”Even though I participated in armed war to change the situation, I did not forget the agricultural work”

I am embracing politics as a service and agriculture as a profession

असार ४, २०८२

धर्मे बुढाथोकी

”Even though I participated in armed war to change the situation, I did not forget the agricultural work”

Resides in Kumakh-5, Kalagaon. After spending many hunders in my life, I am enjoying farming again. When I was a child, my parents used to take me to the farm where they worked. I remember working with them from the age of four. That's why I became more interested in agriculture than studies. After that, I didn't feel like reading.

When I was a little older, I left school with my friends at the age of 13 and went to Himachal Pradesh, India. There was no way to stay in one place and work. So many places were searched. 

While working as a laborer in different places of India for 8 years, I also did agricultural work. I decided to return to my village after not earning according to my hard work there. I was 20 years old at that time. After coming here, I worked in agriculture with my parents. When we worked together, there was no problem with food.

In 2052, the then Maoists started an armed war. After that, I became a member of the Maoist party and joined the war. I joined the Maoist army and worked. From 2052 to 2063, I became a battalion commissar of the then 'Janasena' and became a commander. 

During the armed war, I joined the battles in different parts of the country. In the year 2060, I was injured during a clash in Beni of Myagdi. At that time, I am still carrying more than 20 shrapnel from both legs. Although I participated in the armed war for a long time and fought in more than two dozen places, I did not forget agricultural work.

After the year 2063, after peace was established in the country, I returned home and am doing agricultural work. While participating in the then Maoist rebellion, I was also elected the ward president in the by-election of the local body in 2057. 

Recently, as the young generation went abroad, the arable land in the village became barren. Since then, I have taken up the agricultural profession to attract the present young generation to agriculture. Now I am 62 years old. In the past, I was limited to farming as part of agricultural work.

I have been fully engaged in agricultural business since last year. I have been cultivating green corn, cucumber, bitter gourd, beans, bodi and other vegetables and potatoes in 2 bigha by digging up the barren land I have and renting 29 plantations. I earned 6 lakh this year by selling only potatoes. 

Even though I have been involved in politics for a long time, I understand very well that agriculture is the main profession to raise the standard of living in rural areas. That is why I took up the agricultural profession. Although it is not compulsory for me to take up agricultural profession due to my age, I want the young generation to also take up agricultural work after seeing that I am earning Rs. I am busy in the fields from morning till evening.

I have earned 8 lakh rupees in one year from commercial farming which I started last year. I was able to save 3 lakh rupees by cutting investment expenses from that. Now I have given employment to 6 people. Although I am a member of the Karnali region of the Maoist party, I am active in agriculture along with politics. I am embracing politics as a service and agriculture as a profession. 

There are 6 people in the family with two sons, two daughters and an elderly person. Except for the youngest son, everyone has made their own arrangements, so we are the only elderly people in the house, including him. Son and wife help in the work. Saying that labor is not important in the country, they are going to other countries including the Gulf after passing Yuva Pusta Plus Two.

Some of those who went abroad got good jobs but returned home after losing their investments and homes. My son also came back after suffering abroad. He had to pay off the debt he had to go abroad.

I want the young generation not to suffer in the coming days and to stay at home and earn a living based on agriculture. 

presentation : Biplav Maharjan 

धर्मे बुढाथोकी

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