Hey folks,

I present to you ‘Find the winner’ — a skit with four characters. Jotdar Bheem, the landowner. Bargadar Gopal, who worked for 20 years in Bheem’s land for a share of the crops produced, but now owns a plot himself. Barendra babu, a government officer. And Mr Supariwala, a big industrialist. Background: lush farmlands in Bangur, West Bengal.
Barendra: Gopal, why are you making such a fuss? Bheem sold a portion of his land to the government, too. Now look at his spanking new bike! He is a winner….
Bheem: I made little out of my 20 bighas, thanks to these bargadars. They became too big for their boots after the government launched Operation Barga (a land reform programme) in 1978, giving those small farmers rights to till my land, to share the crops!
Gopal (sobbing): Operation Barga helped me save, and I bought six bighas with my sweat. Why does the government want to buy it now?
Mr Supariwala: The government will sell your land to me. I will build a factory here and give you a job. You will be a winner too..
Gopal (still sobbing): But I will lose my land…
Have you found the ‘winner’ yet?
Keep thinking, and I will get back to you later. Meanwhile, read about yet another government project that uses up loads of land: roadways.