It’s unkindest cut, rues jailed farmer’s family
The authorities had not notified it as a “tiger zone” as the bank claimed
By : jose kurian
Update: 2015-11-06 06:40 GMT
Irulam (Wayanad): It was a bolt from the blue for Suma, wife of M. M. Sukumaran, and their three daughters. Their breadwinner’s remand last week despite surrendering a significant portion of their land to the Kerala Gramin Bank (KGB) shattered them.
He had taken a business loan of Rs 90,000 from the bank mortgaging 75 cents in 1999 and, they say, repaid manyfold.
When DC met Suma at her small house on remaining ten cents, she was desperately calling farmers’ leaders to know the latest on reconciliatory talks with district administration.
Living in this jungle hamlet, the farmer had always shown modesty and decorum. “We never thought the bank would mislead the court this way,” she says.
The authorities had not notified it as a “tiger zone” as the bank claimed. He was unhappy that he couldn’t pay the bank back as wild animals destructed crops and prices crashed.
They tried many crops but failed. Monkeys took away coconuts, areca nuts and other fruits while elephants raided crops regularly. Wild goats and herds of deer destroyed banana, pepper and coffee and wild boars the below surface crops like ginger, tapioca, elephant yam and turmeric.
“With farming the mainstay, it’s tough to make ends meet,” she says. But she is not alone now. The entire village is with them, and the family is prepared to fight till Mr Sukumaran is freed.
They had cooperated with the bank staff in the attachment procedures. But they failed to sell the land and recover the debt.
“This bank has been tormenting us for long, and the imprisonment was the last straw,” says his brother Sabu. “But this time we are together to teach them a lesson,” he added.