Meeting Wth The Minister

The next day on the march, we stopped at a field where India's Minister of Agriculture was expected to join the marchers and make an announcement. A stage was set up where there was shade and all the foreigners were asked to sit on the stage. I thought it was because that's the only place with shade so the march organizers gave that spot to the wimpy foreigners.

There was much dancing on the stage. It was a cultural celebration by all the different tribes on the march. Two hours later, each group of foreigners were asked to say something to the marchers. I didn't know I was expected to speak. So minutes before we were to speak, I thought hard and fast about what to say. In the end, I managed to greet the marchers by telling them after we leave the marcher, we'll keep them in our thoughts and prayers. It was the first time I had spoken to a crowd of 25,000 and had my words translated.

The Minister was late of course. He arrived at 6 pm, amidst throngs of media. We had been waiting since 2 pm. The Minister delivered his message. He's with the marchers. Of course. He wants to march with them if he could. Yes, yes. He appreciates the non-violent and Gandhian way of the marchers. Hear, hear. Yes, the government will have a new land rehabilitation policy. Urr, okay. Yes, the government will strike a land management program but a land survey has to be done first and it will take a long time. Well, sure. I heard nothing concrete. There was no timeline, no announcement of who will form the land commission, no agreement that the marchers will have land, and whether there will be land redistribution at all.

The next day, the march organizers said it was a good meeting. India has a coalition government. The Agriculture Minister does not belong to the ruling Congress Party. So it was good to have the minister announce publicly he's on side. He doesn't have the authority to do much anyway. One down and more to go. Now to work on the Prime Minister.