Sathasivam’s experience with land and law

On demitting office as the Chief Justice of India (CJI) on April 26, 2014, public sector undertakings such as ONGC and Coal India approached him to take up the position of arbitrator to help them resolve cases. However, the retired official, who had no plans to take up any post, replied, “I am going back to my village”. His longing was to go back to his Erode roots and peacefully remain in those environs, amidst sugar fields, cows, buffaloes, among other things! Three months later, when he was requested to take up the gubernatorial role, he was hesitant. He consulted legal luminary Parasaran, who impressed upon him to accept the constitutional post. 

Two weeks ago, ASSOCHAM officials in Thiruvanthapuram approached him for an event, where the focus was to overcome the challenges of the agriculture sector. They felt his agrarian background would help in giving a suitable direction to the agri business people.

Even the top-level policymakers were “unaware of the ground level problems”, the erstwhile CJI said, adding he had told the same to the Prime Minister who gave him “I will keep this in mind” assurance. 

The governor then cited the mid-2013 onion crisis when the per kg price of the commodity shot up to Rs 80 to Rs 90! This northbound price triggered mass agitation with MPs and organizations staging dharnas and sloganeering protests getting a lot of media glare too. Meanwhile, with the intervention of the Finance Minister, within two weeks, consignments of onions were imported from Pakistan. These shipments halted the surging prices. “This is one side of the coin,” the governor said.

He then said, it is the practice of the Supreme Court to start proceedings at 10:30 am sharp like the Armed Forces, which follows certain protocols. At the stroke of 10:15 am, the judges, irrespective of whichever location they came from, had to come to the signing registry. The 15-minute break for the legal fraternity meant that they could discuss everything else except law-related matters. Sathasivam shared the onion episode with his legal colleagues. When they too could not get the other side of the story, the governor said any problem pertaining to consumer causes agitation, leading the government and other bodies to jump into rescue act. What about seasons when onion prices touched Rs 3 and Rs 2 per kg? The farmer does not harvest as it becomes uneconomical. 

Exhorting policymakers to intervene, Sathasivam said storage and market facilities would preserve plenty of agri products making it possible for reasonable returns. “Farmers don’t have any union. They only cry in their land and die,” he lamented.