[Letter to S V Raju]

Summary

In this letter dated 5 February 1990, Bhanu Pratap Singh thanks S. V. Raju for his letter and cheque, explaining that he writes not for monetary gain but to shape public opinion in favour of rural communities. He describes the deterioration of the rural economy, the migration of able-bodied villagers to cities, and his belief that meaningful progress requires systemic change. He singles out Vishwanath Pratap Singh as perhaps the only political figure with the imagination or determination to depart from the established economic path.

Singh tells Raju that he will send background material for a committee he is to chair, relying on Raju’s editorial expertise to put it into publishable form. He also asks Raju to convey his compliments to Minoo Masani, recalls earlier L.S.P. seminars on agriculture, and notes that he may soon move to Delhi to conduct the committee’s affairs. The page offers no further details about the committee, its mandate, or the proposed material.

Key points

• Singh says he writes to influence public opinion in favour of rural communities rather than for financial gain.
• He presents the rural economy as rapidly deteriorating and links this decline to migration from villages to cities.
• He argues that substantial improvement will require systemic change.
• He identifies Vishwanath Pratap Singh as an apparent exception to the political reluctance to depart from established economic policies.
• He plans to provide background material for a committee he will chair and asks Raju to shape it editorially.
• He recalls L.S.P. seminars with Minoo Masani as useful forums for discussing agriculture.
• He anticipates obtaining an office and residence in Delhi to conduct the committee’s affairs.