Is doing business a social smuggling?

Recently, a self-styled and so-called social scientist brought out a small booklet depicting Vysya Community as the social smugglers (Illegal hoarders and transporters). For obvious reasons, the whole Vysya community in one voice, in both the Telugu States, raised serious objections over it. Swamijis like Paripoornananda too have openly come out in support of Vysyas on this issue and have clearly stated that the issues raised in the book are aimed at belittling and insulting the Hindu society at large.

For all those who viewed the electronic media debates in which the author participated as well as those who read his articles in the print media must have realised that the writer wilfully tries to divert the debate. It goes without saying that the author has miserably failed to substantiate his vicious and malicious propaganda which had no basis at all! The writer could not defend his arguments in a scientific and logical manner but tried to raise matters, which are irrelevant and far from truth.

This has clearly showed that the writer is fond of getting a cheap and quick publicity by writing fabricated, fantasised and often wilfully twisted facts to suit his baseless biases. He had no intention whatsoever to present facts as facts before the people. All his other writings and books are only aimed at maligning some communities, sections in the society without any reason or rhyme. He is a hollow person with zero intellectual capacity and no ability at all to write something, which is a fact and based on facts.

By describing the Vysya community as smugglers, the author in other words is also saying that all the businessmen are thieves. A majority of Vysyas in the past and mostly even today run small time business. Vysyas were normally involved in running a small provision store in a village or in small towns, on which the entire social fabric of society depended.

One or two provision stores in every village used to serve the day-to-day domestic needs of the people especially the poor and the marginalised. The provision stores owners used to supply the daily provisions to the locals throughout the month either mostly on credit or now-and-then on cash. This was a sociological necessity.

Based on the then sociological situation, Vysyas were entrusted with the responsibility of the business as part of the Chaturvarna Vyavastha (Four-layered Hindu Social Order). Had they not extended credit to the locals, it would have been difficult to describe the living conditions in the villages and small towns. Then where is the scope for smuggling in this business!

These days if we visit a village or a small town, there are several categories of businesses handled by people from almost all the communities. They include provision stores, tea stalls, liquor outlets, small hotels, fertilisers and pesticides shops, fruit and flowers selling outlets, contracts and political business.

Yadavs do the sheep business, Mudiraj and Bestha are into fish business, Weaving community into cloth business, potteries into pottery, Gouds into toddy and liquor business etc. Several communities including Vaisyas are into various categories of business. If Vysyas are social smugglers, are all these business communities also smugglers?

After independence, the new entrepreneurs are from other castes too. With Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s mixed economy policy, a new business class emerged above all castes and communities.

There were several communities which gave up their hereditary professions and embarked business as their profession. Even before the economic liberalisation of 1991, premier institutions like the Indian Institute of Managements produced MBAs who became the first-time entrepreneurs and businessmen. Every marketing professional who had the marketing skills had become an entrepreneur businessman.

Noted journalist and writer Harish Damodaran, in his book “India’s New Capitalists” for which foreword was written by Nandan Nilekani, clearly wrote about how Vaisyas and others had become millionaires and multi-millionaires through their business ventures. The ignorant writer who described Vaisyas as social smugglers should take some time off and read this book, which will give him some insight into how the business empires were built in this country.

How the business sector had undergone dramatic changes, this book will explain. Entrepreneurs took birth in the chemicals, fertilisers, jute, iron and steel, plastics, pharma, electronics, information technology and a host of other areas, from several castes including Vysyas. Without taking these facts into consideration and painting Vysyas as the only community, which is in the business, and branding them as social smugglers is uncalled for.

It is agreed that business communities like Marwaris, Gujaratis, Parsis, Khojas, Sindhis, Chettiars, Boharas, Gujarati Banias, Jains were there. However, as time passed people from other communities also entered the business sector like Yadavs, Kammas, Reddys, Rajus, Velamas, Naidus, Ganders, Nadirs, Marathas, Hindu-Sikh Jats and so on. Along with them there were people from Kshatriyas, Brahmins and Kayasthas. The Brahmins also made a mark later and Infosys is the best example.

Harish Damodaran had clearly explained how people from each community entered and reached heights in the business in his book. He writes that thanks to Sir Arthur Cotton who had constructed Doweleswaram Anicut, Kammas benefited a lot due to the fertile crops. The profits they made in agriculture were diverted to other business and they earned more profits. More profits came from the commercial crops like the red chilli, cotton, turmeric and tobacco.

If some people did paddy business, others did tobacco business. But none of these ever indulged in smuggling. Some of them invested in the film industry and some media industry and made money while some other benefitted from setting up the industries. Take for instance, Andhra Sugars, Andhra Scientific Company, KCP, Cooperative Sugar Mill in Vuyyuru, Sarvaraya Cotton Mill. Similarly, Reddys invested in the mining, film business, contracts and they have constructed projects. Everyone knows about the international level success of the Satyam Computers whose promoter is a B Ramalinga Raju. Some Velamas have also made their mark in the real estate.

There is no community today, which is not into the business. If Vysyas who do business are smugglers, is everyone in the business sector also a smuggler? I don’t think the writer of the ill-reputed booklet describing Vysyas as social smugglers has any answer to this! (Writer is CPRO to Telangana Chief Minister)

By Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao