Illiterate  Literate Vs  Literate  Illiterate 

When India became independent in 1947, the literacy rate was just under 12% of the total population and today, it has grown up to 75.06% of the total population, a six-fold growth. Among the states, Kerala, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and some other states boast of the literacy rate they have achieved over the years. Congratulations and well done! This is a lesson to be learnt from the success stories of these states by the states like Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh etc. who are still pulling on.

This is one phase of literacy. On the other hand, are these literate people really literate? What decides literacy? Is it the ability to read and write? Is it the reasoning out and answering the things and issues of the common man? Is it the ‘common sense’ knowledge of the ‘common man’ that makes the person literate? The fact that one is literate, should he/she not able to take up or own responsibility in society? The society here I mean the whole totality of our existence which includes religion, civil society, social aspects, political field, cultural dimensions etc.

Illiterate Literates

Let us take our political system itself. Who is our political leader? He is the person chosen by us, elected by us and therefore, he is supposed to know us, work for our good, and the good of the Nation. Most of them know to read and write. Some are good orators, writers and social workers. But when the issues like FDI, Minority protection Bill, Farmer's Bill, Education Bill (NEP) came, why were the mixed reactions? I find such ‘dum’ people illiterate.

Let us examine at the grass-root level. Who elects them? If one analyze the polling percentage in the cities, rural areas and villages, the percentage usually higher in villages and in the rural areas. Most of the literate people in cities and towns abstain from casting their votes. For some, it is the clash of their ideology, for some, the candidate is from the ‘other side’ and for many, it is a waste of time.  They are the  ‘Illiterate Literates.’

Literate Illiterates

In my younger days, on the day of the election, I have seen the elderly people who cannot even walk, leave aside their literacy, are eager to cast their votes. Most of the aged people not even have seen the classrooms. When the pension comes, or when they have to sign some documents, they show their thumb. But their knowledge of democracy is unmatched with the present-day learned generation. They were convinced of what and why they vote. Are not these illiterate people more literate than we literate people? Of course, they are!

One may take any other value system. They may not have attended any seminars or leadership training programmes, but most of them are born leaders, thinkers and guides. Most of our freedom fighters, even those who are not recognized are the true saints in this regard. They have not lifted any trophies or carried any medals around their necks, but have taught us more than the present day ‘Social Organizers’ and ‘Masters of Ceremonies.’ They are indeed ‘Literate Illiterates.’

Literating the literate

There is a pressing need for us today to evangelize the literate. One may say, what we need is ‘motivation.’ It is true that motivation is necessary. But, the educated who are already having the torch in their hand and know to use where and when do not want to use it. They have already put a full stop in their learning. To motivate them is to make them to rewrite what they have already written or to begin a new one altogether. Therefore, such people need to ‘re-learn’ what they have learnt.   This re-learning is a liberation from the ideological clutches and values systems they are adhered to.

Blinding the Blind
Crowd mentality is a common thing of the present. When something is said by the leader, the people who follow them blindly believe it to be 'gospel truth'. They believe without examination. Someone has rightly said, "the unexamined life is not worth living." When the leader himself/herself is blind, he/she will not be able to show the path of light. Today's Tuglakh rule is another example. RBI heads know very well that India is not yet ready for a cashless economy. Yet, the leaders want it. Unreflected demonetization demonizes the poor! The hard-earned white money of the ordinary people is termed as 'Black'. What a paradox! 

Delanding the Land
Land is ours, we are the owners, we pay the tax, we are the land owners. But government has the right to alienate from us! Century old CNT and SPT Acts of Jharkhand-Bihar speak volumes about the political acts. For them, change is necessary, like Heraclitean dictum, 'change is real'. what is hidden behind the agenda is , 'to sell the state to the multinational companies' in the name of development, for it says, 'for the development of the country land can be alienated.' If the government really want the development why can't it sow the seeds of education, health and social development programmes? Why does it want the MNCs to open schools, hospitals and build roads? Why does it hinder the activities of NGOs and minority programmes? We are being alienated from our own culture and rights. Should I call such behaviour as mature and literate ones? I cannot pose a positive answer.  

As India is celebrating Her Republic Day, it will be apt for us to think, whether we are really literates or carrying the certificates of our diplomas, degrees and still remain illiterate? Today the country needs literate people who can think ahead of time, who can see beyond what is being seen, who can act beyond what is being acted upon. Only then as an educated person, one can sing, “Asato maa sadgamaya, tamaso maa jyothirgamaya, mrutyor maa amrutamgamaya. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.” Lead us from falsehood to truth, from the unreal to the Real, from darkness to Light, from death to Immortality. Om peace, peace, peace.

HAPPY   REPUBLIC   DAY

Literacy leads to rationality which in turn leads to intellectual growth. This is the beginning of economic, social and political development. Spiritual illiteracy leads to doom of anyone who doesn't recognize Divine knowledge. One may be religious for years, or maybe the most successful person in an institution, but if he/she doesn't recognize God in life, is an illiterate literate. In the kingdom of God, an ordinary person who is not trained in theology or philosophy can be the most spiritually literate person. Who am I, "literate illiterate or illiterate literate?"

Fr. Raju Felix Crasta