Today is the twentieth death anniversary of the visionary Kishan Patnaik! He died on this day in 2004 at the age of 74. Born in 1930, Kishanji’s birth centenary is coming in 2030. In my own acquaintance, I have not seen any other socialist like Kishanji. He was a member of the Lok Sabha from 1962-67. But he did not accept all the facilities given to former members of Parliament. And he used to travel from one corner of the country to another by third class and buses. And on top of that, how troublesome is a crowded journey for an asthma patient? I have seen this myself in my travels with him.
Some people call him a Lohiawadi! As far as I personally believe, I have known him since the time of the inception of NAPM. Sometimes he has also stayed at our residence in Calcutta. And mainly our meetings have been at the Narmada Bachao Andolan sites and in various meetings of NAPM most of the time. And I saw that Kishanji was not influenced by any leader. He was a democratic socialist. But I never saw him quoting any big socialist leader while speaking. Even when he was less than thirty years old, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia had put in all his strength in the first Lok Sabha election of his life, his Sambalpur Lok Sabha election. And Dr. Lohia had not succeeded in entering the Parliament of India till then. A year later, he also came to the Lok Sabha by winning in the by-election. But Kishanji was the youngest Member of Parliament of that Lok Sabha. But despite that I never saw him saying that Dr Lohia had said this or he had not said that! And I never saw him saying this about any other leader!
As far as I can observe, he himself was an independent thinker! Examples of this range from ‘the world is not without alternatives’ to ‘India will belong to the Shudras’, and the light he has shed on today’s most sensitive topics like socialism, farmers’ problems, communalism, secularism, democracy and man-woman relationships! After seeing all that, I feel that even in that, from reading his articles to talking with him, I have never seen him quoting anyone! I have always got a glimpse of his own thinking!
Kishanji was the only leader among the front line socialist leaders who not only opposed the alliance of Janata Party with a right wing party like Jansangh, but did not join that party either! And once Biju Patnaik from Orissa offered him only Janata Party symbol but he refused! Whereas if he had taken that symbol he would have definitely reached Lok Sabha again! But except for the third Lok Sabha of 1962-67 he could not go to Lok Sabha again!
But I believe that he was more of a supporter of alternative politics than of parliament or assembly! His book titled ‘The world is not without alternatives’ reflects everything from alternative development to alternative political thinking!
In the same he has written an article titled ‘Do we want a bullock cart or internet?’ Which he had first mentioned in his speech at the Lok Vigyan Sammelan in Banaras. And after the speech we both were having our meal together. He asked me “Suresh, how did you like my speech?” I immediately replied “You have thrown a stone at the beehive. That is why I am inviting you to Nagpur first to discuss this topic in detail. And at least you will have to stay in Nagpur for three days only on this topic.” So he came to Nagpur within a few days after Banaras. And that event was one of the best events of my life. In which Kisanji has thrown a very detailed light on the increasing impact of current technology. Which is the subject of a separate article.
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That is why I believe that he was never under the influence of any person! He had his own thinking and contemplation! On the basis of which he tried to speak and write till the end of his life! And there is a trend of calling many people the current representatives of socialist thinking! But in my opinion, he was the last such visionary! After whom there is no person who can be called a socialist thinker! Today, humble greetings on his death anniversary!
Dr. Suresh Khairnar is former president, Rashtra Sewa Dal.
