that it is a document that does not exist merely on paper but in reality also. It has the ability to change the lives of the people in a better way, like it did for the fishworkers in TMS. The provisions of the Constitution regarding equality were actually implemented as a result of their united protests.
Question 2: Write a note on the impact of TMS.
Answer: The government, as a response to the protests by the TMS, created a committee to assess the issue. The committee recommended that the villagers should be given the fishing rights for their livelihood. Consequently, in 1996, the Madhya Pradesh government decided to give the displaced people the rights for the reservoir. Two months later a five-year lease agreement was signed and on January 2, 1997, the villagers from 33 villages started their new year with their first catch.
Question 3: Why was the Tawa Matsya Sangh formed?
Answer: Building of the Tawa dam resulted in the submerging of large areas of forest and agricultural land. Some of the displaced forest dwellers settled around the reservoir and found a new source of livelihood by fishing. The rights of fishing in the Tawa reservoir were given to private contractors by the government in the year 1994. These contractors drove away the local people in order to get cheap labour from outside. At this point the villagers united and decided to set up an organisation for protecting their rights. This led to the formation of the Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS).
Question 4: Are the different bases of inequality related or independent? Discuss.
Answer: There is a strong interrelationship between the bases of discrimination and inequality. For example the issues of poverty, lack of dignity and respect for some communities are not independent issues. They exist together in such a manner that it is very difficult to identify where one aspect of inequality ends and the other starts. For example the dropping out of school of the Dalit, Adivasi and Muslim girls is a combined outcome of poverty, social discrimination and lack of good schooling facilities. This is an ‘all-in-one’ example of inequality i.e. it shows the inequality on the basis of financial status, caste, religion and gender.
Very Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1: What are the bases on which there is inequality?
Answer: Caste, religion, gender and financial status.
Question 2: What are the purposes for which the TMS gave loans?
Answer: Repair of nets and buying of new nets.
Question 3: What was the main reason that triggered the formation of Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS)?
Answer: The government giving the rights of fishing in the Tawa reservoir to private contractors in the year 1994.
Question 4: Mention the groups of people (other than the fishworkers of Madhya Pradesh) who are struggling for justice.
Answer: Beedi workers, agricultural labourers and slum dwellers.
Long Answer Type Questions
Question 1: Write a note on struggles for equality.
Answer: There are some renowned figures in the world i.e. in every community, village, city or country that have stood up against inequality and discrimination. They have fought against the discrimination which they either faced or witnessed as onlooker.
Such renowned people are also famous and respected for the fact that they treat everybody with respect and dignity. They are hence trusted and people look forward to them as problem solvers when any issue arises in the community. Some people become popular because they took the initiative to fight the inequality and have the support of large number of people who have come together to fight the inequality.
In India we have many instances of people coming together and protesting an ongoing discriminatory practice. For instance;
- The women’s movement which was intended to create awareness and solve the issues of inequality faced by women.
- Fight against injustice by groups of beedi workers, fisherfolk, agricultural labourers, slum dwellers etc.
- Forming of cooperatives is also a method of coming together for preventing exploitation and getting a good bargain in a transaction.
- Formation of Tawa Matsya Sangh to fight the loss of livelihood of the fishworkers in Madhya Pradesh.
Question 2: Describe inequality on the basis of financial status.
Answer: The following have an adverse impact on the poor people and hence are examples of inequality based on financial status:
Privatisation of hospitals and neglect of government hospitals: Because of the privatisation and the bad condition of government hospitals, poor people do not have access to good health services.
High demand for branded goods: The small sellers who sell loose items and non-branded goods are not able to compete with those selling branded goods because they cannot afford the costs involved in branding i.e. packaging, advertising, etc.
Dependence on powerful people for money: Small farmers due to lack of money, are dependent on local traders for money for the agricultural inputs as well as for family exigencies. They also have to yield to the irrational demands and conditions of the traders. Similarly, the maid servants (due to their poverty), have to bear insults and ill-treatment by their employers.
Question 3: Write a note on the Tawa Matsya Sangh.
Answer: Building of the Tawa dam resulted in the submerging of large areas of forest and agricultural land. Some of the displaced forest dwellers settled around the reservoir and found a new source of livelihood by fishing. The rights of fishing in the Tawa reservoir were given to private contractors by the government in the year 1994. These contractors drove away the local people in order to get cheap labour from outside. At this point the villagers united and decided to set up an organisation for protecting their rights. This led to the formation of the Tawa Matsya Sangh(TMS). The TMS demanded their right to continue fishing for their livelihood by organising rallies and chakka jams (blocking the roads).
Impact of TMS: The government, as a response to the protests by the TMS, created a committee to assess the issue. The committee recommended that the villagers should be given the fishing rights for their livelihood. Consequently, in 1996, the Madhya Pradesh government decided to give the displaced people the rights for the reservoir. Two months later a five-year lease agreement was signed and on January 2, 1997, the villagers from 33 villages started their new year with their first catch.
Functioning of TMS: A cooperative was set up which bought the catch from the fishworkers at a fair price. The cooperative also arranged the transport and sale of the catch at a good price. This resulted in a three-fold increase in the earnings of the fishworkers. The TMS has also begun giving loans to the fishworkers for repair of nets and buying new nets and hence brought about a tremendous change in the lives of the fishworkers.
Question 4: Other than financial status, describe the grounds of inequality that exist in the society.
Answer: The following are the other grounds for inequality, apart from financial status:
Inequality on the basis of religion: Some people are not willing to lease out their apartment to people of a particular religion in spite of their ability to pay rent. Some employers are also against employing people of a particular religion.
Inequality on the basis of caste: The Dalit community is always victimised and oppressed. Shri Om Prakash Valmiki, a Dalit writer has elaborated this in his autobiography ‘Joothan’. In this he has mentioned that he was forced by his teachers to sweep his school yard just because he was a Dalit boy.
Inequality on the basis of gender: The work done by women is devalued. It is not given any recognition and they are also paid less than their male counterparts. The discrimination is because of the social and cultural background we are brought up in.