"I will cite another interesting conversation between S .K. Dey, the then Minister of State for Community Development and renowned Gandhian economist J.C.Kumarappa at Kallupatti in early 1956. The Minister told Kumarappa about the great success of Community Development Programme by citing the figures of achievement in various programmes.
Kumarappa reacted to it sharply by stating that “ Mr. Dey before I cover a particular area with the Community Development Programme I would count the ribs on a few persons and if after three years of work there is some flesh to cover those ribs , I will cal it a success”. He added further “you are attempting to throw a silk shirt on a hungry person; you will never succeed”
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Kumarappa pointed out that the British policy of promoting the United Kingdom Commercial Corporation (UKCC) almost as a department of the government has affected Indian business badly. More seriously, ‘It’s being used as a medium for exchanging British “paper” for sweat of the brow of the masses of India’.
He reiterated that the villagers should not be made to part with their commodities for paper money, but to exchange them against goods only.
Due to this article and the solution given therein, a warrant of arrest was issued against Kumarappa. He was produced before a session’s judge. Kumarappa was sentenced to three terms of two and half years’ rigorous imprisonment. While giving the judgement, the judge congratulated the public prosecutor for the ability with which he had handled a difficult and highly technical case and helped the court to understand its implications.
At this stage, the public prosecutor interrupted and informed the court that he was working under the instructions of the prisoner himself, as he could not get any other professor of economics to help him.
Redkar, Chaitra. Gandhian Engagement with Capital (pp. 67-68). SAGE Publications.
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